The 12 tracks on Yes! are steeped in beats as smooth as ever. Putting aside much of the political commentary found on his previous albums,
k-os lends his honeyed voice to contemplations on the fame that comes with two platinum-selling albums, as well as the more typical theme of male/female relations. On "The Aviator" he wonders "...how did crafting these songs in my bedroom end up being sung back to me by 10,000 people in a stadium the size of the Molson Amphitheatre again?" "Burning Bridges" is a standout track, not surprising in its theme, but with beautifully crafted lyrics aimed at his critics. "4 3 2 1" was written as a rap response to the megahit "1234" by
Feist, an artist for whom
k-os has done several remixes. He turns things uptempo a notch with "WhipC.R.E.A.M.," which has a melody as upbeat as a Sunday morning drive to the beach. While
k-os still doesn't fit into any standard musical genre, he seems to be defining one of his very own. On this 2009 album, as with
Atlantis: Hymns for Disco, Joyful Rebellion, and Exit,
k-os harmonizes, raps, transforms, and grows, but he doesn't waver in his style. The music is always recognizably his own. His albums are one continual exploration of
k-os. ~ Celeste Rhoads