The RolandTR-808 was once a standard. Its affordability ensured that the cheesy drum sounds it packed became a staple in songs throughout the 80s. What is now referred to as ‘classic hip hop’ made the 808 its own, right next to a pair of Superstars and that fat belt buckle. While it sat out through a few rounds of what’s hot, that sound came back as a relic that was more enthralling than ever. With 808s and Heartbreak, Kanye West uses the iconic machine to illustrate his pain, with tracks about the follies of success, the loss of his mother, and the end of a relationship. Old meets new as he incorporates heavy use of modern vocoding, a sound that’s annoying when used as a crutch, yet compelling when it’s part of the texture.