808 State

808 State is a electronic music group from Manchester, England that was founded in 1987. Originally starting out as a hip-hop collective, the group eventually found its footing and started to focus its sound--incorporating elements of house, techno and acid house into a surprisingly cohesive and listenable whole. Building a reputation for itself amid the bustling rave scene, the band was able to achieve crossover success when its 1989 song "Pacific State" became a well known hit. Though the group never really achieved massive lasting success, it nevertheless managed to carve out a unique niche for itself and pioneer a characteristic sound that many others would go on to emulate.