With spring right around the corner and my copies of the Christmas hip-hop goodies all scratched up already (both Stillmatic and Iron Flag are voluntarily backspinning and mixing themselves into oblivion), I have decided to dedicate this column to two future releases by the record distribution company Landspeed Records. Run out of a small office in Quincy, Mass., this company has contributed many stellar records to the hip-hop community over the years, and with these two highlights it appears they will continue to do so in the future.

Non Phixion The Future is Now (Uncle Howie/Landspeed Records)

Release Date: April 23

After more than six years of underground noise and an almost cult-like following, the Brooklyn-based trio of rappers Ill Bill, Gortex and Sabac Red is finally releasing a full-length album to solidify the group as a true rap heavyweight. Better known as Non Phixion, its history has shown the gumbo stew created by the trio’s drug-induced rhymes, hard beats and angst-filled, paranoid demeanor that appealed to B-Boys thirsty for something that pushed the envelope.

Selling a impressive 200,000 copies of the independently-released 12 in. single “Legacy” in 1995, Non Phixion began its rise to the top of the underground New York circuit, finding itself shelved at the now defunct hip-hop division of Geffen Records. Eventually released from the ball and chain of its previous contract, the Boston-area based distribution company Landspeed Records took the notoriously-crazed rappers on, helping them to release The Future is Now under its own Uncle Howie Records imprint.

Filled with frenetic beats and classic, raw New York underground production–courtesy of the Large Professor, Pete Rock, Necro, Juju of the Beatnuts and DJ Premier–The Future is Now appears to be a modern-day blueprint for underground excellence. Clever slang, chilling depictions of urban life and over-the-top humor penetrate through the lyrics as the three paint their original landscapes. Eschewing played out subject matter in favor of relatively original topics almost reminiscent of the Public Enemy of yesteryear (see the Necro-produced “The CIA is Trying to Kill Me”), monotony is nowhere to be seen, but the rappers’ neuroses are.

Capturing its emergence to the mainstream of hip-hop on the DJ Premier-produced “Rock Stars,” the group raps, “I remember the cold nights and long lines for clubs/ Now its strictly V.I.P., free drinks and drugs/ Pounds and hugs/ Getting’ back rubs/ We them underground thugs that stay street but found newfound love.”

Infamous Mobb Special Edition (Landspeed Records)

Release Date: March 26

Releasing its debut album to a public still rocking to the efforts of its Queensbridge brethren, the Infamous Mobb makes an attempt to achieve the glory of its forefathers with Special Edition. The 14-track collection of visceral rhymes deftly delivered over top-notch production features the QB all-stars Ty Nitty, Gambino and Godfather–all contributors to previous Mobb Deep work.

Proving the members are more than just sidekicks in the rap breeding ground officially known as Long Island City, N.Y., the trio employs brand name producers like The Alchemist and Havoc to assist in recording. As a result, eerie string arrangements, raw drum patterns and sinister piano loops are as common as Queens shoutouts, which makes the production standard, albeit still excellent, for the two beatmakers.

The truly standout cut on the yet-to-be-finished album is an untitled gem that features Gambino rapping by himself. A Jimi Hendrix guitar sample plays over a Havoc-provided beat, invoking simultaneous head nods from both hard rockers and hip-hop hardrocks. “For years, I’ve been trying to wipe the tears/ Take one step at a time to the top of the stairs,” the gravel-voiced emcee raps on a cut dedicated to the memory of his deceased identical-twin brother. This is just one of the many tracks that mentions the tragedy and the emotions of the psychedelic guitar sample create an interesting effect when coupled with the often-examined subject of death in hip hop.

Not as chilling or cinematic as releases by some of their Queensbridge compatriots like Nas, Mobb Deep or Cormega but still a valiant effort, the threesome manages to jump from the guest-appearance column to the cover without falling very much. It is difficult to go from 16 bars to 16 tracks, but after refining its skills over the years, the Infamous Mobb proves that this may be a Special Edition to any Queensbridge fan’s collection.