808 STATE
Quadrastate (Creed LP only)

MORE UPPITY Mancunian bastards, but this time different to what's gone before. 808 State could very well be a corporation, hiding behind a faceless identity. They've certainly shied away from the limelight for so long it's a wonder anyone's still interested.

'Quadrastate' is 1989 placed into context - as groundbreaking and as evocative of the times that produced it as Cabaret Voltaire's towering 'Red Mecca'. Everything about this record is intentional and strains after perfection. With bigger budgets, the world will definitely take notice. For now, we can pretend we've just stumbled onto some precious artefact.

808 State understand the vagaries of dancefloor culture. Their post-punk sensibility enables them to throw spanners in the works, seemingly at will. Beatbox thunder and what sounds like cities collapsing converge with carefully structured samples to create an underwater effect. You feel like you're sinking deeper into quicksand by the second.

The way dub techniques are, used here is also inspiring. 808 State have developed their own sound, surely a contradiction in terms in the world of production-line dance. Yet it's the way they wreak mischief on various accepted genres - New Beat, House, Garage - that really stuns.

You'll be hard pressed to hear another independently made dance record this sombre and well-rounded this year.

(8)

[Reviewer: Dele Fadele]

State 808 has delivered a six -cut EP titled "Quadrastate" (Creed), which is worth the purchase solely for the slammin' instrumental technocut "Pacific State." Ominous and hooky track is great for mixing with any number of a cappellas. Also try the cuts "State To State" and "Disco State".

[Reviewer: Bill Coleman]

(Creed Records STATE 004, via Revolver/The Cartel)

Manchester's experimental Graham Massey and Martin Price are joined on this instrumental EP's standout by (A Guy Called) Gerald Simpson for the breezily leaping but tranquil atmosphere drenched jazzy deep house (0-)124- 124.2-0bpm 'Pacific State', washed by synthetic 'deep breaths', twittering 'birds' and superb echoing sax, far better than the flute repeating jittery 115.4- 115.6-0bpm 'State Ritual', thrumming and tinkling 119.7(-0)bpm 'State To State', lightly scurrying 126.6 126.4-128-0bpm 'Disco State', and twittery burbling 126—0bpm 'Fire Cracker'.

[Reviewer: James Hamilton]