WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1999

Ugly Duckling makes a splash

By Tina Dhamija

On-Line Forty-Niner

For once a CD gets reviewed and does not end up in the reject pile.

Hip-hop group Ugly Duckling's first album, an EP titled "Fresh Mode," breathes some life into the dying state of hip-hop music.

Every track on "Fresh Mode" has classic beats and groove-worthy melodies. The Duckling's old-school, hip-hop style resembles the sound of such early hip-hop acts as the Pharcyde, De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest.

Instead of trying to come off as hard or dangerous like most other hip-hop and rap artists these days, band members do not write about how many guns they have or how many women they have left "hangin'." Their style is reminiscent of the early years of hip-hop when lyrics were amusing and challenging, and beats were infectious.

The title track, "Fresh Mode," is the first song on the EP and serves as a fitting introduction to the band and its music. With introductions to the three members - emcees Andy Cat Cooper and Dizzy along with DJ Einstein - the song makes an enjoyable entrance to an equally satisfying hip-hop album.