Just over 12 months ago Kylie Minogue delivered her sixteenth album Tension and the lead single Padam Padam gave her one of the biggest hits of her long career.
Now she’s back with a companion album Tension II that features nine new tracks and a bunch of collaborations that have been released over the last six months. It’s not the deluxe edition that has become de rigueur for big albums, such as Kylie did with her extended version of Disco, this is a whole new record.
Yet, it’s not a new musical journey, it’s more of the same, as if Kylie just had an extra album worth of tracks sitting around. If you loved Tension, you’ll probably enjoy this too, if you were hoping for something new, you’ll have to wait until Kylie’s 18th album.
While Minogue teams up with performers Orville Peck, Diplo, Tove Lo, Bebe Rexha, Sia and The Blessed Madonna, there’s also collaborations with a range of producers including Duck Blackwell, Richard ‘Buff’ Stannard, Lostboy, Ina Wroldsen, Vaugh Oliver, Steve Mac and many others.
One thing that is very noticeable is these songs are short and sweet, which has been a trend in recent pop music. They are songs for a generation with a short attention span, rarely breaking the three-minute mark.
Lights Camera Action
The album’s lead single arrived a few weeks ago and it’s a call to the dance floor. The song was written by Minogue, alongside Lewis Thompson, one half of production duo Just Kiddin and Norwegian singer Ina Wroldsen. Wroldsen was one of the writers of Padam Padam.
With it’s catchy call of “Lights, Camera, Action – That’s It” this is a perfect album opener. At 2:42 it’s oven even faster than last year’s short but sensational hit Padam Padam. There’s also some great remixes of this track that are worth tracking down.
Taboo
No points for rhyming ‘Taboo’ with ‘Da-doo’. Another song penned by Ina Wroldsen, this time working alongside regular collaborator producer Steve Mac. This has got a solid beat and party vibe.
Someone for Me
Lostboy, aka Peter Rycroft, is the producer who brought Kylie world-wide acclaim with Padam Padam. While this is nowhere near as infectious it’s got a great hook, squelchy sounds and a chanting chorus.
Good as Gone
The bass on this is heaven. This track sees Kylie working with production trio TMS who have made songs for everyone from Little Mix to Olly Murs, Loreen and Ben Platt. Towards the end this tune becomes a bit of a cacophony of sound.
Kiss Bang Bang
One of the strongest tracks on the album, and potentially another single if Kylie wants to add another one to all the recent collaborations. Four to the floor beats and a rollicking chorus that hits the spot.
Diamonds
With its repetition of disco-oh-oh-oh, and no-oh-oh-oh and go-go-go, this sounds like many previous Kylie tunes. The breakout into rap in an unexpected and engaging touch and the synths sound like Daft Punk circa 2002.
Hello
The lyrics of this are a bit stalkerish as Kylie describes how she’s at her crush’s door at a quarter to four. That aside, this song builds to a crescendo and it’s very catchy.
Dance to the Music
Some robots turn up for the intro before we launch into some classic disco sounds. Kylie drops her “all the lovers” shout out into the lyrics. “Dance to the music just like Simon said” is a bit predictable, instead of this fluff Kylie should have done a cover of the Sly and the Family Stone tune of the same name.
Shoulda Left Ya
The final new tune is the shortest on the album logging in at just 2:20, but it’s got a different vibe moving away from the sound of the rest of the record. This sounds a little like a Troye Sivan number.
Kylie Minogue’s Tension II is available now.
