Indra Aziz
For the electronic music duo Maribou State, returning to Corsica Studios for a War Child fundraiser held a profound significance, mirroring the weight of their inaugural performance at the iconic London venue. While their current trajectory sees them commanding stages for thousands, with a highly anticipated headline slot at Victoria Park’s LIDO Festival on the horizon, the intimate embrace of a room like Corsica—tight, immediate, catering to a few hundred individuals at most—continues to resonate in a way that larger arenas cannot replicate. "It’s sad, but we’re super excited to play," they shared, reflecting on the venue’s impending closure. "It’s a place where, over the years, we’ve DJed at a bunch of times, so it’s got a lot of nostalgia attached to it." This sentiment underscores the deep connection the artists, and indeed many within the UK’s electronic music scene, share with Corsica Studios, a space that has served as a crucible for creativity and community for over two decades.
The palpable nostalgia within Corsica Studios is not confined to the artists’ memories; it is etched into the very fabric of the venue. Small details, often overlooked in the transient nature of club culture, speak volumes. A mirror in the green room proudly proclaims "Corsica Studios Forever," a poignant testament to its enduring legacy. Down a dimly lit corridor, a vinyl record stamped with the years "2002–2026" quietly marks the passage of time, a stark reminder of the venue’s imminent end. Even the usually utilitarian toilets become part of the narrative, their walls a layered tapestry of stickers representing collectives, club nights, bands, and inside jokes, each a fragment of nights spent within these walls, ideas sparked by the same sounds, passed from one generation of music lovers to the next. This accumulation of cultural detritus speaks to Corsica’s role not merely as a performance space, but as a living archive of London’s underground music scene.
A Legacy Anchored in Sound and Space
Stepping outside Corsica Studios, the symbolism of its legacy and the future of its artists becomes starkly apparent. Directly opposite the venue, a hoarding boldly declares "Corsica Studios Forever," a final, defiant statement of its indelible impact. Adjacent to this, another poster announces Maribou State’s upcoming headline appearance at LIDO Festival this summer. One emblem is rooted in the past, celebrating a rich history, while the other gazes toward the future, pointing to continued artistic evolution. Both, however, share the same line of sight, illustrating the seamless transition from foundational experiences to burgeoning opportunities.
Corsica Studios is more than just a venue where Maribou State has enjoyed performing; it is intrinsically woven into the foundation of their artistic journey. "Before we ever played here, we would come and see DJs play," they recall. "It was a really inspiring place. It kind of remains super important throughout the journey—as a punter, to then DJ, but then as someone’s career progresses, coming back and playing again. It just remains anchored in this really special place." This sentiment highlights the cyclical nature of artistic development, where formative experiences in intimate settings often fuel ambition for larger platforms, yet the core values and emotional resonance of those early environments remain invaluable.
The sense of being anchored has not diminished with time or the increasing scale of their performances. If anything, it has clarified the profound value of spaces like Corsica. "Smaller venues like this… they’re so important," they emphasize. "And weirdly for us, they remain important. We actually love playing in small rooms—we would prefer to play somewhere like here versus the bigger shows that we do. There’s so much of a better energy and a vibe." This preference underscores the unique alchemy that occurs in intimate settings, where the direct connection between artist and audience fosters an unparalleled energy exchange. The raw, unadulterated feedback loop between the performers and the crowd in a densely packed room creates an electrifying atmosphere that transcends mere sonic reproduction.
Reworking the Catalogue for Intimacy
The energy at Corsica is immediate and palpable. The low ceilings, the proximity of bodies, the absence of a significant distance between the DJ booth and the dancefloor—all contribute to an intense, immersive experience. In response to this environment, Maribou State consciously reconfigured their extensive catalogue. Rather than leaning into their signature expansive, cinematic soundscapes, they adapted their tracks to suit the immediate context.
The reworked rendition of "Blackoak" was introduced early in the set, presented in a more direct and driving form. Tracks like "Otherside" and "Midas" followed, stretched and sculpted into club-ready iterations that felt intrinsically locked into the space. This approach demonstrated a remarkable fluidity and a willingness to let their music breathe and evolve within the confines of the room, showcasing a DJing sensibility that prioritizes the collective experience over rigid adherence to studio versions. There was a discernible looseness to their performance, a deliberate choice to allow the tracks to inhabit a different sonic reality, one shaped by the collective pulse of the attendees.
Further enriching their set, Maribou State deftly incorporated influences deeply embedded within the heart of UK club culture. A rework that subtly nodded to The Streets’ seminal album "Original Pirate Material" landed with effortless grace, resonating with a shared cultural memory. The inclusion of a track flipping The Headhunters’ "God Made Me Phunky" ignited a raw, communal energy that gripped the room. Every track was met with an overwhelming response—sung back with passion, shouted with fervor, and held onto with an almost tangible sense of ownership by the audience. This communal response is a testament to Maribou State’s ability to connect with their listeners on a deeply emotional level, transforming their music into shared anthems.
"There’s that moment," they reflected, recalling a pivotal experience, "of going from being at a club and seeing someone you love, and then a year or two later, DJing there. That just feels like such a special night." Corsica Studios was instrumental in providing them with this formative experience. "It was one of the first club nights that we started playing at in London," they revealed. "There was a night… a Church night that used to be put on here, which we ended up playing at a good handful of times. That was kind of our in to DJing in London." This early exposure to the London club scene, particularly through the Church nights at Corsica, provided Maribou State with crucial experience and a foundational understanding of how to connect with a discerning audience.
The lineage of those early experiences is still palpable in their approach to DJing. Their sets are characterized by responsiveness and intuition, a performance style shaped by the immediate environment rather than an imposition of pre-ordained selections. This adaptable and sensitive approach allows them to create a dynamic and engaging experience for their audience, ensuring that each performance feels unique and tailored to the specific energy of the night.
Navigating the Creative Process: "Hallucinating Love" and Beyond
This intuitive approach has been honed through a period of intense creative exploration, particularly in the making of their latest album, "Hallucinating Love." The creation of the album was far from straightforward, and the artists have been candid about the challenges involved. "It was such a difficult record to write," they admitted. "And I think there was still a lot of hang-ups, emotionally, around the album." The process of releasing such deeply personal work was fraught with uncertainty. "I didn’t really anticipate it to be as good as it was, if I’m honest. When we first took the record on tour… it was such an amazing feeling."
The turning point came swiftly. "The first show we did was Brighton, and it was just such a good response from the crowd. From there, the shows only really got better." This positive reception from their audience provided the validation and momentum they needed. Certain tracks from "Hallucinating Love" have since taken on a new life in a live context, resonating powerfully with audiences. "’Blackoak’… it’s had a big response from the crowd," they noted. "That’s kind of become an anchor point of that record now." This highlights how the live performance environment can transform the perception and impact of recorded music, forging a deeper connection between the artist and their audience.
However, behind the success of "Hallucinating Love" lies a creative process that is anything but linear. "We have this pattern of essentially writing an album before we actually start writing the album that gets released," they explained with a laugh. "We end up with loads of music… and then we bin it." This iterative approach involves a gradual refinement process, where tracks are cut, new material is introduced, and eventually, the difficult but necessary task of making crucial decisions—a "kill your darlings" moment—arises.
This process of creative selection is often emotionally taxing. "Sometimes you really mourn it. Other times you listen back and think, ‘why was I so keen on keeping that? It’s shit.’ But then there’s other stuff where you’re like, ‘fuck, it’s such a shame we didn’t finish that.’" This internal struggle between artistic attachment and objective evaluation is a hallmark of the creative endeavor. Yet, this push-and-pull has ultimately led them to a clearer mindset. "So going forward, it’s about stripping things back. Just focusing on what we love about making this music, rather than putting so much pressure on ourselves." This newfound clarity suggests a commitment to a more streamlined and authentic creative process, prioritizing artistic joy over external pressures.
The Horizon of LIDO Festival and Curatorial Vision
This renewed focus on artistic authenticity brings their attention back to the billboard outside Corsica Studios, a symbol of their journey from intimate beginnings to larger stages. While Corsica embodies a cherished past, Maribou State is actively looking ahead to their headline, self-curated day at LIDO Festival in Victoria Park this June. This upcoming event represents a different scale of performance, yet it is driven by the same inherent artistic instinct that has guided them throughout their career.
"The opportunity came about because we’ve worked with the promoter for a long time," they explained. "It’s been floated as an idea for quite a few years… we kind of forgot about it, and then suddenly it was real." The prospect of curating their own festival day is a significant milestone, offering them a platform to not only perform but to shape an entire experience. What excites them most is not merely the headline slot, but the opportunity to exercise their creative vision beyond their own music. "We really enjoy that creative stuff outside of the music writing itself… it’s such a fun task to sit and think about pulling a line-up together… It’s about picking artists we both really, really love… and creating something uplifting. Music that’s just going to make people really fucking joyous." This curatorial ambition reflects a desire to foster a communal atmosphere of joy and shared musical appreciation, mirroring the very essence of the intimate club experiences that first inspired them.
Back within the confines of Corsica Studios, that sense of joy is already present—sweaty, loud, and immediate. It is the kind of feeling that transcends scale and amplification, its impact undiminished by the size of the venue. For Maribou State, this fundamental connection to their audience has not faded; it remains a cornerstone of their artistic identity. "It kind of remains super important throughout the journey," they reiterated. "From being a punter, to DJing, to coming back and playing again."
This enduring connection is precisely what Corsica Studios represents. It is not merely a venue that artists pass through; it is a space that leaves an indelible mark, shaping the experiences and artistic trajectories of all who have graced its floors, performed on its stages, or discovered something profound within its walls. As Corsica Studios closes its doors, its legacy continues to resonate, not just in the memories of artists like Maribou State, but in the very fabric of the music scene it helped to nurture, a testament to the enduring power of intimate spaces and authentic connection.
