Girl by Dannii Minogue | Album Review
Dannii’s 1997 release shows Kylie isn’t the only Minogue who has a knack for dance-pop.
Check out Girl by Dannii Minogue on Apple Music and Spotify.
Unlike her older sister Kylie, whose 2001 worldwide smash “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” broke her into the U.S. charts, Dannii’s foray into music never crossed the pond.
Interestingly enough, she was the first Minogue to kick off a career in both television and music. While her older sister’s career on the charts took off in the early 90s, Dannii reached across a broad spectrum of endeavors, including a successful fashion line and various television hosting gigs. It would be her interest in the sound of the club scene in the mid-90s that would shape the sound of her third album, Girl released in 1997.
While the infectious club-thumping lead single “All I Wanna Do” would match her prior heights on the charts in the U.K., it performed relatively poorly overall commercially. That said, her clear inspiration from the sounds coming out of the British club scene makes for a fantastic take on dance-pop.
After hearing that Dannii would be re-releasing this record on Vinyl for its 25th anniversary and knowing of its cult following in the gay community, I had to give this album a spin and see what the other Minogue created.
The album opens strong with the British dance/club-infused lead single “All I Wanna Do”. Its commanding chorus of “All I wanna do, all I wanna do/ All I wanna do is touch you” has such a strong hook that you will find yourself singing throughout the day after your first listen.
Its lyrical themes of shedding that innocent exterior to reveal her own sexual desires perfectly fit the track’s intense dance vibe. You can easily release your inhibitions to Dannii’s captivating performance.
“Heaven Can Wait” takes us in a bubbly dance-pop route. The intense drum beat does feel slightly at odds with the summery pop instrumentation underlying it. It reminds me of Kylie Minogue’s “I Don’t Need Anyone” but with a more 60s twist. Because of this strange dichotomy of sounds, I find this track a little off-putting.
We return to the full dance/house sound with “So in Love with Yourself.” The synth samples used on the song bring to mind Darude’s “Sandstorm.” I really enjoy the moody tone of this track. It is a shame that this track wasn’t chosen as a single. The song tackles the vanity and need for attention that some display. It’s rather evident in the song’s verses, “Checking your reflection is what really turns you on/ And you’re loving every minute thinking everyone has gone/ You just roll your eyes and you fantasize/ Think you’re number one.” This eruptive sound against the themes of self-importance play well with one another.
“Am I Dreaming?” has a strange familiarity to it from the opening refrain, “Tell me am I dreaming.” Dannii really lights up under the tone of this Brit dance-pop sound. The production makes the song fizz. This airy tone works well against the themes of love-smitten attraction Minogue sings. Her passionate vocals of, “I can’t explain why love turns to pain/ But you, you are my obsession, obsession/ And it scares me so/ I’ve no self control/ And I know I’m gonna let it happen,” pour this sensual feeling of longing over you like warm water. Dannii does well evoking these emotions sonically.
We get ambient flavors on “Everybody Changes Underwater.” Dannii’s sensual whispered lines caress you like bubbles rising from the depths. Its variety of influences reminds me of Madonna's trip-hop take with “Bedtime Story.” I can get lost in the cool embrace of this song’s sound. This atmospheric environment places us in a sort of lucid dream of a relaxing paradise.
Minogue’s alluring tone invites us to experience this realm as she sings, “I swim closer, speaking of thoughts are friendly/ Where I stand/ It’s safe beneath the waves/ Is this real?/ Everybody changes underwater.” It’s the most interesting and tingly sensation you get on the record. As such, it’s a favorite off this project.
The second single, “Everything I Wanted,” continues the moody vibe with a clear dance undertone. The production takes cues from the darker hues of 90s EDM music coming out of the U.K. and creates a satisfyingly spacey pop track. Minogue continues to play around with the themes of desire.
There is a euphoric sense of joy that she feels from this new love, “Everything I wanted/ Somethin’ that’s inside ya/ Lifts me like no other lover/ Everything I wanted.”
The “If It Moves — Dub It” title should let you know you’re in for a house-inspired take. The sound immediately reminds me of ecstatic dancing in the club with its thick synths and commanding beats.
The lyrics are extremely simple, “I’m movin’/ Wanna see you movin’/ Gonna get you movin’/ I’m movin’ up.” Dannii’s sensual vocals give the needed allure to sweat it out as you break loose to the EDM backing. While I could see its repetition being tiring to some, I find the production and Dannii’s honey-like half-sung lines to really give the song its pulse.
The third single, “Disremembrance,” is very much Brit dance-pop influenced. It’s far more bright sonically than the songs that can before it. Unfortunately, it feels very dated now due to its heavy synth pulse and dance backing derivative of many British acts of the 90s.
The track is an ode to clarity around yourself as you break the chains of fear and anger to focus on your purpose. The glowing chorus of, “Remember me, remember me (Will you remember me?),” calls out to the thoughts that our memory will live on after we are gone. It’s a fun song, just not my favorite in its current form.
We return to a creamier sound on “It’s Amazing.” This is the slowest track on the record, with a beat more conducive to a gentle sway. Dannii’s vocals glide smoothly over the warm synth pads, strings, and breathing samples. The production keeps the song interesting. Minogue grapples with feelings of loneliness and acceptance as she moves through the song. Its brighter vibe displays the times of peace can conjure, “Cause somedays can be so fine/ And somedays can be so right/ Ooh it’s amazing, yeah yeah.”
We return to the EMD heavy sounds that covered the earlier half of the album on “Movin’ Up.” Lyrically, the song calls back to the track “If It Moves — Dub It” through the lines, “Mmm yeah, I wanna see you movin’.” Though the sound is decidedly 90s, I find its euphoric sizzle of beats and synths to be quite infectious. Her passionate need to rekindle the flame of their past relationship comes through in the song’s lyrics, “I’ll move any mountain, yeah/ I’ll cross any sea to get to you/ I hear myself counting the hours/ I know you wanna get to me too.” This builds on the themes of longing quite well coming after “It’s Amazing.”
The final track, “Coconut,” was originally a hidden track on the album. The track is a cover of the Harry Nilsson novelty song of the same name. Dannii’s take absolutely erupts from the get-go with its heavy dance beat and hollow synth tones.
It’s an odd song to give the EDM makeover to, but somehow this version works for me. It’s perfectly made for a gay cruise hitting the Caribbean. You’re commanded to dance from the start, and Dannii’s powerful stance works well against this mix.
Having never listened to one of Dannii’s albums, I was very pleased by the overall presentation of this EDM/dance-infused record. While there were some moments of cheesier Brit dance-pop, overall, the record holds its own with more interesting textures.
Dannii’s passionate vocal delivery really helps to give roots to the themes of desire, passion and longing that coat the album. This could have easily been a bland or dated spin on the genre. It proved to me that more than one Minogue can make me move.
My thoughts on the record as a whole:
Loved it: “All I Wanna Do,” “So In Love With Yourself,” “Everybody Changes Underwater,” “Everything I Wanted,” “If It Moves — Dub It,” “It’s Amazing,” & “Coconut”
Liked it: “Am I Dreaming,” “Disremembrance,” & “Movin’ Up”
Disliked it: “Heaven Can Wait”
My overall rating: 7.0 out of 10.
