Furthur Electronix Collective
Freund der Familie
Kevin Reynolds
Keith Worthy
Mesak
Mono Junk
Losoul
Morphology
Richard Zepezauer
Reade Truth
S-Max
Thee J Johanz
Trevor Deep Jr
Zernell
Born from the lineage of great independent electronica labels, Furthur Electronix has become a byword for original, genre-agnostic machine music. Since 2017 the project has taken in established pioneers and breakthrough talent alike, veering from tweaked-out electro to deep-diving atmospheric techno, gnarled jungle abstraction, and vivid iterations of acid. Braindance is a term as loaded as it is vague, but it feels relevant to Furthur’s focus on experimental, kinetic dance music with a shot of sentient emotion running through the circuitry.
The label came to fruition via Anil Lal, a devoted authority on leftfield electronic music best known for his omnipresent Discogs handle, spa5tik0lonz. Anyone with even a passing interest in digging the ploughs and furrows of techno, acid, electro and electronica will have spotted his dedicated, honest appraisals of totemic classics and niche nuggets alike. This headsy, fan-collector foundation speaks volumes for the principles Furthur Electronix operates with. Of course, as with all treasured labels, visual aesthetics plays a vital role in cementing Furthur’s presence, and graphic designer Majkel was instrumental in the label being established and striking out with a strong identity from the first release.
It would be a fool’s errand to try and cover the length and breadth of the Furthur Electronix catalog, which now also takes in sub-labels including Altered Sense, Beyond Electronix, Dubpressure, Expanding Vision, Random Moments, Ryoko, Shakesphere and Touched Electronix. There are scores of heritage acts within the folds of these labels, from DMX Krew and Mike Paradinas’ Tusken Raiders to The Kosmik Kommando, D’Arcangelo and John Beltran, Can Oral’s Khan and underground veterans The Dexorcist and Jack Smooth. There’s also a strong presence from comparatively recent staples such as Tim Reaper, Cignol, Jared Wilson and Acronym, but also a plethora of names getting their first sizable breaks via Furthur. The likes of Brainwaltzera, BufoBufo and Lou Karsh are cementing their reputations through the opportunities and exposure Furthur provides, in turn demonstrating the position the label now holds within the loosely defined ‘scene’.
Furthur Electronix doesn’t subscribe to the established disposable, attention-deficient model of the modern music industry, however. While not shunning digital media platforms entirely, the label takes a relaxed approach to promoting the music, focusing on more traditional methods of meaningful connections with sympathetic shops, events and media rather than shouting into the void. As such, Furthur operates comfortably outside the timeline churn, retaining that elusive, mysterious quality which makes new music discovery so much more exciting. This applies to the way they use Bandcamp to release upfront white labels, test pressings and quirky B-stock anomalies, leaving the actual pressing run for the record shops to stock and sell. At a time when independent, real-world networks are under threat, these decisions help keep alive aspects of music culture that would soon be missed if they were gone. Likewise, the approach to represses has its own considered slant, aiming for realistic quantities in the first runs and then taking time for the music to settle before considering whether to press up more. Ideas around exclusivity and accessibility become ever murkier in the era of instant gratification, but a degree of patience and consideration goes a long way, not least when dealing with irate Discogs sharks.
Furthur Electronix doesn’t exist in a 12” shaped vacuum, of course, and the label and its artists are connected to a global web of events – low-key underground parties, art installations, mammoth club sessions and the rich tapestry of festivals around the world. While associated artists are very much engaged in their own endeavours independent of Furthur, Anil Lal’s curatorial resolve helps bind together disparate acts on line-ups which bring the label’s ethos into tangible focus. The pool of talent to draw upon is vast, and the range of possible events is tantalizing.
How music is presented to us and how we engage with it is ever-changing, but the role of a truly dedicated record label should never be taken for granted. As a vehicle for discovery and a stamp of authority, Furthur Electronix stands proud with those buy-on-sight institutions that have helped steer music culture in exciting new directions. The destination is unknown, but with sincerity and integrity driving things forward, the possibilities are manifold.
The current FE Collective includes:
Jodey Kendrick
Leo Tunik
Yawa Ze
Extrawelt
Junq
Monika Subrtova
Anil