The importance of 808 State

Of course by that point the Warp crews were already upstaging them, and soon hardcore discovered breakbeats and samples and the show was all over (I'm currently - and finally - listening to 4 Hero's In Rough Territory, and I'm amazed that it came out only one year later).

Possibly an obscure question, but on ‘Ninety’ who is Vanessa whom the album credits for vocals on ‘Magical Dream’? I’m redoing my ID3 tags and it’d be nice to have a last name.

Ah! Nevermind!

http://www.808state.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1025&highlight=&sid=07dc0c7b4979e55904012dba427b991b

Grahm rocks!

Weren't 808 State the first act in a while to take a largely analog synth-based sound into the hitlists?

I'm sure other people were using analog synths then

think a lot of big acts were into digital synths like the yamaha dx series by then. one of the reasons house music took off was the availability of cheap , outmoded secondhand analog synths like the roland 303 , 101 , etc...

not as cut n dried as that, but you get the picure.

Yeah 'Pacific State' was an incredible record although it sounds primitive now.

Between this and tombot saying that Kraftwerk just sounds like library music, I'm close to telling you damn kids to get off my lawn. You have no reverence for this lawn. You do not deserve the lawn!

What I mean is, this record still sounds fantastic.

What's the deal with A Guy Called Gerald's role in it? Which is to say, how much of it did he produce of it, be it none or a good portion of it.

And yeah, Pacific state is an incredible record.

i'm with you, kenan. release the hounds!

was just listening through my 808 state trying to decide what to bring with me to a gig friday. might have to take a few.

it's not my fault my dance music totems are a little less MOR than yours

Pacific State sounds really boring. Cubik still sounds great.

Word. I never liked how the sax line in PS doesn't sound like it resolves properly, it just trails off on leading tone

xxpost Elitist! You can have your college/black/snl dance music, I 'm down with the common man.

hahahaha

You guys are so fucking wrong, it isn't even funny.

okay, it's a little funny (lol you don't like "Pacific State")

I don't dislike it, I like other things a lot better than it though

BTW why no 808 state album poll?

We're waiting on the reissues.

I thought there was one!

Also, of course, Quadrastate finally making it to CD:

Quadrastate looks to be released in May! This project has taken years in the making and of course it's the first time ever this album will be released on CD. It's been lovingly remastered and includes bonus tracks from that era. Quadrastate completes the 808 trilogy on Rephlex, which also included the Newbuild and Prebuild albums and was accompanied by the Acid House Mixes of New Order.

CD tracklisting (2x12" may not include bonus tracks) :

01. Pacific State
02. 106 M
03. State Ritual
04. Disco State
05. Fire Cracker
06. State To State
07. Let Yourself Go (303 Mix)
08. Deepville
09. Got It Huh
10. Techclock
11. In Yolk
12. State Ritual Scam
13. Let Yourself Go (D50 Mix)

Label: Rephlex
Formats: CD / 2x12
Catalogue numbers: CAT 808 CD / CAT 808 LP.

I think I'm already on the record about Strings of Life being a pretty bad track, too.

I like most of 808 State's work, just not Pacific.

"Pacific" still works for me - it's just as cool and lush as ever. Also, it was always already a bit MOR, even at the time of it's release.

At the end of the day I think they peaked on Gorgeous.

The story re: A Guy Called Gerald is that 808 State stole the "Pacific State" tune from him. He included a B-side from the Automanik era called "Specific Hate" on a 12" thereof as sortuva "See? This was MY track, bitchez" move.

I don't know if Gerald was kicked out due to sabotage on part of the rest of the group or for other reasons or if Gerald left on his own, and forgot to take the rights to the "Pacific State" tune with him.

Hmmn. Specific hate, very clever.

Also, you pacific state haters (specifically hating this track, I suppose) are crazy! The saxophone alone makes it forever classic. and PS >>>>>>>>>>>>> Cubik. The sax takes the riff any day.

Whatever

Newbuild should have a much more prominent place in this discussion.

god, I love Ex:cell to bits.

news just in :

808 State: '808:90', 2xCD Deluxe Edition (ZTT 102CDX) out: 06.10.2008
808 State: 'ex:el', 2xCD Deluxe Edition (ZTT 103CDX) out: 06.10.2008
808 State: 'Gorgeous', 2xCD Deluxe Edition (ZTT 104CDX) out: 06.10.2008
808 State: 'Don Solaris', 2xCD Deluxe Edition (ZTT 105CDX) out: 06.10.2008

London/Manchester, 8.08.08
The date of this press release is no coincidence! On 8.08.08, ZTT announces four deluxe reissues from one of the UK's most important electronic outfits - 808 State - celebrating the band's 20th anniversary, the 20th anniversary of acid house, and the 25th anniversary of ZTT itself. (Release date for all four is 06.10.2008)

Formed in Manchester in 1988, 808 State - Andrew Barker, Graham Massey and Darren Partington (and, for the first two albums, Martin Price) - were heralded as 'the UK's answer to Kraftwerk' and developed a sound and style that dominated, developed and defined electronic music throughout the 90s.

ZTT Records is proud to reissue all four classic 808 State albums, each coming with an extra disc of rare and previously-unreleased tracks and remixes put together by Graham Massey himself, and with a booklet comprising extensive sleeve notes and rare photos.

1989's 808:90 includes the top ten hit Pacific, which launched the band's career and eight bonus tracks including special takes from the band's first arena gig at Manchester G-MEX. 1991's EX:EL includes the top ten hits Cubik, In Yer Face, Olympic as well as collabs with Bernard Sumner (New Order) and Bjork.

1993's Gorgeous includes the band's biggest ever hit - One In Ten (as 808 State Vs. UB40), the Joy Division mash-up Contrique and guest vocals from Ian McCulloch. Finally 1996's Don Solaris includes the top 20 hit Lopez (feat. James Dean Bradfield), guest vocals from Lou Rhodes and a rare Brian Eno remix.

Fresh from appearing live at Gatecrasher's Summer Sound System in May, 808 State play live at Bestival, Isle of Wight on 06 September 2008.

I think you'll find that "One In Ten" was the band's fourth biggest ever hit.

Morley would never have let it pass.

this thread is challops central. i'm thinking of going to see them DJ tonight (with Arthur Baker, DMX Krew and others) at Nitefreq. their live show at Primavera was kinda disappointing tho (apart from opening with 'Nimbus').

'Reaper Repo' may be the best non-single they ever did, very Carl Craig

I don't see what's wrong with "library music". Although it would probably upset the librarians

I bought a couple of fantastic records in Eastern Bloc...

"Pacific" doesn't really hold up too well, now, but it sounded fab and really different to other things at the time.

"Ancodia" is the only song of theirs I continually play now.

They stopped being important after Gerald left.

it's not my fault my dance music totems are a little less MOR than yours

-- El Tomboto, Thursday, May 22, 2008 4:24 PM (2 months ago) Bookmark Link

stfu