Maribou State are Chris Davids and Liam Ivory, the UK duo injecting electronic music with a much-needed shot of soul. Since 2011, they’ve established themselves as major players on the global dance music circuit, melding a genre-fluid range of influences into a distinctly organic sound and redefining downtempo electronica for a new generation. They’ve become a hugely acclaimed live act, performing landmark shows from Glastonbury to the Sydney Opera House, as well as back-to-back sold-out UK, EU, and North American tours. Over three albums—including a forthcoming release—Maribou State have honed a delicate balance of intricacy, intimacy, and electronic expansiveness. Their vast sonic universe draws on UK club music, vintage soul, and evocative samples to create something entirely unique. Their 2015 debut, Portraits, was written and recorded in the shed at the bottom of Liam’s parents’ garden in Hertfordshire, just outside London, where the duo grew up. Building on Portraits’ success, Maribou State relocated to London but looked further afield for inspiration: 2018’s Kingdom of Colour wove together a sonic collage of ideas and field recordings from their travels across India, Australia, Morocco, America, and beyond. Lead single “Feel Good,” a collaboration with Texan trio Khruangbin, was a runaway success, while the album itself received widespread acclaim, leading dance music bible Mixmag to name Maribou State one of their artists of the year. The duo have always stayed true to their club roots. They began DJing together in the mid-2000s and pay homage to the lineage of UK dance music throughout their productions, including the much-loved single “Turnmills,” named after the legendary former London club. They followed it with 2019’s Kingdoms in Colour Remixed, featuring reworkings from HAAi, Maceo Plex, and DJ Tennis, and, in 2020, an instalment of Fabric’s esteemed Fabric Presents series. The compilation showcased their wide-reaching musical tastes, linking soul, disco, and bumpier house grooves with UK jazz and even neo-classical influences. Maribou State’s live show has evolved to the next level, cementing them as must-see headliners. Their band has reached its fullest realisation on their third album, Hallucinating Love. It’s a beacon of hope after a turbulent few years, both personally and professionally—Chris has been coming to terms with a major brain condition, bringing the duo closer together than ever. The highly anticipated album features a host of impressive talents, including vocalists Holly Walker and Andreya Triana, as well as producer Jack Sibley, celebrating community, togetherness, and triumph over adversity. Hallucinating Love is preceded by two exceptional singles, soothing balms for tempestuous times. “Blackoak” exemplifies Maribou State’s earthy blend of folk, epic strings, elastic funk bass, and earworm vocal hooks, while Andreya Triana’s sublime vocal on “All I Need” is supported by a ghostly trip-hop beat. It’s a complex tapestry of sound, but one that always brings heart and soul to the forefront.