Introducing, Revisiting: a dCS series exploring classic albums from decades past. In this edition, we reflect on a seminal house record that captured the euphoria of 1980s club culture.
Revisiting: 808 State's 90
All musical genres have their heroes – creative pioneers and charismatic performers who have left an indelible mark on popular culture. Electronic music is no exception, yet few of its visionaries have achieved global fame – at least not on the same level as the greats of rock, pop or jazz. Kraftwerk, for example, are certainly well-known, but how many people can name the artists who introduced us to synth pop, acid house or drum and bass?
If Manchester group 808 State had made a seismic mark on rock music rather than techno, they would probably still be appearing on magazine covers. But techno, as a genre, is nowhere near as good as celebrating its protagonists, and some would argue its whole ethos is based on immersing yourself in the music, rather than celebrating the personalities or presence of its creators.
Perhaps for this reason, 808 State’s Graham Massey, Martin Price, Andrew Barker, Darren Partington and Gerald Simpson remain somewhat unsung innovators, despite creating the defining anthem of the late 1980s club scene.
“It was lo-fi but infectious, and it provided the soundtrack to an important period in modern music”
The single, first titled ‘Pacific State’, landed in 1988, and reached number ten in the UK charts one year later. It came out of a thriving underground music scene – one that would go on to dominate popular music charts for several years. House music, as it was called, was high tempo electronic dance music, often made on cheap, ageing analogue synthesisers and early samplers, and knitted together onto a DAT master.
With simple lyrics and cheap packaging, it was lo-fi but infectious, and it provided the soundtrack to an important period in modern music.
‘Pacific State’ came out just as it became apparent that the Cold War was ending. The austerity of the early 1980s was beginning to subside, and Western economies were beginning to boom again. As the iron curtain came down, and Eastern European countries finally broke away from the crumbling Soviet Union, there was a sense of euphoria in the air – especially among young people. House – a term borrowed from the so-called mid 1980s ‘Chicago house’ – caught the exuberance and hedonism of the age. 808 State, in turn, released a record that epitomised this, capturing the cultural and musical zeitgeist.
“The result was something that sounded like an odd mixture of disco, electronica and jazz”
Read On at The dCS Edit
Revisiting: 808 State's 90
All musical genres have their heroes – creative pioneers and charismatic performers who have left an indelible mark on popular culture. Electronic music is no exception, yet few of its visionaries have achieved global fame – at least not on the same level as the greats of rock, pop or jazz. Kraftwerk, for example, are certainly well-known, but how many people can name the artists who introduced us to synth pop, acid house or drum and bass?
If Manchester group 808 State had made a seismic mark on rock music rather than techno, they would probably still be appearing on magazine covers. But techno, as a genre, is nowhere near as good as celebrating its protagonists, and some would argue its whole ethos is based on immersing yourself in the music, rather than celebrating the personalities or presence of its creators.
Perhaps for this reason, 808 State’s Graham Massey, Martin Price, Andrew Barker, Darren Partington and Gerald Simpson remain somewhat unsung innovators, despite creating the defining anthem of the late 1980s club scene.
“It was lo-fi but infectious, and it provided the soundtrack to an important period in modern music”
The single, first titled ‘Pacific State’, landed in 1988, and reached number ten in the UK charts one year later. It came out of a thriving underground music scene – one that would go on to dominate popular music charts for several years. House music, as it was called, was high tempo electronic dance music, often made on cheap, ageing analogue synthesisers and early samplers, and knitted together onto a DAT master.
With simple lyrics and cheap packaging, it was lo-fi but infectious, and it provided the soundtrack to an important period in modern music.
‘Pacific State’ came out just as it became apparent that the Cold War was ending. The austerity of the early 1980s was beginning to subside, and Western economies were beginning to boom again. As the iron curtain came down, and Eastern European countries finally broke away from the crumbling Soviet Union, there was a sense of euphoria in the air – especially among young people. House – a term borrowed from the so-called mid 1980s ‘Chicago house’ – caught the exuberance and hedonism of the age. 808 State, in turn, released a record that epitomised this, capturing the cultural and musical zeitgeist.
“The result was something that sounded like an odd mixture of disco, electronica and jazz”
Read On at The dCS Edit
