The Cool Kids may be "bringing '88 back," but they don't sound retro, as Pitchfork's Dave Maher has observed. The Chicago duo are one group doing within the sundry world of hip-hop something like what new wave theoretically did for rock: While their simple, old-school rhymes kinda parallel punk's back-to-basics revolution, the Kids' slickly postmodern sensibility helps them see past reactionary nostalgia into a savvier aesthetic future. The Cool Kids brag about being "the new black version of the Beastie Boys," but their sound reminds me of the Pack's minimalist, 21st-century chill-out jams as much as LL Cool J's still-great Radio.

From their forthcoming Totally Flossed Out, "Black Mags" starts with a deep, slowed-down voice like the one on another album track, "Gold and Pagers" (which itself opens like Fabolous' "Diamonds"). Here the Cool Kids rap laconically about their bicycle, managing to tie in "MacGyver" and further the Pack comparison with a shout-out to Nike. As usual, the beats are laid-back and streamlined, the bass burbling. By contrast, the previously unreleased "What It Iz" makes good on the Beastie promise, riding live-sounding drums and lyrics about girls. "She gets ill, um, but I get iller," Mikey rocks. Can the Cool Kids sell a mill saying 80s things on the track? They're fun-- and forward-looking-- in the attempt.

UPDATE: "What It Iz" removed at the request of the label. 

[from Totally Flossed Out; forthcoming via Fool's Gold]