Young, Fresh n' New

"Young, Fresh n' New"
Single by Kelis
from the album Wanderland
B-side "Daddy", "The Spot"
Released September 25, 2001 (France)
October 1, 2001 (Germany)
October 22, 2001 (UK)
Format CD single, 12" single
Recorded StarTrak Studios
(Virginia Beach, Virginia)
Genre R&B, electro
Length 4:37
Label Virgin
Writer(s) Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, Kelis Rogers
Producer(s) The Neptunes
Kelis singles chronology
"Get Along with You"
(2000)
"Young, Fresh, n' New"
(2001)
"Finest Dreams"
(2003)

"Young, Fresh n' New" is a song by American recording artist Kelis from her second studio album, Wanderland. Written by Kelis and The Neptunes members Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo—who also produced the track—, it was released as the album's only single in 2001, becoming a minor hit in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number thirty-two on the UK Singles Chart. In the United States, however, it became her third consecutive single to miss the Billboard Hot 100, while Wanderland remains unreleased there. Nevertheless, the song's Timo Maas remix did manage to chart on Billboard '​s Hot Dance Club Play at number fifteen in late January 2002.

Critical reception

"Young, Fresh n' New" received positive reviews from music critics. Rupert Howe from Blender referred to the song as "a delirious four and a half minutes of rasping, intergalactic funk which sounds as if it was recorded in the engine room of the U.S.S. Enterprise", while noting that "there's a tripped-out, space-vixen vitality to Kelis's vocals, as if she's no longer overawed by the mad skills of her production Svengalis."[1] Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine described it as "a track ripe with the production duo's signature electronic synth spirals and industrial-strength basslines."[2] Andy Kellman wrote for Allmusic that the song is "particularly stunning, a buzzing grind with a chaotic loop that could've been lifted from a pinball machine. As a song, it doesn't have much grounding, yet the Neptunes cast their disorienting eccentricities all over it and come up with a production that could've only been suited for Kelis."[3] NME reviewer Victoria Segal called the song "startling" and stated that "[t]here's sudden splashes of synthetic soul sighing, perfectly timed shouts of 'hey!', an unsettling underage vibe in the lyrics and a vocal that doesn't so much drip attitude as oil-spill it."[4] The song appeared on several compilation CDs, including Richard X's "Back To Mine". Kelis later collaborated with the singer to make the dance hit "Finest Dreams", which appeared on X's album Richard X Presents His X-Factor Vol. 1.

Track listings

UK CD single and European CD maxi single
  1. "Young, Fresh n' New" (UK Radio Edit) – 3:30
  2. "Young, Fresh n' New" (Timo Maas Remix - Full Vocal) – 7:03
  3. "Young, Fresh n' New" (So Solid Remix - Full Vocal) – 5:42
  4. "Young, Fresh n' New" (Video) – 3:30
European CD single
  1. "Young, Fresh n' New" (UK Radio Edit) – 3:30
  2. "Young, Fresh n' New" (Timo Maas Remix - Full Vocal) – 7:03
UK 12" single
A1. "Young, Fresh n' New" – 4:37
A2. "Young, Fresh n' New" (So Solid Remix - Vocal Mix) – 5:42
B1. "Young, Fresh n' New" (Timo Maas Remix - Full Vocal) – 7:03
U.S. 12" single
A1. "Young, Fresh n' New" (Radio Edit) – 3:38
A2. "Young, Fresh n' New" (Album Instrumental) – 4:37
A3. "Daddy" (featuring Malice of Clipse) – 3:50
B1. "The Spot" – 3:58
B2. "The Spot" (Instrumental) – 3:58
B3. "Daddy" (Instrumental) – 3:50

Charts

Chart (2001) Peak
position
Dutch Single Top 100[5] 89
UK Singles Chart[6] 32
Chart (2002) Peak
position
U.S. Hot Dance Club Play[7] 15

References

  1. Howe, Rupert. "Kelis – Wanderland". Blender. Alpha Media Group Inc. Retrieved December 9, 2010.
  2. Cinquemani, Sal (February 22, 2002). "Kelis: Wanderland". Slant Magazine. Retrieved December 9, 2010.
  3. Kellman, Andy. "Wanderland – Kelis – Review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved December 9, 2010.
  4. Segal, Victoria (October 16, 2001). "Kelis : Young Fresh N'New". NME. IPC Media. Retrieved December 9, 2010.
  5. "Kelis – Young, Fresh n' New". MegaCharts (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 20, 2008.
  6. "Chart Stats – Kelis – Young, Fresh n' New". The Official Charts Company. Chart Stats. Retrieved July 20, 2008.
  7. "Kelis Album & Song Chart History – Dance/Club Play Songs". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved March 28, 2010.

External links