808 State

808 State formed in Manchester in 1987, Graham Massey, Martin Price, and Gerald Simpson developing a sound that drew on Chicago house, Detroit techno, and the emerging rave scene. They were part of the same Manchester scene as the Happy Mondays and the Stone Roses, but their music was entirely electronic — no guitars, no vocals, just machines.

'Pacific State' (1989) was the breakthrough — a piece of ambient house music of extraordinary beauty that reached number ten in the UK charts. The track's saxophone melody, played by MC Tunes, became one of the most recognisable sounds of the era. '90' (1989) and 'Ex:El' (1991) were both excellent albums that showed the range of the band's electronic vision.

808 State have continued to record and perform, their influence on subsequent electronic music considerable. Massey in particular has been a significant figure in British electronic music, collaborating with artists across multiple genres. Their early records remain essential documents of the Manchester rave scene.