It is, in some way, a forgotten classic. This album didn't really make its way, beyond a small clique of rap connoisseurs. Music critics, including the generalists, have been quite positive when The Sanity Annex was released, but Sonic Sum never became as famous as other colleagues from the same scene, even though Rob Sonic eventually joined Def Jux.
This band, though, was similar to Company Flow, Antipop Consortium, Saul Williams, and other Nuyorican Poets Café regulars: they liked futurism, abstraction, and experimentation. They looked a bit like Mike Ladd, with their hallucinated rap poetry, their slow tempos and their filtered voices ("Sara-Inge", "Eratika"). Like him, they enjoyed subtle soundscapes, or Eastern-sounding samples ("Flatlands"). Also, when listening closely, we could notice similitudes between Rob Sonic and Breezly Bruin of the Juggaknots, with his typical way to drop his voice at the end of each rhyme.
But Sonic Sum had its own strengths. With no less than four producers (Erik M.O., Fred Ones, Jun, and Rob Sonic himself), the band paid a close attention to its beats. In addition to the synthetic side of their music, they used live instruments such as flutes, guitars, and some bass played by Erik M.O. With Rob Sonic singing some hooks, The Sanity Annex was unusually melodic for a rap record. It could - and did - appeal to people beyond the hip-hop microcosm.
It was full of highlights, like the fantastic and introductory "Velour 80 Grit", the oppressing "Flatlands", and the equally dark "Sky Pirate". The smooth and moody atmosphere was either enjoyable ("Callarama Gala", "It’s an Ashtray"), or fabulous ("Salad Fork"). And the weirdest moments worked well, as with "Anaesthesia Make Believe", that sampled some bird songs. As for the ethereal bonus track, available on a special edition of the record, it was no less than remarkable.
Due to weaker songs like "Window Seat", or because it was sometimes too soft ("Eratika", "Sara-Inge"), this record could turn soporific. Too neat, too slow, and devoid of guests, The Sanity Annex flirted with boredom. It was less blazing than other records from Co-Flow or APC. And for that reason, this underground classic remains reserved to the happy few.