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British duo Maribou State produce warm, emotive electronic music drawing from house, garage, and indie rock, blending pitch-shifted vocals and rolling beats. Several club-friendly EPs and singles preceded the release of their 2015 debut album, Portraits, which featured two of the group's most frequent collaborators, Holly Walker and Pedestrian. 2018's Kingdoms of Colour, which included a song with Khruangbin, was highly acclaimed, and reached number 25 on the U.K. album chart. Maribou State returned with the sophistipop-influenced Hallucinating Love in 2025.

Maribou State was formed in London in 2011 by former classmates Chris Davids and Liam Ivory. Working tirelessly in their own homemade studio, they released several EPs and singles on Norman Cook's Southern Fried Records in 2012 and 2013, and completed remixes for Fatboy Slim, Lana Del Rey, Ultraista, Kelis, and many others. The duo's tracks received support from high-profile British DJs such as Zane Lowe, Gilles Peterson, and Pete Tong, and they began touring extensively, hitting festival dates around the world. Ninja Tune sublabel Counter Records signed the pair in 2015, releasing the "Rituals" 12" followed by Maribou State's full-length debut, Portraits.

During an extensive world tour, the duo found themselves writing on the road, drawing inspiration from the continents they visited, including Asia and North America. Afterwards, they attempted to settle into their London studio to record a follow-up but found themselves feeling confined by the city. Instead, they ventured to various areas outside of London to set up week-long temporary recording spots, capturing their sophomore album, 2018's Kingdoms of Colour, piece by piece. Guest artists included Texas trio Khruangbin (on the single "Feel Good") and previous collaborator Holly Walker. Maribou State spent 2019 touring across the world, performing sold-out concerts throughout Europe, the U.K., and North America. Their first mixed CD, Fabric Presents Maribou State, arrived in 2020, including two exclusive tracks by the duo.

Band activity was put on hold when Davids was diagnosed with a chiari malfunction, requiring brain surgery and a lengthy recovery period. They returned with the 2023 single "Blackoak," which was followed by the Walker-featuring "Otherside" in 2024. Hallucinating Love, including additional guests like Andreya Triana and Gaidaa, arrived in 2025. ~ Paul Simpson