Emma de Goede and Gerry Matthee, the artists behind Cape Town's alt-pop duo EMERGER, wrote and produced "State of Mind" from their home studio during lockdown in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic. This upbeat, synth-driven jam is meant as a soothing alternative to quarantine-fueled doom-scrolling, and offers a place of hope for the future, along with a reminder to make the best of our current moment.

The music video for "State of Mind" explores the dynamic of mixed blessings and social relativism during the ensuing lockdown, as it juxtaposes cold, emotionless solitude against moments of carefree rapture. As we enjoy a varied aesthetic of electronic groove and pitch-perfect harmony, we also touch on the creative seeds of an imaginary and paradoxical 'dystopian utopia.' Borrowing liberally from 80s synth-pop, the music of EMERGER carves out a fresh and inspired place in the world of beat-driven Indietronica with a groove appropriated from trip-hop and a vocal performance from Emma de Goede that is nothing short of stunning.

Since the release of their debut mini-album "Bloom" in 2018, EMERGER has been making waves both in their home country of South Africa and overseas. Debut single "Break & Fall" was a winner of the Avid and Abbey Road Studios International Song Contest, having been picked from nearly 5000 international entries.

[EMERGER] have a great cinematic landscape to their music… and are a good example of what modern music can be. — John Feldmann ( International Song Contest judge)

Credits:

Lyrics by Emma de Goede and Gerry Matthee.

Music by Gerry Matthee.

Produced by Gerry Matthee.

Lead vocals by Emma de Goede.

Guitar, piano, synths, bass, drums and backing vocals by Gerry Matthee.

Mixed by Dane Taylor.

Mastered at Taylor Soundworks.

Music video cinematography and VFX by Kyle Wesson.

Visit EMERGER on Instagram.