State of Play Music @sop _uk London Blending elements of alternative rock, and socially conscious hip hop, State of Play wear a healthy disrespect for genre boundaries on their collective sleeve. Crossing seamlessly from the neo-soul swagger and urban vibes of The Roots, to the wearied tenderness of Lauryn Hill, to the thrashing drive of Rage Against the Machine and The Pixies – State of Play prove that you don’t have to play it safe to be accessible. Given the melting pot mentality at heart of the band’s sound, it’s perhaps surprising that in the context of their tight, powerful compositions it’s the similarity rather than the diversity of their influences that shine through. The fine-tuned formula of mixing insightful lyrics and anthemic chorus hooks with infectious grooves that you can't stop yourself nodding along to, has proven to be a success. This is especially evident in the live arena, where the front trio of Anthony (A-Mens) Mensah, Hydieku Warwick and Ahmar (S.V) Ferguson never fail to win the crowd over. Meanwhile, guitarist Alex (Fando) Fernandes applies his prodigious talent with unreserved glee and the rhythm section (Damien Ricaud on bass and Ben Spooner on drums) clearly enjoy surfing their shared wavelength. Taken together, it’s enough to convert even the most stoic, cross-armed cynics into bouncing believers well before the encore. Delivering a message that genuinely seems to resonate with the masses, the group clearly belong to a tradition that sees music as a weapon, with their sonic cross-over credentials proving the perfect vehicle for the band’s social commentary. There’s an infectious sort of joy you usually only find in people who truly believe in their work. State of Play have it in droves. Combine that with an uncompromising fighting spirit and you have a recipe for something truly memorable. Lead Guitar: Alex (Fando) Fernandes Bass: Damien Ricaud Drums: Ben Spooner Vocalists: Ahmar (S.V) Ferguson & Hydieku Warwick Rapper: Anthony (A-Mens) Mensah State of Play Music’s tracks Borderlines by State of Play Music published on 2015-06-26T12:37:58Z Like Paper Planes by State of Play Music published on 2015-06-23T07:49:45Z What It Is To Be by State of Play Music published on 2015-05-08T00:35:20Z Borderlines - DEMO by State of Play Music published on 2015-01-13T21:10:26Z By Your Side by State of Play Music published on 2014-12-09T11:41:23Z
