Uffie
Sex Dreams and Denim Jeans
(Ed Banger/Elektra)
When French electro label released "Pop the Glock," a bratty club anthem by then unknown chanteuse Uffie, it was the sort of a carefree record that everyone could get into. That was 2006. In four years, Uffie still has a minuscule body of work, failing to take advantage of the initial success of "Pop the Glock." There were other singles and guest spots here and there, but nothing substantial in the form of a full-length.
After many delays and broken promises, Sex Dreams and Demin Jeans is finally here. The biggest surprise on the album, Uffie has sort of ditched her electro-house princess persona in favor for a more French-pop, old-school hip-hop siren. And it surprisingly works -- really well.
Sex Dreams does feature three previously release tracks including the "Top Billin'" sampling "Pop the Glock," as well as "First Love" and "Brand New Car," both which were previously feature on the 2007 Suited and Looted EP. The track "First Love," a heartfelt electro-ballad that could have fit perfectly in The Breakfast Club soundtrack, is perhaps the best indication of where the full-length was headed. It was the first time Uffie had ever taken a stab at singing, and in Sex Dreams there is a lot more of it.
Tracks like "Give It Away," "Difficult," "Our Song," "Sex Dreams and Denim Jeans," and "Illusions of Love" all show her trying to push her vocal range (with the help of a heavy-handed autotune) with varying degrees of success.
If there is one place where the album fails is Uffie constant reminder that she neither a singer or lyricist. We get it, you lucked out on your music career. "There is two kinds of MCs out there / there's the one's who rap, and
the one's who don't care / And frankly I don't give a fuck," she boasts on "MCs Can Kiss," only to later sing, "Don't worry if I write rhymes, I write checks," on the track "Difficult." And there is plenty more verses that touch on the I'm-not-a-real-musician tip.
Still, if Sex Dreams proves anything is that contrary to her assertion that she isn't a lyricist, tracks like "Neuneu" and "Ricky" say otherwise. Watch out Ke$ha, Uffie is coming back for her throne.
