Non Phixion: The Future Is Now

Since being discovered by 3rd Bass' MC Serch in the mid-'90s, Non Phixion has undergone a series of trials and tribulations all too common in underground hip-hop, from lineup changes to record deals gone bad to domineering mentors. Serch reportedly attempted to mold the group into a white Public Enemy, but while traces of Chuck D's righteous rage turn up in its music, Non Phixion seems equally influenced by the surreal weirdness of Company Flow and the scatological hijinks of Smut Peddlers. The group flaunts its formidable influences, which is a big part of the reason its eagerly anticipated debut feels so strangely familiar. But while Non Phixion never threatens to top those influences, its mix-and-match approach to underground rap yields ample rewards. Half manifesto, half foul-mouthed rant, The Future Is Now oscillates between the drugged-out, misanthropic excess of former group member Necro (who produced much of the album) and the anti-authoritarian anger of highly politicized groups like Public Enemy and Dead Prez. DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and Large Professor are among the top-shelf producers who contribute beats to Future, but the disc's sound is dominated by Necro's menacing, gothic production. Telltale titles like "The CIA Is Trying To Kill Me" and "Black Helicopters" allude to the group's conspiracy-minded political concerns, but rappers ILL BiLL, Goretex, and Sabac Red sound equally comfortable kicking ill braggadocio, as on the DJ Premier-produced "Rock Stars." Elsewhere, the stillborn "Suicide Bomb" contributes little to the growing number of songs about the aftermath of Sept. 11, while recruits from Fear Factory and Deftones add metal buzz to a second version of "The CIA Is Trying To Kill Me." Non Phixion's debut doesn't match the urgency of Dead Prez or The Coup, but its adrenalized, brutally pessimistic vision of a world spinning out of control still sounds timely.