808 State

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

i just fancy canvassing your opinions on these 'techno dinosaurs' - i always loved them as a kid - they were making the best 'dance music you could think to' and vice versa at the time setting many a trend for the following decade. unlike their more faceless peers (Shamen and KLF excepted) they did actually want to be in the charts and did well to get in the Top 10 with unconventional (at the time) yet accessible tracks like 'pacific (hey its a clarient melody in an acid house track, radical!) and 'cubik' (hey its an electric guitar solo in an acid house track, radical!)...also were among the first to work with proper vocalists (helping to propel Bjork to global stardom in the process), dared to remix the likes of Bowie, R.E.M. and later the Stone Roses and er, Rolf Harris - well i could write an essay about how great they were but for balance lets consider the negative aspects such as terrible miming on Top Of The Pops, the affiliation with the dubious MC Tunes (is The Only Rhyme That Bites shite?), the commercial and - arguably - artistic flops that were every album after 'Ex:El', the spat that drove out original member A Guy Called Gerald (tho this did enable him to go on and co-invent jungle with Shut Up & Dance) and the general feeling that they never quite lived up to what they could promise, or maybe they did - what you say?

― blueski, Monday, 19 August 2002 21:18 (10 years ago) Permalink

Pacific State was a choon. Ant eard any a tothers.

― Rick, Tuesday, 20 August 2002 07:03 (10 years ago) Permalink

"Pacific State" changed my life. It was definitely my before and after tune at the time.

― Scott, Tuesday, 20 August 2002 11:50 (10 years ago) Permalink

'don solaris' is ace.
unlike anything else ever.
fantastic album, with ace
vocals from james bradfield
and louise outoflamb.

― piscesboy, Tuesday, 20 August 2002 12:28 (10 years ago) Permalink

808 State is classic through and through. Every album they've put out is strong and wonderful, with _Gorgeous_ as my current fave (how can you say no to something with "Colony", Southern Cross", "Moses", "Plan 9", "Timebomb" and "Orbit" on it?

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 20 August 2002 12:55 (10 years ago) Permalink

> 808 State is classic through and through.
Agreed.

But Ex:El remains my favourite. Sort of weird futurist techno jazz-fusion, with a really alien feel, yet tropical and ethnic sounding at the same time.

Gorgeous is lovely sounding, but lacks depth, and it sounds like they're on auto-pilot in a few places.

Don Solaris has some pretty amazing stuff on it, but is that wee bit more conventional sounding than Ex:El. Best track has to be "Joyrider".

What really amazes me about Ex:El, is they've manged to create an album which sidesteps so many electronic music cliches by, utilising jazz; seeking out idiosyncratic synth patches (it's all chimes and drones, rather than the typical sawtooth pads and acid squelches); and clever use of 'real' instruments (clarinet and sax rather than the power chords favoured by The Shamen/KLF etc).

And the MC Tunes stuff wasn't *that* bad ;-)

― McGazz, Tuesday, 20 August 2002 14:04 (10 years ago) Permalink

glad you agree :) excuse my devil's advocacy

― blueski, Tuesday, 20 August 2002 21:20 (10 years ago) Permalink

Classic to the bone. Love flo-coma on Newbuild. Quadrastate and 89/90 classic techno LPs I can listen to over and over...

― richee, Wednesday, 21 August 2002 02:44 (10 years ago) Permalink

Perhaps there are some socio-cultural British aspects about them I missed, but I've always been puzzled why they were so revered (esp. in Britain). They never sounded very exciting to me - nice, well produced tunes in all kinds of styles but never really good.

― Siegbran Hetteson (eofor), Wednesday, 21 August 2002 12:04 (10 years ago) Permalink

Wow Siegbran, you listened to "Pacific" and "Boneyween" and didn't instantly think they were brilliant? You're a harder man than I am.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 21 August 2002 12:06 (10 years ago) Permalink

siegbran that depends on when you heard them perhaps. maybe some of their material sounds dated now but only in the same way that Kraftwerk or early Orbital stuff does. then again a lot of 808's work is more sophisticated than either of the two aforementioned acts whilst retaining the same ideas and characteristics (esp. things like 'Lift' and 'Olympic' from the 'Ex:El' album) due to the use of melodies and progression through the tracks (e.g. they do not end in the same way as they start). but a track like 'Cubik' was blowing people's heads off in clubs at the time in the same way that tracks like 'Chemical Beats' would a few years later.

― blueski, Friday, 23 August 2002 18:23 (10 years ago) Permalink

(I'm so sorry, you had me right up until you mentioned the sophistication of "Lift"; that track is the weakest thing they ever did!)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 23 August 2002 18:40 (10 years ago) Permalink

no way! i love the bit when the electric guitar drifts in, nice use of feedback. i find it so evocative - beautiful stuff....of course you dont get in the version that actually came out as a single but that was bit funkier so thats ok

weakest thing 808 State ever did is 'Crash' - the appalling track tacked onto their greatest hits...

― blueski, Friday, 23 August 2002 19:16 (10 years ago) Permalink

I'm not sure if it's their best release, but I have a sentimental attachment to "Ninety", which seems to be one of the few attempts to really create an English definition of acid house, in the sense that it seeks to capture the swirly blissful feel of actually being on ecstacy (cf. "proper" acid house, which certainly goes well with drugs but is hardly universal-joy material). Songs like "Ancodia" especially - the swirly proto-trance-meets-blissout-meets-exotica textures, the zippity-zappity rhythmic flourishes of the overwound 808 drum machine, the general sense of clumsy, self-conscious openhearted generosity.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Saturday, 24 August 2002 11:03 (10 years ago) Permalink

which is odd cos i never tried ecstasy yet always identified well with their music and found it very inspiring. 'Ancodia' is a strange beast but i love the way they strain that Thelma Houston sample with a Speak & Spell over the plodding electro groove and those mysterious synth notes. also consider 'Sunrise' which is surreal, dynamic, menacing, exotic (even alieneqsue), melancholic and hugely atmoshpheric thanks again to the melodious sequences so wonderfully employed by Massey and co.

― blueski, Saturday, 24 August 2002 13:49 (10 years ago) Permalink

I think blueski you can get the idea as much from reading about Ecstacy as trying it - I'm interested in the music from a stylistic perspective, not a physiological one.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Sunday, 25 August 2002 01:01 (10 years ago) Permalink

indeed (blows on his bubble-pipe)

― blueski, Monday, 26 August 2002 17:51 (10 years ago) Permalink

7 months pass...

thread-revival: I can't find anything on their latest album, "Outpost Transmission", anywhere on ILM. Overlooked? I ask this because I downloaded the gorgeous "606" (vocals by Simian?) from stevem's tunes-page. Anyone heard this and/or the album?

― willem (willem), Thursday, 3 April 2003 18:42 (10 years ago) Permalink

I heard "606" and went SWOOOOOOOOOOOON. I know nothing about the album.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 3 April 2003 18:53 (10 years ago) Permalink

i got the album - it has its moments, stuff like 'Suntower' is very much like the 'Don Solaris' material - i'm not as into that side of things from them. 'Lemonsoul' is not bad, features the bloke from Elbow on vocals. there are a lot of tracks on it and i haven't quite given it enough listens but its a pretty typical album by the band as they have been for the last 7 years really.

http://www.808state.com/news/news.htm has more details, and they do put a lot of tunes up for people to download as well - esp. demos, live stuff, unreleased shit, bonus tracks from Japan-only editions etc. - top geezers still

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 3 April 2003 18:54 (10 years ago) Permalink

Thanx stevem! [btw. that page of yours turned out to be a real find for me: Plone, Audio Bullys; never heard (of) them before: terrific stuff!]

― willem (willem), Thursday, 3 April 2003 18:59 (10 years ago) Permalink

glad u like willem - i just hope the feds arent onto me yet...

my Pick 10 Only:

Pacific (all 18 or so versions of it)
Cubik
Olympic (Flutey mix)
Ski Family
Lift
Sunrise
Azura
Planet Rock remix (cos it sounds just like Plan 9)
Cobra Bora (Call The Cops mix)
Qmart (ft Bjork)

hardest POX i'll ever compile tho

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 3 April 2003 19:02 (10 years ago) Permalink

Er, Flow Coma is a no-brainer, right?

― Lukas (lukas), Thursday, 3 April 2003 19:48 (10 years ago) Permalink

classic. one of my favprite band names also.

― kephm, Thursday, 3 April 2003 20:43 (10 years ago) Permalink

Classic, although 2 of them did work at the rip-off scam "sound-engineering" college I went to for a while.

Some of my fondest memories are of being in one of my brothers friends cellars aged about 13 whilst he DJ'ed 808 State and loads of other stuff and people from all over the country "partied down". I didn't figure out why they were all so friendly for years and years.

― Lynskey (Lynskey), Thursday, 3 April 2003 20:54 (10 years ago) Permalink

8 months pass...

Don Solaris! What a weird album.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Thursday, 18 December 2003 17:53 (9 years ago) Permalink

i only really like the first half, the second half seems more 'go nowhere' to me. 'Bird' is quite something, 'Bond' was an extraordinary grower, 'Azura' i loved from the start of course, 'Lopez' is a bit weak perhaps, but there's always the Propellerheads mix, 'Balboa' are pretty cool, 'Joyrider' i could never make my mind up on, half Balearic brilliance, half 80s British Airways advert.

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 18 December 2003 18:22 (9 years ago) Permalink

I haven't heard it in ages, but I seem to remember it having some weird cover art. *googles*

Aaaaah, yes! Here we go...

Hahahahahaha!

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Thursday, 18 December 2003 23:33 (9 years ago) Permalink

Cock of the North.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Thursday, 18 December 2003 23:34 (9 years ago) Permalink

2 years pass...

Man I'm listening to it now and forgot how great 'Reaper Repo' is.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 20 July 2006 13:24 (6 years ago) Permalink

it's all about Cubik, innit?

― wogan lenin (dog latin), Thursday, 20 July 2006 13:50 (6 years ago) Permalink

No love for "10 x 10"???

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Thursday, 20 July 2006 15:29 (6 years ago) Permalink

right here

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 20 July 2006 15:31 (6 years ago) Permalink

Ex:el (or however it's spelled) is one of my touchstones. They're also one of the few acts I've seen at least five times.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 20 July 2006 15:39 (6 years ago) Permalink

xpost: HOORAY

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Thursday, 20 July 2006 17:11 (6 years ago) Permalink

i always remember "state ritual" as played on jeff young's big beat and john peel as one of my earliest exposures to house.

― michael wells (michael w.), Thursday, 20 July 2006 22:53 (6 years ago) Permalink

Don Solaris is always $0.99 on eBay, at any given time. It's not bad. It's really good, actually; go buy it now. But ex:el, and most especially Newbuild... oh man. A tad dated, sure, but C C C!!!!!!

― less-than three's Christiane F. (drowned in milk), Thursday, 20 July 2006 23:26 (6 years ago) Permalink

6 months pass...

I have the cassette of 808 Utd. State 90 and it's surprising how much I still play this thing compared to my other cassettes. "Ancodia" is a personal fave, but I always play the first side in its entirety. I guess I should try harder to make it over to the other side now and then.

― MY NAME IS FREEZER BURN (Bimble...), Sunday, 11 February 2007 16:57 (6 years ago) Permalink

Does anyone have "Pacific Break"? I only ever saw it on vinyl (and possibly cassette) versions of the Tommy Boy 12"

― Spencer Chow, Wednesday, 21 February 2007 20:18 (6 years ago) Permalink

I have it on cassette...it's pretty worn out after all these years...I've also been seeking it on CD...pure bliss...

― henry s, Wednesday, 21 February 2007 20:46 (6 years ago) Permalink

I seem to recall a Frankie Bones credit on that particular mix.

― Spencer Chow, Wednesday, 21 February 2007 22:47 (6 years ago) Permalink

Aren't they rereleasing all the early stuff?

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 21 February 2007 22:48 (6 years ago) Permalink

Not sure, but this particular mix is exceedingly rare (and wonderful). I've never found a digital copy.

― Spencer Chow, Wednesday, 21 February 2007 22:53 (6 years ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

OMG OMG I just ordered the "Opti Buk" DVD from ZTT's webshop (6gbp shipped WORLDWIDE) and I am soooooooo excited!!

― Stevie D, Wednesday, 2 May 2007 06:20 (6 years ago) Permalink

the old gig footage (G-Mex i guess) on the DVD is pretty cool. the videos are all kinda lame tho heh.

― blueski, Wednesday, 2 May 2007 09:57 (6 years ago) Permalink

I was bumping Utd State 90 a week and a half ago and it's startling how that album still feels urgent and fresh everytime I hear it. The transition from "Pacific" to "Boneyween" is one of the greatest things ever.

― HI DERE, Wednesday, 2 May 2007 12:09 (6 years ago) Permalink

God, Ex:el is so brilliant. Somehow I managed to see them three times in their heyday.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Wednesday, 2 May 2007 12:34 (6 years ago) Permalink

one thing that annoys me about Ex:El is the slight cross-fading of tracks - some of them start just before the previous track has finished.

― blueski, Wednesday, 2 May 2007 13:17 (6 years ago) Permalink

I owe 808 State for uncorking the deep mysteries of Bernard Sumner.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Wednesday, 2 May 2007 13:30 (6 years ago) Permalink

I saw them three times, too! So awesome.

― HI DERE, Wednesday, 2 May 2007 13:55 (6 years ago) Permalink

Skipping 6 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

A Guy Called Gerald - Automannik

― henry s, Wednesday, 2 May 2007 14:53 (6 years ago) Permalink

I still hold "Voodoo Ray" as superior to anything 808 ever did.

― Stevie D, Wednesday, 2 May 2007 23:26 (6 years ago) Permalink

3 months pass...

random q - anyone got an emailable copy of the only rhyme that bites? need it for a gig tonight...

― CharlieNo4, Sunday, 26 August 2007 15:02 (5 years ago) Permalink

3 months pass...

Apparently TOMBOT THE MENTALIST hates "Pacific"!

― HI DERE, Monday, 10 December 2007 22:46 (5 years ago) Permalink

That's like hating oxygen.

― Alex in NYC, Monday, 10 December 2007 22:57 (5 years ago) Permalink

when I compared it to the OG mixes of Strings Of Life it should probably be noted that both these tracks are things I was reading about online and in magazines before I actually acquired my own copies to listen to - sort of like with SAWII, there was this massive hype revolving around the tracks, then I heard them, and was like "lol what, I guess this is the problem of being into dance music but not having access to a big druggy club scene or something"

― El Tomboto, Monday, 10 December 2007 23:03 (5 years ago) Permalink

I read an article about 808 State in 1990 and bought Utd State 90 as a leap of faith. "Pacific 202" was an instant winner for me.

― HI DERE, Monday, 10 December 2007 23:05 (5 years ago) Permalink

Yeah with SoL and Pacific I was nearly a decade late to the party. Next to everything else I was getting at the time it was very "wtf nice keyboard presets, doofs"

― El Tomboto, Monday, 10 December 2007 23:06 (5 years ago) Permalink

They both probably directly inspired everything else you were getting at the time tho.

― blueski, Monday, 10 December 2007 23:55 (5 years ago) Permalink

btw i think the riff was played with a WX5 not bullshit sax

Massey mimes poorly/amusingly with it (or what looks like it) here

― blueski, Tuesday, 11 December 2007 00:05 (5 years ago) Permalink

yamaha's wind synth with the sax patch totally qualifies as "bullshit sax"

― El Tomboto, Tuesday, 11 December 2007 00:16 (5 years ago) Permalink

that youtube clip is amazing and great, though

― El Tomboto, Tuesday, 11 December 2007 00:20 (5 years ago) Permalink

Aren't they rereleasing all the early stuff?

Does this mean one ought to divest one of one's "Creed Records" (State 2, 3 & 4) collection?! sum nice wax dere.

― Saxby D. Elder, Tuesday, 11 December 2007 00:54 (5 years ago) Permalink

It seems like the other elements in Pacific would have more impact if they were introduced a little less quickly.

― Catsupppppppppppppp dude 茄蕃, Tuesday, 11 December 2007 00:58 (5 years ago) Permalink

Er, Flow Coma is a no-brainer, right?

-- Lukas (lukas), Thursday, April 3, 2003 11:48 AM (4 years ago) Bookmark Link

Four years later I'm still the only one repping for Flow Coma? Ok guys is this a prank?

― lukas, Tuesday, 11 December 2007 01:06 (5 years ago) Permalink

it just seems too much a copy of Phuture, Laurent X etc.

― blueski, Tuesday, 11 December 2007 12:22 (5 years ago) Permalink

I'm still waiting ever-so-impatiently for that damn Quadrastate reissue.

I'm telling you.... 808 State boxset...

― Stevie D, Tuesday, 11 December 2007 12:27 (5 years ago) Permalink

on Discogs, Gerald takes most of the credit for the Quadrastate version of Pacific but was not involved in any of then other tracks (which I've never heard except a bit of '106' from the State To State CD years later). How different is this from the one that charted a year later? Presumably not much but would like to know exactly who did what out of Simpson, Price and Massey on this track once and for all.

― blueski, Tuesday, 11 December 2007 12:40 (5 years ago) Permalink

"Pacific Break"??? Anyone have it?

― Spencer Chow, Tuesday, 11 December 2007 18:22 (5 years ago) Permalink

the big chords underneath everything definitely seems to have gerald simpson written all over them

― El Tomboto, Tuesday, 11 December 2007 18:52 (5 years ago) Permalink

3 years pass...

you know what tracks never get mentioned enough, are "Donkey Doctor" and "Cobra Bora"

― Indolence Mission (DJP), Tuesday, 18 January 2011 20:46 (2 years ago) Permalink

also Don Solaris is massively underrated

― Indolence Mission (DJP), Tuesday, 18 January 2011 20:57 (2 years ago) Permalink

― Indolence Mission (DJP), Tuesday, 18 January 2011 20:58 (2 years ago) Permalink

Ex:el is one of my desert island discs.

― Gus Van Sotosyn (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 18 January 2011 21:00 (2 years ago) Permalink

It's amazing how directly these guys spoke to my id.

― Indolence Mission (DJP), Tuesday, 18 January 2011 21:03 (2 years ago) Permalink

basically this track is everything I wish "Lift" was

― Indolence Mission (DJP), Tuesday, 18 January 2011 21:05 (2 years ago) Permalink

I'll raise you:

― Gus Van Sotosyn (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 18 January 2011 21:07 (2 years ago) Permalink

unambiguously one of the greatest songs ever recorded

― Indolence Mission (DJP), Tuesday, 18 January 2011 21:10 (2 years ago) Permalink

such a massive, monstrous, bludgeoning song

if you can't get your head knocked around by those bass subs and that beat, you really are dead inside

― Indolence Mission (DJP), Tuesday, 18 January 2011 21:11 (2 years ago) Permalink

sometimes I think this song is the justification of the ride cymbal

― Indolence Mission (DJP), Tuesday, 18 January 2011 21:13 (2 years ago) Permalink

I remember vividly hearing this for the first time in 1990 and basically being like "YES ALL MUSIC SHOULD SOUND LIKE THIS"

― Indolence Mission (DJP), Tuesday, 18 January 2011 21:15 (2 years ago) Permalink

Wow, there are a lot of people on this thread with absolutely terrible taste in electronic music.

Gerald Simpson was the only member of 808 State with any talent and they never did anything worth listening to after he left. GS had a great post-808 solo career, while they just carried on with utterly half-baked funkless dreck.

― casanova808, Tuesday, 18 January 2011 21:46 (2 years ago) Permalink

808:90 is great — EX:EL is okay, kind of boring

― =(^ • ‿‿ • ^)= (corey), Tuesday, 18 January 2011 21:48 (2 years ago) Permalink

in what universe is it impossible to like both A Guy Called Gerald and 808 State

― Indolence Mission (DJP), Tuesday, 18 January 2011 21:48 (2 years ago) Permalink

yeah, they aren't that freakin' different

― =(^ • ‿‿ • ^)= (corey), Tuesday, 18 January 2011 21:48 (2 years ago) Permalink

also lol @ randomers first post saying everyone has bad taste, good start

― =(^ • ‿‿ • ^)= (corey), Tuesday, 18 January 2011 21:50 (2 years ago) Permalink

If you're looking for funk, clearly you aren't looking for 808 State, whose entire steez is built around taking mechanized stomp to the most emotional place possible; the entire point is that they are finding emotion in stiff rigidity and you kind of have to be trying to miss that.

― Indolence Mission (DJP), Tuesday, 18 January 2011 21:51 (2 years ago) Permalink

Then again, I was once emotionally 18 so I really shouldn't be too hard on the little guy with the ironic name.

― Indolence Mission (DJP), Tuesday, 18 January 2011 21:51 (2 years ago) Permalink

Gorgeous is a great album.

― brotherlovesdub, Tuesday, 18 January 2011 22:16 (2 years ago) Permalink

― brotherlovesdub, Tuesday, 18 January 2011 22:17 (2 years ago) Permalink

― brotherlovesdub, Tuesday, 18 January 2011 22:18 (2 years ago) Permalink

I can't find "Southern Cross" very easily on Youtube ;_;

― Indolence Mission (DJP), Tuesday, 18 January 2011 22:20 (2 years ago) Permalink

i rest my case

― brotherlovesdub, Tuesday, 18 January 2011 22:20 (2 years ago) Permalink

Wow, it's like second rate Orbital!

― casanova808, Tuesday, 18 January 2011 22:38 (2 years ago) Permalink

Also, camping out in clowntown for a decade doesn't mean your opinions hold any weight. xpost corey

― casanova808, Tuesday, 18 January 2011 22:40 (2 years ago) Permalink

I got Gorgeous and Orbital Green right around the same time. Still think Gorgeous is the better album. Belfast is the best thing on either but i'd rather listen to Gorgeous than Green.

― brotherlovesdub, Tuesday, 18 January 2011 22:44 (2 years ago) Permalink

xp i'm sure lots of ppl are impressed by yr impeccable taste but "clowntown" doesn't need you

― =(^ • ‿‿ • ^)= (corey), Tuesday, 18 January 2011 23:10 (2 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

why did I wait until today to listen to Outpost Transmission

I mean, it does have many of the problems of latter-day 808 State re: trend-chasing and a sense of lost vitality, but there is still a good chunk of beauty to be found there (a la "Long Orange (Testa)")

― I spend a lot of time thinking about apricots (DJP), Thursday, 2 February 2012 17:18 (1 year ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

http://open.spotify.com/user/djperry1973/playlist/5dRSDZ9YttPxipG4LwjGcY

I made a playlist of the Utd. State 90 track list since the album doesn't exist in that form on Spotify

― God, Music and Romeo and Juliet (DJP), Tuesday, 10 April 2012 21:28 (1 year ago) Permalink

6 months pass...

you know what track gets constantly underrated, is "Cobra Bora"

― The Owls of Ja Rule (DJP), Thursday, 11 October 2012 15:11 (7 months ago) Permalink

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.

808 State - C/D