Phuture

Phuture (nowadays called Phuture 303) is a Chicago-based acid house group founded in 1985 by DJ Pierre, Spanky, and Herb J (Herbert Jackson). Their 12-minute track Acid Tracks (1987) is one of several recordings that lay claim to being the first-ever acid house record.

"Acid Tracks" featured characteristic bass lines from the Roland TB-303 bass synthesizer—which was actually abused to produce sounds uncharacteristic for a bass guitar it was designed to emulate. The track raised to popularity at DJ Ron Hardy's Music Box club in Chicago and has since been re-pressed many times.

Phuture released a great number of acid tracks now considered classics, usually as 12-inch vinyl maxi singles. Its only albums, however, have been Alpha & Omega (1997) — the first release since the group renamed itself Phuture 303 — and Survival's Our Mission (2003), the title referencing the opening lyrics of the 1988 single We Are Phuture.

The music the group produces is dark and monotonous. Many tracks are very long, even passing the 10-minute mark (like Acid Trax). Sparse lyrics are occasionally related to drugs, like the lyrics of Your Only Friend (1987), which describe cocaine addiction.

The group also recorded under several pseudonyms, generally using the substitution of ph for f. For example, the name Phortune.