808 State – ex:el VG+/G+

ex:el is 808 State at their most colourful and forward‑leaning, a record where rave energy, acid squiggles, and sleek techno architecture collide with a surprising pop sensibility. It has that unmistakable early‑’90s futurism—bright, metallic synths, breakbeats snapping like cold wires, and melodies that feel both mechanical and strangely emotional. The album moves between hard, club‑driven momentum and moments of airy, dreamlike drift, giving it a sense of constant motion and invention. Vocals from Björk and Bernard Sumner add flashes of human texture without diluting the group’s machine‑born identity. The result is a vivid snapshot of UK electronic music evolving in real time: playful, sharp‑edged, and confidently stepping into a new decade’s sound.