Here is my review of 'Outpost Transmission' which will be going on at least 2 Australian dance music web-sites and possibly others, and includes a 'Story So Far...' section.
Please njoi!
808 STATE - OUTPOST TRANSMISSION (Circus Records)
808 State, Manchester (Englands') innovators of the acid house era, once again take the spaceship 808 into unchartered territory with Captain Massey at the helm...
THE STORY SO FAR...
In the late 1980's a group of young Mancunians form a friendship based around their love of music and the DJ record shop called Eastern Bloc in Manchester. These talented DJ's, MC's, musicians and dancers form the hip hop collective Hit Squad MCR and release an EP.
Three members - Graham Massey, Gerald Simpson & Martin Price - break off to form 808 State. The name is taken from the Roland Drum machine, the TR808, their shared state of mind and love of Hawaii - the '808 State'.
This gathering of minds produces what is considered to be the first ever acid house album in 1988 called 'Newbuild' ("... the original acid house album and still the best..." - Muzik magazine 2002), which was recently re-released on Rephlex.
They then make the underground classic 'Pacific State' which is played for months on cassette in the legendary Hacienda night-club in Manchester (amongst other venues) before it makes it to acetate and eventually even Top Of The Pops!
Gerald leaves in 1989 before the release of the 808 album 'Quadrastate'. He goes on to pursue a solo career, making the seminal 'Voodoo Ray' and delivering pioneering drum n' bass masterpieces such as 'Black Secret Technology' in 1996 and 'Essence' in 2000 which inspires many of the main movers on the drum n' bass scene such as Goldie, Grooverider and Dillinja.
Martin Price also leaves and goes on to, among other things, manage hip hop band Kaliphz and form record label Sun Text.
Graham Massey keeps the 808 name and local DJ's The Spinmasters - Andy Barker and Darren Partington - become full-time 808 State members. During the 1990's they make the albums '90', 'Ex:el', 'Gorgeous' and 'Don Solaris' and take their pioneering, exciting live show (which combines the finer elements of rock and dance culture) all over the world.
During this time they remix and work with artists as diverse as Bjork, New Order, Lamb, Goldfrapp, David Bowie, REM, Tom Jones, Rolf Harris, Ian McCulloch and Soundgarden.
Their music and live shows inspire the likes of Orbital, Underworld, The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers and Bjork to craft shows that blend the best of dance and rock culture and in the process take dance music to a massive new global audience...
'OUTPOST TRANSMISSION'
Now comes their first album of the time period known as the 21st century, the delightfully titled 'Outpost Transmission' - their first album in 6 years, which was conceived and recorded in Manchester and is another truly underground recording...
'Outpost Transmission' begins with '606', an intense way to start an album. A heavy track for heavy times, it comes complete with dark, brooding bassline, solid drums & unique vocals courtesy of Simian about the beginning of time, and time being undone in the future.
In contrast 'Chopsumwong' is a carefree summers day and the following 'Wheatstraw' is a big, groovy breaks number. Sounds appear over both these tracks in an 808-style like abstract strokes and splashes of paint on a glorious canvas, in a similar way to some of the better moments of '96's 'Don Solaris'.
The breaks continue with 'Boogieman' - in my eyes a tribute to the older blues and jazzmen for the techno generation - and 'Roundbum Mary', another phat groover, unfortunately let down by some slightly cheesy chords. 'Lemonsoul' is the only real slow 'chillout' tune on the album. It has an apparent nod and wink to the joys of parenthood in the line 'Bless the child that sings' (sung by Guy Garvey of Elbow) and has been compared to classic Joy Division.
'Suntower' is the real standout track for me and sounds like it has been taken off a jukebox orbiting somewhere in the solar system. It is an ascending, euphoric 8.08am on a beach on a tropical island the morning after a full-moon party without a care in the world (with a mad, psychedelic surge in the middle!). 'Dissadis' keeps the flow going, rolling along like Mozart on ketamin before the slightly sinister 'Bent' touches back down to earth for a 3am drive through urban Manchester.
'Souflex' starts with classy two-step then loses and regains the plot, before the plot is then well and truly lost again on 'Crossword' (the weakest track on the album in my opinion) which comes on like Underworld on a 4 day, 'no chill out' bender.
The last 3 tracks are spot on. Leftfield, jazzy breaks make a lush 'Lungfoo', 'Slowboat' goes on an Amazon/Congo/Nile/all 3 and more cruise & the closing warm techno of 'Yoyo' is how your head might feel while receiving a massage at 4am during a 5 hour Richie Hawtin set!
There are no apparent big hits here in the vein of 'Pacific' or 'Cubik', but if you want to hear a quality underground album by a group of very talented DJ's, musicians and technicians making some very interesting, complex and uplifting music then get your copy straight away!
Generally, this is a great 'comeback' album and hints at the fact that, despite a large back catalogue and remix CV, their best tunes may well still be ahead of them...
A resounding 8.08 out of 10!
THE STORY CONTINUES...
2003 looks like an exciting year for 808 State fans. Aswell as the release of 'Outpost Transmission', Aphex Twin re-mixed a 'Newbuild' track - 'Flow Coma' for his '26 mixes for cash' release on Warp, A Guy Called Gerald will be playing in Manchester and releasing a new album, and some recently recovered acid house material from 'back in the day' is to be released under the name 'Prebuild' on Aphex Twins' Rephlex label. Plus, there is the promise of an 808 world tour...
Spread love all over the world!
'student Dr.' Walsh
