X-Ray Spex were one of the most singular bands to emerge from the first wave of British punk, and Poly Styrene remains one of the most distinctive voices the genre ever produced. This original pressing of “Art-I-Ficial,” one of the standout tracks from their landmark 1978 album Germfree Adolescents, is a rare find on its own. The song’s skewering of consumerism and plastic culture feels just as sharp today as it did in 1978. With Lora Logic’s saxophone cutting through the mix, this is punk with a genuinely avant-garde edge. Original X-Ray Spex singles in any condition are increasingly difficult to find outside of specialist dealers.
