Siblings Frost Children released “Sister” on Sept. 12, the third full-length album for the New York City based pop duo.
At the heart of Angel and Lulu Prost’s production is their indelible connection forged through their shared, very musical, upbringing. From growing up together in St. Louis, Mo. and performing music at church, to making beats together in their shared residence to this day, the duo share a bond that is bolstered and enhanced through artistry.
“[Sister is] our best album— it feels like falling in love with dance music over and over again,” the siblings wrote in an Instagram post. “This is a dream album— a fantasy of where pop can go … about love and heartbreak and all the stuff that happens in between … maximal Emotional Dance Music.”
What differentiates “Sister” from Frost Children’s previous albums is that the newest album most represents the duo and the culmination of their musical journey so far. It is an ode to what electronic dance music was at its golden age when the siblings discovered it as teenagers; “Sister” seeks to harness that feeling of liberation that they felt. It recreates the freedom that comes with abandoning genre-related pretentiousness, letting loose through dance and song.
“We’ve switched things up with the band’s sound over the years and, in ‘Sister,’ it was the first time we really had this focused thing of, ‘This is not a new thing for us, but it’s the best of everything you’ve heard up to this point and the most streamlined, perfect, idealised version of it,’” Angel said in an NME interview.
The songs on the album are united by their danceable and upbeat quality. “Position Famous,” a hopeful, stirring track, opens the album. It is a perfect build up to “Falling,” a joyous track that starts with a bit more momentum. The momentum loses all inhibition during the segue into the intense “ELECTRIC.”
However, “Sister” is not a monotonous listening experience. For instance, the titular track “Sister” is noticeably more nostalgic and mellow, reflective of the siblings’ childhood and continued friendship.
The album also switches things up with the addition of two guest artists: pop artist Kim Petras on “RADIO” and electronic artist Babymorocco on “Ralph Lauren.”
The music video for “RADIO” is a callback to the Tumblr-esque vibe that is making a resurgence lately in music industry aesthetics. Petras and the Prosts embrace maximalism by sporting vibrant colors, shiny metallics and big, bright hair — all while mud-covered and driving around in a neon yellow car.
The visuals of the song match the lyrics, both encapsulating a vibe of exhilarating freedom and fashionable carelessness. This is exemplified by Lulu’s verse that follows the drop.
“Late night, satellite, where you wanna go? / You could crank it high, run a light, or ride it real slow,” sings Lulu. “If you like what I say, you can keep it on replay / If you like what I say, you can keep it on replay.”
The ethos of “Sister” is explained by Lulu in the NME interview.
“It’s so egoless in a way that’s beautiful – the lyrics are more just like, ‘This is the last night of our lives, we might not get tomorrow,’” Lulu said. “That feels so like it doesn’t even matter what is happening in your life or whatever you’re going through; this is the only thing you have to think about right now – dancing and singing beautiful songs.”
As for the album cover art, it ties the messaging of the album together in a satisfyingly symbolic package. The angular “Cool S” symbol, emblematic of school-borne childhood boredom, represents the significance that boredom comes with playfulness and creative ideas for Frost Children. “Sister” expertly blends themes of childhood nostalgia, play and joy in the human condition, which makes it as sweet as it is danceable.
Tessa Kang is an Arts & Entertainment Staff Writer. She can be reached at tokang@uci.edu.
Edited by Corinna Chin and Annabelle Aguirre
