H2SO4

UK electronic indie collective H2SO4 were one of the best kept secrets of the late ’90s, releasing a slew of singles and a brace of albums at the turn of the millennium that were well received by pundits and public alike, with songs that can be heard in popular TV shows such as ‘The Sopranos’, ‘Six Feet Under’ and ‘Queer As Folk’.

H2SO4 began in 1998 as a remix project when electro pioneers CODE reworked songs by indie group Sulphur (then signed to Rhythm King). Gaining immediate support from tastemaker radio DJ’s such as Pete Tong and John Peel for the singles ‘I Need Love’ and ‘Little Soul’, a subsequent series of 12″ white labels filled dancefloors in clubland prior to the release of their 1999 debut full-length, ‘Machine-Turned Blues’. Championed by then XFM drive-time presenter Bob Geldof, the album included the single ‘Imitation Leather Jacket’ and made waves internationally, leading to licensing deals in both the US and Japan.

Co-writer and producer Andy Phillips broke away from H2SO4 after the release of the Japan-only follow-up album ‘Glamtronica’ in 2000 and formed the production partnership Bombay Monkey with Guy Martin, leaving Graham Cupples and James Butler to continue making music as H2SO4.