Three years following their full-length debut, 2015's Portraits, London duo Maribou State demonstrate how far they've come as producers and songwriters on the exquisite Kingdoms in Colour. Shuffling beats, pitch-shifted vocals, and dreamy samples remain hallmarks of the duo's sound, but they draw from a much wider palette of sounds and influences, having toured across nearly every continent since their first album was released. Cascading strings, buried Bollywood vocals, floating horns, and sci-fi synth riffs all seem to surface throughout the densely mixed tracks. The producers know when to give certain sounds a grainy, lo-fi edge and when to let others fully shine. Mood-wise, Maribou State sound much happier and more excited this time around, and this sense of joy makes their music all the more engaging. "Kingdom" is an Afro-pop-influenced soul tune full of exuberant handclaps and a sneaky flute sample, as well as swathes of spacy effects which enhance the song, rather than obscure it. "Feel Good" features ghostly vocals and dusty guitar licks courtesy of Khruangbin, the eclectic Texan trio who had streamed their way into ubiquity by the end of 2018. Holly Walker, who sang on Portraits, returns on the heart-tugging "Nervous Tics," which encapsulates all of the uncertain, cautious feelings of a new crush, as well as the sneaky, piano-driven "Slow Heat." Just as the album seems like it's going to wind down, it bursts with jubilation on the celebratory "Kama," ending the album with ecstatic strings accompanied by crusty guitar feedback. A major step up from their earlier material, Kingdoms in Colour is where Maribou State truly come into their own. ~ Paul Simpson, Rovi

1		Beginner's Luck
2		Kingdom
3		Turnmills
4		Nervous Tics
5		Glasshouses
6		Part Time Glory
7		Feel Good
8		Slow Heat
9		Vale
10		Kama

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