Formed in London during 2011 by one-time schoolmates Chris Davids and Liam Ivory, the British pair Maribou State crafts emotive, atmospheric electronic soundscapes that merge house, garage, and indie-rock influences while layering pitch-shifted vocals over rolling rhythms. Before issuing their debut full-length, Portraits, in 2015, they issued a string of dancefloor-oriented EPs and singles, enlisting frequent collaborators Holly Walker and Pedestrian for key vocal contributions on the album. The 2018 follow-up, Kingdoms of Colour, earned widespread praise and peaked at number 25 on the U.K. album chart after featuring a track with Khruangbin; the duo resurfaced in 2025 with the sophistipop-tinged Hallucinating Love.
After establishing themselves in a self-built home studio, Davids and Ivory placed several early releases on Norman Cook’s Southern Fried Records across 2012 and 2013 while also delivering remixes for artists including Fatboy Slim, Lana Del Rey, Ultraista, and Kelis. Their material drew early endorsements from prominent U.K. broadcasters Zane Lowe, Gilles Peterson, and Pete Tong, prompting an intensive touring schedule that encompassed festivals worldwide. Counter Records, a Ninja Tune imprint, signed the duo in 2015 and issued the “Rituals” 12-inch before unveiling Portraits.
While crisscrossing continents on a lengthy global trek, the pair began composing material en route, absorbing influences from destinations spanning Asia and North America. Attempts to resume work inside their London facility proved stifling, so they instead erected short-term studios in outlying locales, assembling Kingdoms of Colour incrementally throughout 2018. Among the guests were Texas trio Khruangbin, who appeared on the single “Feel Good,” alongside returning vocalist Holly Walker. The group maintained a busy itinerary through 2019 with sold-out shows across Europe, the U.K., and North America, then delivered their first DJ mix, Fabric Presents Maribou State, in 2020, complete with two original cuts.
Activity paused when Davids underwent surgery to correct a chiari malformation, followed by an extended convalescence. The 2023 single “Blackoak” marked their return, succeeded by the Holly Walker collaboration “Otherside” in 2024. Hallucinating Love surfaced the next year, additionally featuring Andreya Triana and Gaidaa.
