** DJ Vadim

USSR: LIFE FROM THE OTHER SIDE

(Ninja Tune)

Say what you will about Russian-born "hip-hop fanatic, label owner" and (he'll have you know) "such a record collector!" DJ Vadim: he owns tons of weird instructional albums, and he can't wait to share 'em with the world. Like Vadim himself, the narrators on these LPs are so chilled out, you want to check their pockets for a living will -- the guy who lectures us about "Getting Friendly with Music" (and distinguishes between Vadim's stuff and "purely pop recordings") sounds as if he'd been getting friendly with codeine, and "Micro Course in Russian" could lull a whole language lab to sleep. There's even an excerpt (on "Dig Yourself Baby") from one of those "How To Speak Hip" comedy skits. The only thing missing is a guest verse by the 2000-Year-Old Man. Too bad this material (along with some kick-back-funky interludes I wish lasted longer) makes up about a third of the disc; the rest has Vadim reining in his parchment-dry beats and existential-dread-knot instrumentals to make room for rappers. Scan for Swollen Members' lurid "English Breakfast" (basically, they're the Living Dead and the "Breakfast" is braiiiiiins) and Iriscience of Dilated Peoples; the other rappers have British accents, and if you're not Slick Rick or an original limey gangsta like Bob Hoskins, that's a curse.

-- Alex Pappademas