Maribou State

Formed in 2011 in Hertfordshire in southern England, Maribou State brings together Chris Davids and Liam Ivory, two musicians who met at school after playing in local bands. Their project occupies a broad electronic territory — between downtempo, slow house, soul and organic textures — with a strong emphasis on guest vocals and supple rhythms. Maribou State debuted with the EP Habitat in 2011 on FatCat Records, then released several EPs and singles, notably on Southern Fried Records, while producing remixes for Fatboy Slim, Lana Del Rey, Ultraísta and Kelis. The duo sharpened a more melodic, atmospheric approach on the album Portraits (2015), issued on Counter Records, a label associated with Ninja Tune, featuring collaborations such as Holly Walker and North Downs. They continued in that vein with Kingdoms in Colour (2018), which includes Holly Walker and Khruangbin on the track “Feel Good”. Present in clubs, at festivals and in an expanded live format, Maribou State developed an international trajectory while maintaining songwriting centered on the balance between pulse, vocals and atmosphere. Their third album, Hallucinating Love, was released in 2025.