State of the Union (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = State of the Union


Img_capt = The cover of "Black City Lights V 2.0".
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Los Angeles, California, United States
Genre = EBM
Years_active = 2000–present
Label = WTII Records
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.state-of-the-union.info/ Official website]
Current_members = Johann Sebastian Jimmy Nimra
Past_members =

State of the Union is a Los Angeles-based band which produces electronic dance music incorporating elements of futurepop and trance music genres. Conceived by Johann Sebastian, State of the Union started as a studio project in March of 2000. The music is a blend of industrialism and more accessible forms of electronic body music. State of the Union 's debut album - "Black City lights" - fuses together expressions and elements of philosophy, politics, and symbolism through the medium of hard-hitting dance music.

State of the Union's first three CDs were originally published under the record label WTII Records in North America. Now, "Timerunner" and "Inpendum" are published by Infacted Recordings in Europe and the rest of the world, along with their fourth disc, "Black City Lights V 2.0".

The band currently consists of Johann Sebastian, the vocalist/programmer/songwriter, and Jimmy Nimra on drums.

Discography

Black City Lights

Black City Lights was a full album released on May 13, 2002. The debut release from one of the brightest artists to explode on to the scene in sometime. Led by the multi-dimensional instrumentalist/programmer/vocalist Johann Sebastian, State of the Union set out to defy all boundaries with their debut "Black City Lights". Fusing an intelligent mix of Electro, Techno, Trance and Synthpop, with Johann's distinctive delivery and emotion has created a sound they can only call their own. Solid from start to finish, Black City Lights is only the beginning of what this band has to offer and provides a glimpse of what is to come in the future. Its tracks are "Enemy of the State," "Black City Lights," "Romancing the Stone," "Citizen," "Vicious Sentiment," "Firewall," "Mankind," "Children of the Night," "World Chaos," and "Walk in my Shoes."

Timerunner

Timerunner was a single released on February 23, 2004. After a greatly inspired debut-cut, comes the “Original version” of Timerunner. It’s a danceable piece combining elements of EBM with a catchy future-pop like melody. There’s a “Radio edit” as well, and the “Quantum state remix” by Koito. Among the other tracks is a remix of "Children of the night", combining a carrying chorus with body-pop structures guided by the right danceable tempo. After it comes the Experiment 3-cut, which merges elaborated EBM structures together with some background trance influences. The disc's tracks are "Al Principio," "Timerunner (Original Version)," "Experiment I," "Experiment II," "Children of the Night (Resident Evil Mix)," "Experiment III," "Timerunner (Radio Edit)," and "Timerunner (Quantum State Remix by Koito)."

Inpendum

Inpendum was a full length album released on March 29, 2004. After the single 'Timerunner' the full length album 'Inpendum' has now been released. 'Inpendum' is the second CD of the American EBM/Futurepop project around Johann Sebastian after their debut cd 'Black City Lights'. This album contains 13 mostly danceable electropop tunes with industrial influences and heavy pounding drumbeats. Next to 'Timerunner' there are more clubtracks on this CD, such as 'Unforgiving Time', 'Afterlife' or 'Lights in the Abyss'. The music is futurepop with influences from Latin-American music added to this, distinct for its' intermezzo's and musicals, often rhythmical and percussive experiments. Politics and philosophy are themes which are dressed up in catchy futurepop tracks. All in all this CD means a consolidation of the position Sebastian had taken with his debut CD. It's tracks are "Inpendum," "Escape," "Timerunner," "Nara," "Unforgiving Time," "Suffer the Fallen," "Makina Mata," "Hypnosis," "Afterlife," "The Search," "Lights in the Abyss," "Rupture," and "Barrenlands."

Black City Lights V 2.0

Black City Lights V 2.0 was released on June 27, 2005. It is a remake of State of the Union's first album, Black City Lights. The instrumentation and vocals have been altered in six songs, the track ordering was changed, and an additional track was added. The tracks on this album are "Enemy of the State," "Black City Lights," "Citizen," "Romancing the Stone," "Vicious Sentiment," "Firewall," "Children of the Night," "World Chaos," "Walk in my Shoes," "Mankind," and "Romancing the Stone (Original Piano Version)."

Compilations

State of the Union has contributed to twocompilation CDs published by WTII Records. The song "Enemy of the State" appears on the album The Resurrection and the song "Makina Mata" appears on the album The Resurrection 2.

The band has also contributed to several compilations published by Infacted Recordings. State of the Union created the song "Fall From Grace" for the album Infacted Vol. 1 and "Honour (Spanish Version)" for the album Infacted Vol. 2. They contributed "Children of the Night (Resident Evil Remix)" to the album Infactious Vol. 1. State of the Union was one of four bands featured on the album Infact1on Vol. 1, which included the tracks "The Sphynx's Answer," "Fall From Grace," "Fallen Angels," "Blindfold, and "The Color Of My Skin."

For Bruderschaft's Forever EP, State of the Union produced the "Darkness Pulls Me Under" remix. They also created a remix of the song "White Wall" by Lights of Euphoria for their album Gegen Den Strom.

"Citizen" appeared on the compilation "Strangelove Vol. 6", published under the Orkus label.

External links

* [http://www.state-of-the-union.info Official Website of State of the Union]
* [http://www.myspace.com/stateotunion State of the Union's profile on MySpace]