Lately, the female-populated bands that have been catching attention are of the lo-fi, garage variety or singer-songwriter pop crop. But Miami’s The State Of functions a little differently. The duo’s spearheads, singer/pianist Steph Taylor and Cuban/Mexican percussionist Nabedi Osorio, met in their hometown as teenagers and sparked a “musical love at first sight,” as Taylor calls it. Years later they met up again and formed the skeleton of what would become The State Of, a mix of dark-infused pop, with Taylor’s earnest voice and dynamic keys; and prog rock, heard in Osorio’s frenetic drumming. Now after two EPs and a full length, they’re in the process of writing their new LP.
“I Know,” available below for FREE download, comes from their 2010 EP The Line, and is a softer tune, offset by Osorio’s skittery beat. It starts off bizarre, like a cheesy old disco tune. Taylor’s breathy voice says “Hold me tightly, let me in” and you swear you’re entering “The Look of Love” territory. But trust us, what happens after that is pure pop gold. The moody melodrama kicks in and the song gains momentum.
If you need some solid, down-tempo pop to compensate for all the Katy Perry on your iTunes, then download Miami girl-duo The State Of’s “I Know” below for FREE.