Blue States

Memphis' first and most successful signing to date, Blue States accidentally established themselves at the forefront of the burgeoning wave of downtempo acts way back in 1998. Using his multi-instrumental talents, Andy Dragazis blended Guitars, Bass, Drums, Fender Rhodes, Bouzuki, the Hammond Organ and anything that sounded good when it was hit. And the 12"s kept coming, including the classics 'Your Girl', and 'Walkabout', all becoming rare and sought after collectors items.

But none of the Blue States EPs quite prepared you for the grand melancholia of the debut album 'Nothing Changes Under the Sun', released on Memphis Industries in September 2000. Taking in influences as disparate as Vangelis and The Shadows, "Nothing Changes." drew favourable comparisons with anybody from Air to Tortoise to, bizarrely, The Cure, stunning critics and punters alike with its glorious retro-futurism.

'Nothing Changes...' also attracted the attention of stateside loungecore legends The Thievery Corporation, who decided they liked it so much they'd sign it up to their own imprint, Eighteenth Street Lounge for release in the USA. Also a highly sought after for remixes, Blue States have worked on tracks including Badly Drawn Boy's 'Disillusion', Layo and Bushwacka!'s 'Love Story' and Future Sound of London's 'Papua New Guinea'.

And now it gets interesting. Never one to try and replicate his past endeavours, Andy D enlists Chris Carr (Vocals/Guitar) and Jon Chandler from the live band to become fully paid up members of the Blue States clan. With Andy moving up to London from the rural idyll where the first two albums were recorded work began on their third album in autumn 2003.

With Chris taking on lyrical and vocal duties The Soundings sees Blue States once again morph into something new. The layers of strings and brass are stripped back to reveal something darker and more personal. This ain't no soundtrack to an imaginary film. Oh no. It's got tales of last nights and lost fights, visions of wingless angels illuminated by the glow of a fruit machine in an old man-pub and alien abductions across Scandinavia. It's the sound of an inveterate optimistic being kicked in the teeth. Again. Sonically, it hints at Talk Talk and pretty much anything on Factory Records. Except the Railway Children of course.

So, once again Blue States have, in the nicest possible way flicked a v-sign, at the title of their first album. Nothing Changes Under the Sun? Don't believe a word of it.

(Official Biography by Blue States)

Website: http://www.bluestates.com