Pop’s party girl will get you dancing again! ADRIAN THRILLS reviews Tension II

As a seasoned music enthusiast with decades of listening under my belt, I must say that these two albums, Kylie Minogue’s Tension II and Charli XCX’s Brat (and Its Completely Different But Also Still Brat), have left me dancing in delight.

KYLIE: Tension II (BMG)

Verdict: Timeless and charismatic 

CHARLI XCX: Brat And It’s Completely Different But Also Still Brat (Atlantic)

Verdict: Brat summer lives on 

Six years ago, Kylie Minogue got a step ahead by predicting this year’s country trend with her 2018 album, Golden, which she likened to Dolly Parton dancing. Since then, she has returned to her forte, producing energetic dance music once again.

She’s still going strong at 56 years old, as evidenced by her recent achievements. This year alone, she concluded the BRITs show where she received the Global Icon award, wrapped up a residency in Las Vegas, headlined British Summer Time in London’s Hyde Park, and collaborated on duets with Sia, Orville Peck, The Blessed Madonna, Bebe Rexha, and Tove Lo.

This coming spring, she resumes her journey on the road with her largest arena tour in over a decade, and today marks the debut of her new album, Tension II. A counterpart to last year’s Tension, it further immerses her in the beats of club culture. As she sings in Lights Camera Action: “This realm is where I release control.

2020’s Disco album, which Kylie produced herself and was recorded during lockdown, revitalized her passion for dance music. The nostalgic vibes of Dua Lipa and Sophie Ellis-Bextor inspired this album. She initially refreshed her perspective on the first Tension volume, and continues to refine that concept in Tension II.

Last year’s hit song “Padam Padam” was the one that brought her a return to the UK Top Ten after 12 years, and it appeared on her latest album. Co-writer Ina Wroldsen returns this time, contributing uplifting melodies and an electronic touch to the songs “Lights Camera Action,” “Taboo,” and “Hello.

There are echoes of her past self in Kylie. On the track ‘Dance To The Music’, she pays tribute to her 2010 hit, ‘All The Lovers’. Similarly, the rhythm of ‘Diamonds’ is reminiscent of her 2001 song, ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head.’

Moments of brief self-reflection occasionally emerge. In the song “Someone For Me,” she expresses joy for a friend finding love, yet secretly inquires – with a touch of selfishness – if perhaps they might also help her find her Mr. Right.

During the lockdown, she honed her skills in home recording and now plays an essential role in managing the technical aspects on multiple tracks, earning herself credit as a ‘vocal recording engineer.’ She subtly employs auto-tune to enhance her soft vocals yet consistently prioritizes her own performance at the forefront.

As a lifestyle aficionado, I’d say these nine fresh tracks have been artfully combined with the duets that dropped earlier this year, creating an energetic finale reminiscent of a grand concert’s best-loved hits on my latest album.

“Dance Alone,” a song sung together by Sia and fellow Australian artist, is about discovering solace in dance music. On the other hand, Edge of Saturday Night, featuring classic house piano and synths, is an energetic track where Kylie collaborates with American DJ The Blessed Madonna based in London.

The twangy duet with Orville Peck titled Midnight Ride brings back memories of 2018’s country album for her, whereas My Oh My, a collaboration with Bebe Rexha and Tove Lo, came alive this summer as Minogue performed alongside both artists in Hyde Park.

She doesn’t strive to rival the young dancing sensations like Charli XCX and Sabrina Carpenter. Instead, Kylie Minogue leans more towards escapist songwriting, while they are candid and confessional. Other singers may have wider vocal ranges, but few can match the infectious energy of the queen of pop parties.

Previously straddling the boundary between popular pop music and the dance underworld, Charli XCX gained broader recognition with her sixth album, “Brat,” which was released in June.

This groundbreaking electronic masterpiece ignited its own trend, known as ‘Brat summer’, and its vibrant lime green design went viral, even inspiring U.S. presidential candidate Kamala Harris to use it for her 2024 campaign. Now, the woman from Cambridge, Charli, has created a humorous reinterpretation of this concept, which she’s calling a remix project.

Initially, she characterized herself as well-known but not entirely so. Now, she has grown into a more prominent figure, yet finds that true stardom doesn’t align with her expectations. On the song “Sympathy Is A Knife,” she expresses this sentiment, acknowledging the irony in the fact that people prefer her past self over her current self. She does this all while maintaining a playful tone as she ponders over her unexpected rise to fame.

Her remixes feature well-known artists like Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish, but the star-studded lineup somewhat overpowers the original album’s defiant, fun-filled vibe.

The highlights are impressive, though. I Think About It All The Time, now featuring Bon Iver, interpolates Bonnie Raitt’s classic Nick Of Time as Charli wonders if she’ll ever become a mum.

The tune “Girl, So Confusing” originally about their complicated bond, now includes an extra stanza penned by Lorde herself. She proposes a resolution in the remixed version, singing, “Let’s find a way to solve it,” adding elegance to the original track.

Here are two albums currently available, and Kylie’s Tension tour kicks off at OVO Hydro in Glasgow on May 16, 2025. You can grab tickets through ticketmaster.co.uk. As for Charli XCX, she starts a UK tour on November 27, performing at Co-op Live in Manchester; you can find tickets on livenation.co.uk.

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2024-10-18 04:07