808 State - Ex:El

Capturing 808 State at their absolute best, none of their subsequent albums quite matched Ex:el's perfect blend of art, mass appeal, and zeitgeist (one of the most common vocal samples in techno, Willy Wonka's "We are the music makers," made its first major appearance here). A major change here from past releases is the increasing variety and power of The State's percussion: beats are heavier and more staggered, embracing earlier flirtations with hip-hop and industrial music with even greater success, as heard on heavy-duty groovers like "Leo, Leo." A sign of how influential Ex:el ended up being can be seen in how one of the commonest clichés of U.K. Read More