This overall limited run of the acid genre is another success on the label for those who are in love with the genre. Furthur Electronix—and a warm welcome Shakesphere, their sub-label—has been carving out a niche for itself over the past few years, releasing music that feels both nostalgic and necessary. It’s a love letter to a sound that defined an era, and for fans of classic acid and braindance, it’s essential.
An excellent braindance outing that pulls directly from the classic acid playbook
Italian maestro SRS returns on the Furthur Electronix offshoot Shakesphere with Plastic EP, an excellent braindance outing that pulls directly from the classic acid playbook. Furthur Electronix, a Brighton-based label founded by Anil Lal, Jay Lal, and graphic designer Majkel, has built a reputation for releasing high-quality electronic music: techno, deep house, IDM, electro, and acid, on limited vinyl pressings, often restricted to 200 copies. The label’s aesthetic leans heavily on Warp, Rephlex, and Skam influences, and Plastic EP is no exception. This release is a limited run on vinyl distributed through Clone, and it brings some weight to it from a remix by D’Arcangelo.
While the main tracks “Plastic 1” and “Plastic 2” are acid in nature, the acid breaks here remain on the classic front of other acid artists. Acid house emerged in the mid-80s with Chicago producers like Phuture, DJ Pierre, and Spanky using the Roland TB-303 bass synthesizer to create squelchy, hypnotic basslines that defined a generation of dance music. By the early 90s, acid had crossed over into the UK rave scene and found a home on labels like Rephlex, where artists like AFX (Aphex Twin), Universal Indicator, and Mike Dred pushed the sound into more abstract and experimental territory. The TB-303’s signature sound—resonant, modulated, and aggressive, became a staple of the braindance movement. Plastic EP doesn’t reinvent that sound. It honors it. Both “Plastic 1” and “Plastic 2” have a great vibe to them, and it’s understood why such a sound in this genre would be released on a limited run, the genre within itself feels classic, like a direct transmission from 1993.
“Plastic 1” is my favorite over the bunch. It has a more darker, heavier acid sound, bringing back the old acid days. 4/4 kicks and heavy acid rhythms mix in with shuffled hats throughout. No melodies here, but the acid serves it well with its teases of acid rhythms. The TB-303 is doing all the heavy lifting, modulating and shifting across the track’s runtime, and the production is raw but not lo-fi. It’s clean enough to hit hard on a club system but dirty enough to retain that gritty, analog charm.
The D’Arcangelo remix brings a different vibe—still acid, but more dancier and with an electro edge, which is what their style is known for. D’Arcangelo, the Italian duo of brothers Fabrizio and Marco D’Arcangelo, have been active in the underground electronic scene since the early 90s. Their 1996 debut on Rephlex is considered a classic, fusing fierce, industrial-strength electronix with playful, melodic synthpop. I expected more of their experimental IDM style, but the drums here are very well implemented along with the transitional effects on the drum beats. The remix doesn’t stray too far from the original’s acid core, but it adds movement and groove, pulling it closer to the dancefloor without sacrificing the edge.
“Third Eye” seems to be more on the softer ambient side of things and sounds completely different from the rest of the EP. I see it as a good alternative—still acid sounds in it, but more subtle. The TB-303 is there, but it’s restrained, sitting beneath layers of pads and atmospheric textures. It’s a comedown track, a moment of breath after the intensity of “Plastic 1” and “Plastic 2.”
This overall limited run of the acid genre is another success on the label for those who are in love with the genre. Furthur Electronix—and a warm welcome Shakesphere, their sub-label—has been carving out a niche for itself over the past few years, releasing music that feels both nostalgic and necessary. It’s a love letter to a sound that defined an era, and for fans of classic acid and braindance, it’s essential.
Plastic is available on Shakesphere / Furthur Electronix on June 15, 2026. [Clone]
