"Pacific State" is a single by 808 State

808 State

808 State are a British electronic music outfit, formed in 1987 in Manchester, taking their name from the Roland TR-808 drum machine and their common state of mind...

 released in 1989. The song peaked at #10 on the UK Singles Chart

UK Singles Chart

The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

. The track first appeared on their Extended Play (extended 12 inch single) release Quadrastate

Quadrastate

Quadrastate is a 12" extended play by 808 State, released in 1989 on the Creed Records label. It contains the original version of "Pacific State", one of the most popular tracks by 808 State, which later made the band famous after extended airplay on BBC Radio 1 led to the band being signed to...

in 1988. It was then remixed to become the group's first release on ZTT Records

ZTT Records

ZTT Records is a record label founded in 1983 by NME journalist Paul Morley, record producer Trevor Horn, and businesswoman Jill Sinclair. The label's name was also printed as "Zang Tumb Tuum" and "Zang Tuum Tumb" on various releases....

. Although the overall title is "Pacific State", the remixed versions are individually known by variant titles: the main 7" and 12" versions are "Pacific - 707" and "Pacific - 202" respectively, and a version is known simply as "Pacific". Most compilations which feature the track include either "Pacific - 707" or the original Quadrastate version of "Pacific State".

The "Pacific 202" version of the track is found on the group's 1989 album on ZTT, "Ninety

Ninety (album)

Ninety is the second full-length album and first on ZTT Records by British house music pioneers 808 State, released in 1989 and featuring the UK Top 40 single "Pacific State" which reached #10 in November 1989. It was released in the US as Utd...

".

The track has an unusual and distinctive arrangement. Where techno usually uses short, repeating basslines with melodic parts layered on top, in "Pacific State" the bass part is used as a melodic element in its own right, constantly changing over the course of the song, with a horn-like sound being introduced as counterpoint

Counterpoint

In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonically interdependent . It has been most commonly identified in classical music, developing strongly during the Renaissance and in much of the common practice period,...

.

Featured on Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...

 radio station SF:UR and sampled in the Japanese version of Sonic CD.

External links

• Pacific State (Song) at Discogs