The State

About

The State emerged from the United Kingdom's industrial shadows, active from 1960 to 1991. Their mechanical soundscapes were a relentless exploration of analog tape manipulation and dystopian video art, pressing against the functional constraints of the era. Releases like Control (1991) and Schizoid (1991) on Sound Sound, and Conundrum (1988) on Dossier, showcased a percussive language embedded in the industrial scene. The band's visual integration on Provision Video's Artitexture (1986) and Conundrum (1986) demonstrated a metronomic synergy between sound and sight. The State's output was a testament to their diverse release strategy, traversing cassette, VHS, and LP formats. Collaborations with Dossier and Provision Video further manifested their experimental ethos. This was a group defined by its factory cadence, producing music as functional as it was relentless. Their sound, echoing the influence of post-punk, was never about mainstream appeal but rather a meticulous examination of sonic evolution within the industrial framework.