# 808 State — Pacific State

808 State’s Pacific State (1989) appears on 2 of our lists — Acid House and The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred, highest at No. 3 in Acid House. Every verdict, in full.

- **Released:** 1989
- **Label:** ZTT
- **On:** Acid House and The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred
- **Updated:** 2026-08-29
- **Artist:** [808 State](https://waxonia.com/artist/808-state/)
- **Canonical page:** https://waxonia.com/track/808-state--pacific-state/

## What 2 lists say

### No. 3 in [Acid House](https://waxonia.com/genre/acid-house/)

A saxophone line and birdsong over an acid bassline, which should not work and does. The record that proved this music could be pretty without becoming polite.

### Picked by [The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred](https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/)

A saxophone and birdsong over an acid bassline, which should not work. Proof that this music could be pretty without becoming polite.

## Analysis

10 sections, the first drop at 0:39, 10% of the way in.

- **Tempo:** 123 BPM — holds throughout
- **Key:** D minor
- **Dynamic range:** 8.5 dB — moderate range, typical of a modern master
- **Length:** 6:29

- `0:00` A · **intro**, instrumental — opens the record below its own average energy — playing: other
- `0:40` B · **peak** (bar 20), instrumental — sits at the top of this record's range — playing: drums, bass, other
- `0:55` C · **build** (bar 28), instrumental — energy and brightness climbing without a break — playing: drums, bass, other
- `1:18` C · **peak** (bar 40), instrumental — sits at the top of this record's range — playing: drums, bass, other
- `2:03` C · **peak** (bar 63), instrumental — sits at the top of this record's range — playing: drums, bass, other
- `2:43` C · **breakdown** (bar 84), instrumental — energy falling away mid-record, percussion thinning — playing: drums, other
- `3:08` D · **peak** (bar 97), instrumental — sits at the top of this record's range — playing: drums, bass, other
- `3:27` E · **peak** (bar 107), instrumental — sits at the top of this record's range — playing: drums, bass, vocals, other
- `4:02` C · **peak** (bar 124), instrumental — sits at the top of this record's range — playing: drums, bass, other
- `4:29` C · **outro** (bar 138), instrumental — the closing fall — playing: drums, other

**Drop** at 0:39 (bar 20). A drop is a moment, not a stretch.

**What is playing.** Separated into parts by a source-separation model, so each lane is the instrument it names.

- **drums:** the drum kit, separated from the mix
- **bass:** the bass part, separated from the mix
- **vocals:** the voice, separated from the mix
- **other:** everything else — synths, guitars, keys, strings

Measured from the YouTube master on 2026-08-29. Section labels describe how the energy
moves, not musical form. Anything we were not confident enough to state is omitted
rather than hedged.

## Listen

[Search Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/search/808%20State%20Pacific%20State) · [YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv0UiQ5n7SM)

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Hand-curated by Waxonia. We host no audio; all links point to streaming platforms.