From the warmth of the drums to the intricate, understated brilliance of its guitar work, Hallucinating Love is a deep, rich, and soulful album that envelops you completely. A long-awaited return after seven years away, the album carries an emotional weight as if the band is pouring years of life into every note. Every time Holly Walker appears on a Maribou State track, there’s an undeniable magic, her voice carrying a soft, angelic quality that makes their sound feel even deeper and more immersive.

This style of cinematic breakbeat-infused electronica was huge in the UK decades ago - the kind of thing you’d hear on endless chill-out compilations, but Maribou State have taken that sound and expanded it into something so much more dynamic. This album works as background music, as an intimate listening experience, or as something to lose yourself in as part of a massive festival crowd. Few artists can make music that is both understated and absolutely anthemic.

Opener Blackoak starts as something warm and inviting, but by the time it reaches its climax it becomes huge, with sweeping strings and a vast cinematic swell. Hallucinating Love is defined by an ability to build layer by layer, and then explode into something breathtaking. Ninja Tune are renowned for signing acts with that extra spark of brilliance, and Maribou State have made a strong case for the resurgence of a genre that deserves more attention. The breakbeat-heavy, deeply melodic, soul-infused electronica that once dominated the UK is back, and it still matters. Every choice on this record feels deeply considered - the instrumentation, the vocal textures, the sense of space between the sounds. Hallucinating Love stands in contrast to the mechanical precision often associated with dance music, feeling entirely human. Whilst it moves within a DJ-friendly framework, with steady BPMs and groove-driven structures, it lacks the cold, rigid pulse of techno, infused instead with organic, breathing life, built on human touch and the delicate imperfections of live instrumentation. Hallucinating Love may have all the hallmarks of electronica, but it’s pure soul.