hen you start your album with a spoken word bit that begins (in a Queens accent): “A lot of people have axed us, ‘What is Nina Sky?’” You may as well consider me putty in your hands. With these two being twins, the fantasy dictated to me by Coors has been fulfilled.

Ambitious pop stars who have been surrounded by music for their entire lives (a combined 36 years to date), the duo takes their name from a composite of their first names (Nicole and Natalie). And while their lyrical subject material tends to run fairly shallow (usually about guys, hot guys), the two are set on covering a number of emotions, genres, and vocal ranges so that the Lumidee comparisons will end, once and for all! Stylus-approved mega-hit “Move Ya Body” is the bait, but is it enough to bite?

The three tracks that follow proper opener “Move Ya Body” are fairly innocuous, arguably throwaways but nice enough (including an appearance by Betty Wright on “You Deserve”, which has such a “you go girl” vibe that is kind of hard to swallow). Among these is Nina Sky’s sounds-too-similar-to-the-first-hit follow-up single, “Turnin’ Me On”.

“Goodbye (Interlude)” sparks the heart of the album, though, a swing of five tracks that provide its most gratifying moments. Here, Nicole is strumming and Natalie is seething (“This guy, he got me so pissed!”). Nicole doesn’t want her sister’s raging to mess up her song, but rather than sulk, Natalie goes with it and sings a brief break-up tune. Though not quite two minutes, “Goodbye” provides a kind of genuine intimacy often avoided by producer-driven pop. Following that sentiment, “Your Time” pulls into the old school soul parking lot with wind instruments in hand. A sci-fi/horror movie organ creeps under the beat of “Runaway” amidst throbbing bass hits and twinkling keys. And the sprinkler head hi-hats of “In A Dream (remix)” get coupled with the over-used buzzing synth that producers seem to be so keen on these days. It’s a stark departure from the original mix, which is a percussionless, airy selection more true to the song’s title. A thunderstorm introduces “Surely Missed”, a welcome return to the soul fold with a mournful trumpet hook and enveloping orchestration.

Now, here’s where a little editing is desired. Because, I’m afraid, “Temperature’s Rising” and its companion interlude are really lousy tracks. One of the Albino girls is trying her hand at Mariah and the not-so-sexy/not-so-subtle caterwauling totally rain on the parade they had struck up earlier. “Holla Back” and “Faded Memories” are decent tracks on their own and could even replace some of the album’s more flat moments. But closing the album after “Surely Missed” would have given Nina Sky a more overall completeness.

As it stands, the album doesn’t close so much as it stops. But with some clever arranging of the playlist, it’s possible to construct a great debut album from two sisters who hope to have some staying power in the ever-fickle female pop world. And that’s all that matters in the end.