Twenty-five years ago this month, a record by the name of Stakker Humanoid crashed its way into mainstream UK culture. With the backing of unlikely champions such as Bruno Brookes and Pete Waterman, the record – released by a mysterious artist called Humanoid – became the first truly credible UK acid house record to break into the mainstream. It went on to reach number 17 in the UK charts as the winter of 1988 drew in.

A harsh, uncompromising slab of raw acid house created by a Glasgow-born part-time lecturer at Salford College of Technology, the record broke down barriers between the emerging youth movement and mainstream society.

We start the story with the 23 November 1988 issue of Number One magazine (Smash Hits main rival at the time). Regular readers may have been surprised by Bruno Brookes's recommendation in his column Tips for the Top!