808 88 98

808 State | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 30, 1998)
• Original Release Date: June 30, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Umvd Labels
• ASIN: B000007P2P
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #319,762 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Pacific 707

2. Cubik

3. In Yer Face

4. The Only Rhythm That Bites [Extended Mix]

5. Olympic [Flutemix]

6. Ooops

7. Lift [Ex:el Mix]

8. One in Ten

9. Plan 9 [LP Mix]

10. Bombadin [Quicamix]

11. Bond

12. Azura

13. Lopez

14. Crash

15. Pacific 808:98

16. Cubik: 98

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Not so much a greatest-hits package as it is an overview of contemporary British club music, 808:88:98 recaps a decade's worth of electronica milestones and trends as filtered through the 808 State time machine. The Manchester group's eclectic mix of soulful grooves, grinding rhythms, and imaginative vocal performances reveals why they have managed to stay relevant in such a typically fickle genre after all this time. Granted, certain selections stand the test of time better than others, like the silky "Pacific 707" and Björk's early entrée into dance music on "Ooops," which still manages to tingle the spine. The bloated techno bombast of "In Your Face" and the terrifying cockney rap-laced "The Only Rhyme That Bites," however, sound like they passed their sell-by dates a long time ago. --Aidin Vaziri

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A review of a pioneering band's inconsistent singles history, August 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: 808 88 98 (Audio CD)

808 State are undoubtedly one of the most talented and influential bands to emerge from the electronic music scene. At the time they released the Ex:El album, they seemed unstoppable, creating quality music that was popular as well. But their popularity has plummeted over the years, and this singles collection shows why. It begins with the much-copied "Pacific," a mellow, atmospheric house track that remains a classic today. A handful of brilliant early singles follow:"Cubik" with its mesmerizing synth riff and rock guitar, "Lift" featuring offbeat Muzak strings, and the melodic "Olympic." But 808 State soon came to rely too heavily on guest vocalists and obvious samples. This CD does offer the excellent "Plan 9," one of the best cuts from the underappreciated "Gorgeous" album, but the second half of this collection is weak. Of the three vocal cuts from "Don Solaris," only "Azura" featuring Louise from Lamb works. And the new cut "Crash" is forgettable. Luckily, there's a great 98 version of "Pacific" and an ok update of "Cubik" to finish the album. A Singles Collection, then, but not a "Best Of" there's still enough great material here to justify purcashing 88:98, especially if you're new to the band.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Who picked these tracks, anyway?, July 28, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: 808 88 98 (Audio CD)

The track selection on most anthologies/compilations is subject to second guessing, and this release is a case in point. Relying too heavily on the edited singles and vocal cuts (I believe they more or less started the techno trend of calling in guest vocalists for a few tracks on each album, as Goldie, Chemical Brothers, Propellorheads, etc. do), this release does not fairly evidence the high quality of work that 808 State has put out in the past decade -- I generally prefer their album tracks to the singles. A better starting point to 808 State's music would probably be Ex:El or the Utd. State 90 album -- but then, since this disc is calculated to act as an intro to the 808, maybe these ARE the most immediately accessible tracks they've done. But as a long-time fan, I'm disappointed.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great group, OK anthology, April 4, 2003

By 

Supabowl (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 808 88 98 (Audio CD)

I came at this the opposite way of 90% of 808 State's fans. I picked this one up mostly by chance the year it came out, having never heard anything by them. What did I think of it? Well, today I own eight other 808 albums and a single, so you figure it out.

A group this good deserves a great best of. This might not be a great best of, but that doesn't stop the material from impressing. 808 State's rhythmic complexities and inventiveness are mind-boggling. The group has been that way from the beginning, and they still are. They were one of the first groups to incorporate vocalists into their tracks, and they're still one of the few who can build inventive pieces around those vocalists instead of just putting echoing songstress hooks to trance tracks. "Ooops," with Bjork, is spellbinding and a decade ahead of its time. True, some of the earlier tracks are a touch dated and except for "Crash" there's nothing really new on this album. So if you're already a dedicated 808 State fan, there's not much point to this release, but if you're looking for a starting point, buy this disc. It's not a classic, but the stuff on it is.