Electric iLL/Vla Hemia- split CD (SAA1124)

Long awaited, this split release collects two amazing EP’s from Viva Voce’s Kevin Robinson as Electric iLL and the Siamese Sisters produced Vla Hemia project. The first half collects the five sought after tracks from the much whispered of Vla Hemia (MC Vinch Kashmir and Siamese Sisters). Think Golden Age Hip-Hop (Blowout Comb, Midnight Marauders, Juggaknots EP) without a retro-wish to be fresh in ‘94. These tracks lack the stale same-ness of much of mainstream boom-bap. Electric iLL is a sound for sore ears. Recruiting Soul-Junk’s Galaxalag and Slo-Ro for phoned in (literally) raps and NY’s JSRockit, who delivers a hilariously whimsical verse on “Non-Moley Yease”, the husband-half of the fantastical Viva Voce, Kevin Robinson lets his freak flag fly. On tracks like “Nurban Gowns” he duets with a Speak-N-Spell, and constructs lunchtray turntablism, elsewhere live saw and drumkit breaks collide and fedback guitars mask unwholesome lyrical patterns. Not to be missed.

Sounds Are Active/Asthmatic Kitty Sampler (AS001)

Sounds Are Active and sister label Asthmatic Kitty have pooled their collective talents to put something beautiful into the world: the 2004 Sampler. Over over 74 minutes of music from these two unceasingly original record labels. The Asthmatic Kitty “Side” features songs from Sufjan Stevens’ first three albums, as well as three tracks from the unrelentingly joyous Half-Handed Cloud. Songs by Liz Janes, Castanets and Viva Voce round out the 11 tracks- 3 heretofore unreleased. The Sounds Are Active “Side” teems with spastic new work from Melk The G6-49, Bizzart and Deneir. New and unreleased tracks from Soul-Junk, Vla Hemia and Create (!). Softer pieces contributed by Xn. (featuring a slick remix from hip-hop producer supreme Omid) and the brooding “Two Planes for Elliott Smith” by the Constantine/Levin/Phillips/Schlarb/Shadduck quintet.

Xn.- ideas without numbers (SAA1118)

A collection of five short ambient guitar pieces from Chris Schlarb recorded in 1999 and released as a limited edition album totaling less than 10 minutes. Built around the unorthodox but simple sounds coaxed out of the electric guitar the original album was meant to be listened to repeatedly. After the limited release sold out, Schlarb contacted a number of different experimental, electronic and hip-hop artists to gauge interest in remixes and reinterpretations.