Tension II confirms that this is Kylie Minogue’s world

Thirty-seven years into an impressive recording métier, her staying power is unmatched.

In the last 17 months, Minogue has racked up further critical accolades internationally and cemented her stature as one of the preeminent live performers of her generation. And that’s to say nothing of her continued way with a four-on-the-floor rhythm pattern. But as I remarked about this incredible woman last year in my book Record Redux: Kylie Minogue (Second Edition), the singer-songwriter “has always been about sonic exploration and subverting expectations.” She is a pop genre dynamo.

Minogue’s uncanny ability to turn on a stylistic dime has been central to her enduring appeal. Take Golden (2018) as an example. On her BMG label debut, she successfully pivoted into guitar-pop and countrypolitan aesthetics. She shapeshifted again with DISCO (2020) on retro-modernist terms, cycling through the varying elements of the titular genre in a defiant exercise of refinement. Then came Tension (2023) – home to the viral sensation “Padam Padam,” more floor-fillers, and a few anthemic, soft rock confections.

Once again: sonics were explored and expectations subverted. So how does all this bear out for Tension’s sister-effort, the aptly titled Tension II?

For much of her 17th studio album, Minogue maintains the uptempo dance-pop persuasion of its forerunner. The kinetic opener “Lights, Camera, Action” has the Princess of Pop wielding her own unique clubland sound. Like its lead single, much of Tension II pulls in classic and fresh references. The former approach has her take hold of a throwback Eurodisco thread, giving it a playful tug on “Taboo” and “Kiss Bang Bang.” Schooled audiophiles will detect traces of Boney M. and Madison Avenue respectively from her wide lexicon of influences. And on the latter side, Minogue’s frothy Balearic house (“Good as Gone”) and synth-pop (“Hello”) vibes thrum with a purposeful intent to pack modern discothèques wall-to-wall.

Having enlisted another decorated coterie of writer-producers to assist on Tension II, Minogue rubs shoulders with some of the best in the business; notables include Lewis Thompson, Steve Mac, Duck Blackwell, Richard “Biff” Stannard, Ina Wroldsen, Kevin “Zhone” Hickey, Tommy Danvers, Peter “Lostboy” Rycroft, Neave Applebaum, and Oliver Peterhof. All those gathered give the set enough of a spicy twist to warrant repeat listens.

On Tension II’s back-end are four masterjams – “Edge of Saturday Night,” “My Oh My,” “Midnight Ride” and “Dance Alone” – released earlier this year where Minogue engaged in some compelling teamwork alongside The Blessed Madonna, Bebe Rexha and Tove Lo, Orville Peck and Diplo, and Sia. Continuing to exercise her skill and agency as an artist of her stature, Minogue’s pen graces seven of the 13 entries here as a principal writer.

Amid all the “don’t bore us, get to the chorus” flash happening on Tension II, three tracks emerge as standouts and part themselves slightly from that line of action: “Someone for Me,” “Shoulda Left Ya,” and “Midnight Ride.” On those first two pieces, Minogue brings a certain level of vocal gravitas to the pair; on the third cut, next to Peck and Diplo, Minogue slips back into the spangled countrypolitan aesthetic of Golden.

Given her remarks in a recent NME interview, she may be delivering another more avant-garde turn once she completes her 2025 tour supporting her current album. For now, Tension II is available to enjoy while not being overtly beholden to her usual creative tenets of exploration and subversion. This victory lap supports the axiomatic tagline from Minogue’s Step Back in Time: The Definitive Collection (2019): “pop precision since 1987.” And who knows which intrepid musical worlds she will journey to next? The sharp craft of Tension II confirms that this is Kylie Minogue’s world, we’re just fortunate enough to live in it.