Album Review | ‘Tension’ by Kylie Minogue
Australian pop queen Kylie Minogue returns with a vengeance on her latest LP.
Kylie Minogue has earned her place at the top of international pop stardom. Similar to her contemporary Madonna, Minogue is able to reinvent herself effortlessly.
Over the last five or so years, Kylie has been much more adventurous as she explored the landscapes of country music (Golden (2017)) and Disco (DISCO (2020)) to an increasing amount of acclaim. It appears flexing the creative muscles has worked in her favor as she returns to form on her latest release Tension.
The album came together over a year and a half as quarantine began to wane, which she notes gave her the opportunity to shape the story of this record in her NPR interview:
“‘Tension’ was recorded over a year and a half. A lot of life can happen in a year and a half. There’s definitely songs that are stuff that I was going through at the time and then others that are purely fantastical. We’re creating a story that is not what I’m going through or not relevant to me, but definitely something I can relate to.” — Kylie Minogue via NPR (2023)
Few people are able to spark a fire like Kylie did with “Padam Padam.” The intense viral companion around the track shot the lead single into the realms of other iconic career highs like “All the Lovers,” “Can’t Get You Out of My Head,” and “Better the Devil You Know.” Few people will find it hard not to get the track’s infectious hook, “Padam, padam, I hear it and I know/ Padam, padam, I know you wanna take me home.” The electronic production and thumbing beat capture the BPM of a flustered heart over a newfound attraction. The simplicity and catchy vibe of the track make for a great way to pull listeners into the record from the get-go.
“Hold On To Now” has a beautifully astronomical sound that soars upward as the glittering synths and choir erupt. It reminds me of a more polished take on Kylie’s 2008 electro-pop sound on X. Following the connection made in the first track, Minogue takes on this ecstatic tone as she and her lover through caution to the wind. We’re fully taken by the endorphin rush that their chemistry has released, “Dreamin’ we’ll be dancin’ forever/ Floatin’ on this feeling together/ Yеah, we’ll figure it out somehow-ow-ow/ Keep holdin’ on to now, now, now, now.” The almost holographic sound that rises from beneath her only amplifies this feeling.
If you loved Robyn’s “Honey,” do yourself a favor and listen to this song as the two have a very similar sonic vibe.
“Things We Do For Love” brings a little more rock energy to this 80s meets modern pop sound. The synth textures and reverb on the vocals give this very angular vibe that brings to mind the neon lasers and geometry shapes that illuminate old computer screens. These tones flood the listener with the same hope and desire that Kylie holds for finding love, “Tell me, how far would you go?/ When you hear our song come on the radio/ Bet there’s nothin’ that you wouldn’t do/ For love, for love, thе things we do for love.” The verses build just enough stress to emphasize some of the bittersweet aspects of an old love to cast a different urgency to her need to rekindle this flame.
The titular track and second single, “Tension,” continues the glamourous electro-pop sound that crackles throughout the project. The dance-heavy piano melody and light-up dancefloor production zap you into motion. I like the interesting robotic effects on Minogue’s voice in the song’s chorus.
Though smoother sonically, it reminds me of what I liked so much about “Get Out of My Way” from her 2010 album Aphrodite.
“The initial version was really out of place, and I wasn’t sure it would make the album. The lyrics were pretty edgy, the robo-voice was much more exaggerated — it just sounded very deep club. As it evolved, it was softened and finessed. Again, it was the shaping of the song that really stood out to me — it’s like a roller coaster ride, there are little diffusers that balance the song. You get on in the intro, with the piano stabs, it takes you up and up, closer and closer to the climax, it gets so edgy…then it drops. The bass comes in and you fly down that first big dipper. Then the second time it’s about to happen, you know what to expect, and your excitement level is even higher, because you know how thrilling it was.” — Kylie Minogue via Apple Music (2023)
If the lead single hints at the initial spark of attraction, this song begs the listener to break the ice and give in to their carnal desires, “A-a-all night, touch me right there (Do-do, do-do)/ Touch me right there (Do-do, do-do)/ Touch me right there/ Baby, break the tension.” Kylie does sexy well through the intoxicatingly passionate ease that she delivers each line. I love the energy this song brings to the table.
“One More Time” makes me think of Dua Lipa (a comparison I have a few times when songs bring to mind her 2021 disco sound). What keeps this song fresh is its solid electronic composition. The technicolor synths and horns keep the song from being a bit stale when placed against others in the same genre. Minogue brings back some of that sultry energy to sell the passion these two lovers still share, “There’s no denyin’ temperatures are risin’/ Release the pressure, ah, you know it’s special when we/ Slow down, shake it all out/ Baby, can’t you feel that my heart is beatin’?/ Slow down, work it on out/ You and me got somethin’ that’s worth repeatin’.” The electricity that radiates through this song is made to keep people moving. I like that she took some of the disco sounds from her prior album and dressed them up nicely in this neon-coated instrumentation.
“You Still Get Me High” builds the energy slowly in each verse until it erupts in a spectacular array of colors when the chorus hits. This climax lights the entire song up. The addition of the saxophone towards the end of the track only adds to the euphoric high. It’s that slow burn that adds weight to Minogue’s longing for this recently ended relationship, “I remember the night/ How you looked in the light/ And electric feels never felt so real/ When you held me tight/ How you said my name/ And the ground gave way/ Now it all adds up/ And I just can’t bring myself to say.” I appreciate that she opted to focus on what she missed from their love, as it works quite well with the brightness of this track.
We take a bit more left turn with “Hands.” The spoken verses bring out a youthful yet amorous tone that felt a bit off on my first listen. As I returned for a second go, it grew on me. I like the hint of R&B and hip-hop energy that takes the nocturnal electronic sound into new territory.
It also doesn't come off as clumsy when Minogue delivers these verses. The song treads a similar sexual territory that the title track crossed, “Whenever I feel your hands all over me/ It’s like I’m up in heaven, I’m in a dream/ I never knew your love, love would set me free (But now I see)/ You’re taking me to places I’ve never been.” The confidence that Kylie delivers both the rap and sung pieces of this track makes the song feel both authentic and fun. It’s playful and great for getting the party started on a warm summer night.
While I enjoy the glossy sound of “Green Light,” I feel like the orchestral hits and saxophone have been done similarly on some of the prior tracks. Again, we bring back that disco orchestral hit that calls back to the sound on her prior album. Lyrically, the song could toe the line between sensual and affectionate. There is a real sense of comfort that Kylie perfuses when she sings, “If you let me, I can get you off the ground/ Get your head up in the clouds, I’ll bring you down/ Do whatever that you need and cry it out/ And I’ll show you what I can do, oh, oh, yeah.” I feel that her time spent with Jesse Ware helped her to better hone a disco sound.
“Vegas High” is another shimmering pop that feels more akin to some of the pop work Minogue has put out in the past. This one feels a little flat compared to some of the energy brought out by the tracks that came before it. Kylie relishes in this momentary fling that could evaporate as quickly as a winning streak in Vegas, “Capture the magic and hold it in your hand/ We’re just a moment that’s written in the sand (Ooh)/ I see you shimmerin’ like a fantasy/ Feel it comin’ over me.” It may not be a favorite of mine from the album, but I like how the song blossoms nicely in the chorus.
The weakest song on the album has to be “10 Out Of 10.” Something about Oliver Helden’s spoken chorus feels a little too corny as he delivers the lines, “Body, ten/ Touch, ten (Ooh, ooh)/ Energy, ten/ Ten out of ten/ Body, ten/ Touch, ten (Ooh, ooh)/ Energy, ten/ Ten out of ten.” The song celebrates a lover’s truly alluring aspects. I can’t help but get completely taken out of the song when Oliver’s part comes in. Minogue sounds quite nice on the song’s verses, and I appreciate the campy nature of the song, but I don’t think this one is for me.
Minogue closes the album out with the synth-pop glow of “Story.” Her vocals are fantastic as she pushes her voice to some of its highest points on the album in the song’s chorus. Kylie uses this moment to close one chapter as she embarks on a new one with her newfound partner, “Turn another page/ Baby, take the stage/ You know the stars are comin’ out for ya (You said)/ Ebb and then they flow (Ah-ah)/ Baby, feel the glow (Ah-ah).” The lightness of her voice as it soars above all technicolor backing brings out a sense of hope as she runs onward to the next place in her life. It’s a nice way to close out this project.
Minogue came back strong with this release. I love how catchy and lively each song feels. The themes of infatuation, lust, and falling in love glow brightly over this collection of glittering synth-pop tracks. “Padam Padam” and “Tension” have some of the best staying power for me. I constantly find myself humming these two songs after each listen. The only track I didn’t like was “10 Out Of 10” (Oliver Heldens and Kylie Minogue). The cheese factor of the chorus completely loses me every time I hear it. Being only my second Kylie album, I have listened to all the way through, I am very pleased with this project from start to finish.
My overall thoughts on Tension:
Loved it: “Padam Padam,” “Hold On To Now,” “Tension,” “You Still Get Me High,” “Hands,” & “Story”
Liked it: “Things We Do For Love,” “One More Time,” “Green Light,” & “Vegas High”
Disliked it: “10 Out Of 10” (Oliver Heldens and Kylie Minogue)
My overall rating: 7.0 out of 10.
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