With six million views for their spectacular viral video Witch Doctor and support slots for Muse and the Rolling Stones, Dutch band De Staat remain joyfully uncategorisable. Under the wing of frontman Torre Florim, whose big voice works like a call-to-arms, they flirt with funk and tribal rhythms, introspection and wild humour, owing more to David Byrne or Prince in their musical attitude than any ordinary rock band. And fourteen years into their career, they’re about to launch their new project: (red), (yellow), (blue).

This year there will be no studio album – instead, a mammoth collection of new songs will roll out on digital platforms starting November 4th and throughout 2022. Florim has embraced his band's famous eclecticism to produce rock and roll’s first auditory art project, writing dozens of tracks reflecting the colours of red, yellow and blue. 

“We split ourselves up into three primary colours, which is the full spectrum of what we are,” he says. “For us it’s a new chapter. Like any relationship, when you’re together for such a long time you automatically start to look around and think, do we need to spice things up a bit? Dividing our songs up into three colours is a great way to challenge ourselves creatively, and everyone around us. It’s a work in progress – we’re still writing it!”

Musickness is following