[Column] 808 State - The future of techno expanding from Manchester to the world
Column en Acid House Electronic Techno![[Column] 808 State - The future of techno expanding from Manchester to the world](/../assets/images/column-808-state.webp)
What was 808 State?
| Text: mmr | Theme: How 808 State, born from an underground club in Manchester, pioneered the future of British techno and transformed dance music into an intellectual and pop expression. |
In the late 1980s, acid house from the United States was rapidly spreading in the British club scene. Particularly in Manchester, the craze didn’t end as just a dance music trend, but became established as a new urban culture.
At the center of this was 808 State.
They are not just a DJ group or just a techno unit. They were a group that reconstructed dance music born in Chicago and Detroit with a uniquely British feel.
808 State’s music was club-oriented yet highly intelligent. He slips elements of jazz, funk, experimental music, hip-hop, and electronic music into the repetitive beats, giving the mechanical groove a unique sense of warmth.
With their arrival, the concept of ““British techno’’ suddenly became a reality.
808 State was a rare band that combined club culture enthusiasm and musical exploration.
Rather than imitating American dance music, they re-edited it with British sensibilities and transformed it into a new vision of the future.
The special city of Manchester
To understand 808 State, you first need to know Manchester in the late 1980s.
At the time, Manchester was losing its momentum as an industrial city, but a new cultural energy was bubbling underground.
Factory Records, which led the post-punk era, and the club “The Haçienda” were symbols of this.
The Haçienda was playing a lot of new dance music from New York, Chicago, and Detroit. Drug culture, street sensibilities, and art sensibilities come together to create a unique festival space.
The members of 808 State also began their activities in this atmosphere.
Main members
- Graham Massey *Martin Price *Gerald Simpson
- Andrew Barker, who joined later
Graham Massey, in particular, had a deep knowledge of jazz, funk, and experimental music, and was an important figure supporting the intellectual side of 808 State.
Gerald Simpson later branched out as A Guy Called Gerald and became an important figure in British acid house history.
At the time, the boundaries between rock and dance music were rapidly dissolving in Manchester.
808 State was a group that translated the chaos and freedom unique to Manchester into music.
Group formation and initial activities
808 State began its activities around 1987.
The group’s name is of course taken from the Roland TR-808. This was not just the name of a piece of equipment, it was a symbol of dance music itself at the time.
They originally grew out of the community around the record shop Eastern Bloc Records.
Eastern Bloc was more than just a store, it was an information exchange hub where DJs, track makers, and clubbers gathered.
At the time, a full-fledged techno production environment had not yet been established in Britain. To that end, 808 State makes full use of second-hand equipment, cheap drum machines, and samplers to create their own unique sound.
Characteristics of initial equipment
*Roland TR-808 *Roland TB-303
- Akai Sampler
- Analog synthesizer
- tape editing
Their early work was heavily influenced by Chicago house and Detroit techno.
However, at the same time, it also contained a cloudy atmosphere and psychedelic feel unique to the UK.
What was important was that they didn’t play American dance music as is, but transformed it into a British style.
808 State’s early recordings were imprinted with a unique sense of translating imported culture into local culture.
The revolution called “Newbuild”
Newbuild, released in 1988, was later reevaluated as an important work in British techno history.
It wasn’t a big hit at the time. However, the content was extremely advanced.
Although the album was based on acid house, it boldly introduced long compositions, ambient developments, jazz sensibilities, and experimentation.
In particular, the elements that would become the prototype for “Pacific State” were already appearing at this point.
Features of “Newbuild”
| Element | Content |
|---|---|
| Rhythm | Four beats from Chicago |
| Sound | Ambient sense of space |
| Sampling | Derived from jazz funk |
| Composition | Long and immersive |
| Atmosphere | British and cloudy sound image |
Dance music at the time was focused on singles, but ““Newbuild’’ was an album.
This was also connected to later Warp works and the flow of IDM.
This work showed that club music is not just music for consumption, but can also be a work of appreciation.
"”Newbuild’’ was an important work that served as a prototype for later intelligent techno.
Impact of “Pacific State”
It was “Pacific State” that pushed 808 State into a global presence.
This song, released in 1989, drastically changed the history of British club music.
Saxophone phrases, bird calls, smooth chords, and gentle beats.
Unlike the aggression of traditional acid house, ““Pacific State’’ had a sense of openness and floating.
It was music reminiscent of a city sunrise rather than a late-night rave.
Innovation of “Pacific State”
- Fusion of techno and jazz sense
- Ambient sound sampling
- Introducing a sense of relaxation
- Ambient spatiality
- UK’s unique sense of humidity
The song also achieved success on the British charts.
This was the moment when music originating from club culture began to reach the general public.
“Pacific State” wasn’t just a club hit, it was a work that showed the direction of 90s electronic music.
With this song, techno began to be widely recognized as more than just aggressive dance music.
Electronic music before and after Warp
The existence of 808 State also had a great influence on the intellectual electronic route that Warp Records would later develop.
In the early 1990s, club music became more fragmented.
- Hardcore
- breakbeats
- jungle *IDM
- Ambient Techno
808 State existed at a crossroads.
What is especially important is that it balances ““music for dancing” and ““music for listening.”
This was a philosophy unique to British electronic music that later led to Aphex Twin, Autechre, Boards of Canada, and others.
808 State was not only a huge commercial success, but also had a huge ideological influence on subsequent artists.
They were an extension of techno into “culture”.
“90” and the acquisition of pop appeal
With their 1990 album 90, 808 State went further in a pop direction.
Still, the musicality was by no means simple.
While maintaining complex rhythms, irregular structures, jazz sensibilities, and sampling techniques, the sound changes to a more open one.
Songs such as “Cubik” and “Ancodia” are still considered representative songs in UK techno history.
Important points of “90”
| Song title | Features |
|---|---|
| Pacific 202 | Floating feeling and ambient quality |
| Cubik | Electro rhythm |
| Ancodia | Enhanced sense of melody |
| Cobra Bora | Experimentality and club feeling |
808 State at this time achieved a very high level of balance between underground and popular music.
While many electronic music groups move toward extremes, 808 State deftly treads a middle ground.
"”90’’ became a masterpiece of British electronic music that combines intellectual experimentation and pop sensibility.
Relationship with Madchester
808 State also had deep ties to “Madchester” culture.
Madchester is a general term for the music, fashion, and club culture that occurred around Manchester from the late 1980s to the early 1990s.
Famous bands such as Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses had a strong dance music culture behind them.
808 State was a key player on the electronic music side of that.
Their music was also accepted by rock listeners.
This was quite special at the time.
The fusion of rock and club culture would greatly change the British music scene thereafter.
808 State was also an important group that blurred the line between rock and techno.
Evolution of live expression
808 State also had a strong commitment to live performance.
Live electronic music performances at the time often seemed like monotonous equipment operations. However, they emphasized improvisation and a sense of performance.
Graham Massey, in particular, played multiple instruments and brought a jazz sensibility to his live performances.
Elements emphasized during live performance
- Real-time editing
- Improvisation
- Sample deformation
- Synth operation
- Spatial production
This had a great influence on later live techno expressions.
They presented electronic music as a ““changing performance” rather than a ““live performance as a playback device.”
808 State’s live feel became the basis for later live electronic expression.
Changes in the 1990s
In the mid-1990s, the electronic music scene became even bigger.
Rave culture became commercialized and club music entered the mainstream.
808 State continues to operate in the major leagues, but maintaining its early innovation has not been easy.
However, they did not lose their experimental spirit.
In songs such as ““Gorgeous” and ““Don Solaris,” he approaches a broader range of musicality.
Characteristics of this period
| Change | Content |
|---|---|
| Musicality | More emphasis on melody |
| Production | Large scale |
| Collaboration | Diverse artist participation |
| Sound image | Sophisticated production |
By the late 1990s, electronic music had become a fully global culture.
808 State was one of the first groups to experience that change.
Their career itself reflects the evolution of British electronic music history.
808 State was a generation that experienced everything from the underground to big industrialization.
A genius called Graham Massey
Graham Massey, the man behind 808 State, is more than just a techno musician.
He has a strong interest in jazz, fusion, contemporary and experimental music and has participated in a variety of projects.
In particular, 808 State’s ability to build sounds and sense of arrangement were what made 808 State unique.
Massey continued to collaborate with numerous artists in later years.
Characteristics of Graham Massey
- Understanding jazz theory
- Sound design ability
- Feeling of improvisation
- A wide range of genres
- Fusion of electronic music and live music
Massey is the reason 808 State has become more than just a club unit.
He was also a symbol of intelligence in British electronic music.
Graham Massey’s flexible musical outlook has made 808 State a long-running group.
Relationship with A Guy Called Gerald
Gerald Simpson played an important role as an early member of 808 State.
He later became independent and became a representative of British acid house history with the hit ““Voodoo Ray’’.
The relationship between Gerald and 808 State is emblematic of Manchester culture at the time.
It was a time when community and passion were more important than genre or affiliation.
Importance of Gerald
- Early 808 State sound formation
- Acid House spread
- Early formation of UK techno
- Later jungle influence
Gerald’s presence shows that 808 State was part of a larger scene, rather than a standalone group.
In Manchester at the time, creativity came from the community as a whole rather than the individual.
808 State and Japan
808 State gained great popularity in Japan from an early stage.
In the early 1990s, interest in techno and club culture began to rapidly increase in Japan.
Among them, 808 State became accepted with the image of ““intellectual and sophisticated electronic music’’.
It has had a great influence on Japanese techno fans, club DJs, and electronic music producers.
Acceptance in Japan
- Techno magazine culture
- Expansion of club culture
- Ambient Popularity
- Electronic equipment boom
- Point of contact with Shibuya system
Particularly in Japan in the 1990s, a ““culture of appreciating club music’’ was forming.
808 State fit that vibe very well.
Their music has also greatly contributed to the “listening techno” culture in Japan.
808 State also played an important role in the reception of electronic music in Japan.
Features of sound design
808 State’s music is distinctly different from simple 4/4.
Particularly important was the selection of tones.
They actively utilized the instability and texture unique to analog equipment.
Sound features
| Element | Content |
|---|---|
| Base | Soft and thick |
| Drums | Electro-derived |
| Synth | Emphasis on floating feeling |
| Spatial processing | Deep reverb |
| Sample | Organic arrangement |
Unlike today’s over-compressed EDM sound, 808 State had a void.
This blank space creates a unique sense of immersion.
They valued “air” more than “sound pressure.”
808 State’s sound production retains the organic nature of electronic music from before the 1990s.
Influence on contemporary electronic music
Looking around the current electronic music scene, 808 State’s influence is far reaching.
In particular, traces of this can be seen in the following areas.
Areas of influence
- Ambient Techno *IDM
- Electronica
- Chill Out *Progressive Electronic *Leftfield Dance
Also, the genre-crossing attitude was modern.
The sense of cutting across rock, jazz, hip-hop, and dance music without dividing them is common today, but it was extremely advanced at the time.
Their achievements can’t be measured just by their hit songs.
808 State was an extension of the possibilities of electronic music itself.
Chronology
| Year | Events |
|---|---|
| 1987 | 808 State Formed |
| 1988 | “Newbuild” announced |
| 1989 | “Pacific State” hit |
| 1990 | “90” announced |
| 1991 | “ex:el” announced |
| 1993 | “Gorgeous” announced |
| 1996 | “Don Solaris” announced |
| 2000s | Continuous live and production activities |
| 2019 | “Transmission Suite” announced |
808 State is not a group that lasted for just one era.
They have been watching the evolution of electronic music for decades.
Why 808 State still matters
Electronic music has now become a huge industry.
However, when 808 State started, techno was still an unknown future music.
They were trying to establish that future not just as a trend, but as a culture.
That’s why it never gets old even when you listen to it now.
808 State’s work retains a genuine urge to create new sounds.
In this day and age, where genres have become increasingly standardized, this sounds rather refreshing.
808 State’s legacy
- Basics of British Techno
- Development of Ambient Techno
- Intellectualization of club music
- Fusion of rock and dance
- Electronic music album culture
Their music has a sense that the future is still open.
808 State was one of the groups that most vividly embodied the creativity and freedom of electronic music.
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