Kid Sister Says "Hi" In The Best Ways
Ultraviolet is verbal double-dutch with the freshest MC in years.
Kid Sister
Ultraviolet
Released on Nov 17, 2009
Chicago MC and Kanye west "prodigy" Melisa "Kid Sis" Young may appear new to the scene. However, she's been popular in Chicago well before her original solo "Pro Nails" on the 2007 Can't Tell Me Nothing mix tape. A vetran of the house-party scene, Kid Sister clearly knows what she's doing and does it well. Preparing you for the party, the album opens up with unassuming keyboard shimmering stabs on "Right Hand Hi". Dropping the beat to a gun cock and shot track producers Swedish House Mafia want you to know that this album won't stop to take a breath. With a chirpy hook, this was a great choice to open her album with. Kid Sister lets you know who she is and how she does, in case you didn't know what record you just bought. A fun party song, to be sure, and an excellent preface to the rest of the tracks. Seamlessly flowing into "Life On TV" the hook is reminiscent of some of the better 80's electro-pop and that's not a bad thing, as the hook is infectious, so it's not repetitive or annoying. Kid Sister aggressively attacks the beat with excellent elocution and a firm grip on the rhythm. I must say that the little sass she utters at the beginning of this track really sold me. Again, a seamless transition into "Big n Bad" demands you jump up and do your best steps. Horn stabs harking back to Chicago Juke & House, this track really makes you wish (if you can't) you could juke wherever you are. I totally saw one of our writers trying at work, I wont say who out of good taste (Amy Dittmeier).
UK singer Estelle guests on this record
along with Heavy-Hitters like Kayne West and Cee-lo. The track that
Cee-lo guested on, "Daydreaming," can really tug on the heart-strings,
certainly did for me. That fever-dream sense when you are exhilarated
to see your lover. Kid Sister tells about how her love is telling everyone
about her. Chiming in with an effortless utterance of loving tribute,
Cee-lo responds: I can't enough of you, I need you so much that it's
driving me crazy. Lost in the swirling romance of this song, I hope
this is the next single off this record. With a dance-able beat and
a slower melody, the song it prefaces, "Switch Board" is jarring
follow up. With a hardcore Juke beat she doesn't lie when she chants
over the opener "Uh oh Chi town you ain't ready for this!"
I'm not a huge juke fan, but this is one of the more listen-able juke
tracks for people who aren't familiar with Chicago House or Juke. You
might recognize this song from the end of the "Pro Nails"
video. As far as "Pro Nails" is concerned, I've heard it a
lot, but in the context of this album it seems fresh. While still one
of her stronger songs, it's not at all the stand out track. "Get
Fresh" & "Control" get that honor. With ethereal
house-inspired melodies and defintively Hip-Hop beats, the never fail
to get my head bobbing, at the very least. A confession: I had to get
up from my chair to dance to "Get Fresh" while writing this.
I may be hard rock on the outside, but I'm a b-boy at the core and I
just had to break out my C-walk and attempt to juke. Finally, Kid Sister
closes with Control, which is really out of control. Probably the most
attention-grabbing beat I've heard in a while this only leaves you wanting
more. Spitting rapid-fire verses peppered with her silky singing voice,
she expertly works her verses into the songs themselves.
High Point
She's got a Coca-cola shake and an onion in the back, folks. What more do you need?
Low Point
Even for 12 tracks it still felt a little short.
Posted by Ben Kessell on Nov 24, 2009 @ 6:00 am
