3.5 out of 5
Downtown Music
Downtown Music
To paraphrase Toni Morrison, if there's an album you want to hear but it hasn't been made yet, you must be the one to make it. That's exactly what Kid Sister has done with her long-awaited debut, Ultraviolet. Refined to its essence, her sound is fresh, unique and needs no gimmicks. This record has absolutely been worth the wait.
My two favorites of all the discoveries on this album are "Life on TV" and "Big N Bad." The former is a ridiculously fun song that perfectly captures one side of the Kid Sister persona. "Kick back with me/smile to the camera/don't tap your weave/or it's back to the factory": down-to-earth glamour and 90s fabulosity.
And "Big N Bad" reveals her other side: ruthless queen of the dancefloor. The track begins with only a hint of rave as Kid Sis tells you to "Rep yo' block, rep yo' clique, rep yo' spot," before the chorus blasts off into a freaky double-time of Chicago juke and UK house, perfectly rendered by Sinden and Hervé, who crafted this song as carefully as they do their own spotless releases. I can't even count the number of times I've listened to this song since buying the album.
Anyone who's seen Kid Sister live in the past couple of years has seen her perform "Let Me Bang," but the 2009 mix of this song, featured here, is a major and successful departure from its original versions. The slow-burn tempo gives Sis some space for magical verses about everyday life: final clearance sales, Sunday donuts and the particular realities of being an underground celebrity. ("Call me, call me bootleg/I sip on Kool-Aid/I'm pushin' that hoopty/But I'm stackin' that luche.")
"54321" brings back that UK house-y flavor that will have you jukin' in the mirror after school. Kid Sis and her team of incredible producers have found a way to make femme dance music that deals in serious bass but also holds its own at lower BPMs, unlike the essentially weak, Red Bull-induced radio jams we are used to hearing in the club.
"Get Fresh" and "You Ain't Really Down" were not my favorites, but certainly a few good rounds of internet DJ remixes could give them a second life. "Daydreaming" is my least favorite song on the album. However, a really good verse from Kid Sis comes in after the too-sugary start, and Cee-Lo makes a nice showing.
"Switchboard" is dance music at its best, and DJ Gant-Man is perfectly at home in this realm. The dance breaks are so intense that a relatively subdued pace is necessary for the rest of the song to permit human consumption. The irresistible calls to "Jerk, jerk, juke, juke" from Gant-Man are just as undeniable as André 3000's Polaroid picture in "Hey Ya."
While Kid Sis music is typically low on hateration, "Step," featuring Estelle, lays the smack on some sorry fool tryna hit. Sounding disgusted, she spits: "It's like, big pimpin you just met me, back it up, forget me," before dishing a fun kiss-off and coming back to the retro two-step chorus.
And what can really be said about "Pro Nails" that hasn't been said before? I think hearing this song reminds us why we all fell in love with Kid Sister in the first place, and reminds us that Kanye can be a decent human being as well. The video is one of the best I've ever witnessed.
Kid Sister is a perfectionist, and this album's thoughtful craft is proof positive. Because news of the album has progressively leaked over time, we've perhaps been desensitized to the incredible roll call of artists who contributed: Estelle, Kanye, Cee-Lo, Sinden, XXXchange, BOTH Macklovitch brothers (A-Track and Dave 1 of Chromeo), Hervé and Rusko... I'm sure I'm leaving someone out but the sheer quantity and quality of the talent on this record should convert anyone possibly still pondering its merit.
- Natalia Ciolko
My two favorites of all the discoveries on this album are "Life on TV" and "Big N Bad." The former is a ridiculously fun song that perfectly captures one side of the Kid Sister persona. "Kick back with me/smile to the camera/don't tap your weave/or it's back to the factory": down-to-earth glamour and 90s fabulosity.
And "Big N Bad" reveals her other side: ruthless queen of the dancefloor. The track begins with only a hint of rave as Kid Sis tells you to "Rep yo' block, rep yo' clique, rep yo' spot," before the chorus blasts off into a freaky double-time of Chicago juke and UK house, perfectly rendered by Sinden and Hervé, who crafted this song as carefully as they do their own spotless releases. I can't even count the number of times I've listened to this song since buying the album.
Anyone who's seen Kid Sister live in the past couple of years has seen her perform "Let Me Bang," but the 2009 mix of this song, featured here, is a major and successful departure from its original versions. The slow-burn tempo gives Sis some space for magical verses about everyday life: final clearance sales, Sunday donuts and the particular realities of being an underground celebrity. ("Call me, call me bootleg/I sip on Kool-Aid/I'm pushin' that hoopty/But I'm stackin' that luche.")
"54321" brings back that UK house-y flavor that will have you jukin' in the mirror after school. Kid Sis and her team of incredible producers have found a way to make femme dance music that deals in serious bass but also holds its own at lower BPMs, unlike the essentially weak, Red Bull-induced radio jams we are used to hearing in the club.
"Get Fresh" and "You Ain't Really Down" were not my favorites, but certainly a few good rounds of internet DJ remixes could give them a second life. "Daydreaming" is my least favorite song on the album. However, a really good verse from Kid Sis comes in after the too-sugary start, and Cee-Lo makes a nice showing.
"Switchboard" is dance music at its best, and DJ Gant-Man is perfectly at home in this realm. The dance breaks are so intense that a relatively subdued pace is necessary for the rest of the song to permit human consumption. The irresistible calls to "Jerk, jerk, juke, juke" from Gant-Man are just as undeniable as André 3000's Polaroid picture in "Hey Ya."
While Kid Sis music is typically low on hateration, "Step," featuring Estelle, lays the smack on some sorry fool tryna hit. Sounding disgusted, she spits: "It's like, big pimpin you just met me, back it up, forget me," before dishing a fun kiss-off and coming back to the retro two-step chorus.
And what can really be said about "Pro Nails" that hasn't been said before? I think hearing this song reminds us why we all fell in love with Kid Sister in the first place, and reminds us that Kanye can be a decent human being as well. The video is one of the best I've ever witnessed.
Kid Sister is a perfectionist, and this album's thoughtful craft is proof positive. Because news of the album has progressively leaked over time, we've perhaps been desensitized to the incredible roll call of artists who contributed: Estelle, Kanye, Cee-Lo, Sinden, XXXchange, BOTH Macklovitch brothers (A-Track and Dave 1 of Chromeo), Hervé and Rusko... I'm sure I'm leaving someone out but the sheer quantity and quality of the talent on this record should convert anyone possibly still pondering its merit.
- Natalia Ciolko
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