Tension (Kylie Minogue album)

On 6 November 2020, Minogue released her fifteenth studio album titled Disco.[2] It was a musical departure from her country-pop-inspired record Golden (2018), and it marked a return to a disco-oriented sound with which she had previously worked.[3] Her approach to disco, and dance music in general, was well received by music critics, and ended up becoming a commercial success in various markets.[4][5][6] Minogue did not promote the album with a concert tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but she did film a one-off special live show titled Infinite Disco, and re-issued the record in December 2021.[7][8]

Nearing the end of promoting Disco, Minogue appeared on BBC Radio 2 to discuss new music, stating "Perhaps it's going a bit more electropop. Don't quote me that [...] but that's what's on the boil at the minute."[9]. Minogue confirmed this in a June 2022 interview with Vogue Magazine, citing her 2003 single "Slow" as a reference point for the record's sound.[10] Additionally, Minogue returned to her hometown of Melbourne in February 2022, after living in London since the 1990s.[11]

First sessions began with long-time collaborators Richard "Biff" Stannard, Duck Blackwell, and Jon Green, alongside Minogue's A&R Jamie Nelson.[12] They initially had ideas of embracing 1980s music and culture for the album, but ultimately scrapped it and decided not to focus on a theme. Minogue recalled the decision saying, "Initially we were thinking 80s, but it didn’t pan out that way [...] we agreed there’s no theme [and that] it’d be refreshing not to have a theme after having done Golden and Disco."[12]

Recording for the album started in July 2022.[14] Since Stannard does not fly, all five collaborators decided to travel to Surrey in August 2022, and rent a Airbnb to work on the material remotely.[12] A week long session in Surrey resulted in ten finished songs.[12] All five collaborators then began sessions with Anya Jones and Camille Purcell, which resulted in two written songs in one day: "Things We Do for Love" and "Tension."[12] Minogue travelled to other cities, including Copenhagen, Brighton, Croatia, and Paris, to continue recording the album.[10][15][16]

While Minogue was in Miami, Nelson sent her a demo of the song "Padam Padam", written by Ina Wroldsen and its producer Lostboy.[17] Minogue instantly loved the demo, and recorded it in a hotel in London; it was one of the latter additions to the finished record.[12] Nelsen sent Minogue a demo of the song "Hands," which included rapping. Nelson encouraged Minogue to contribute vocals and rap, which she later described as "refreshing."[18] Minogue recalled tracks like "Story" and "10 Out of 10" taking longer to complete. "10 Out of 10" was recorded at different locations as she had not formerly met the tracks collaborator, Dutch DJ Oliver Heldens. Both artists would send over stems via email in order to produce the track.[19]

When selecting the final tracks for Tension, Minogue said, "If the song could stand up on its own and if it bumped up nicely with the other songs, that’s the album."[12] Reflecting on the album's content, she stated, "There are songs [on Tension] that might feel more superficial, but I feel like I can sing them with more certainty than I may have in the early days, when I was 19, 20, 21, 25,".[20] In total, Minogue co-wrote twelve of the sixteen songs that appear on the full album, as well as serving as an additional vocal engineer on nine of them.[16]

Musically, Tension contains a wide range of sounds, with a strong emphasis on electronic dance music.[21][22] Minogue was initially inspired to create an electropop album, later confirming that her 2003 single "Slow" was used as a template for the album.[23][24] Riff Magazines Vera Maksymiuk and AllMusic's Neil Z. Yeung compared its dance-oriented sound to Minogue's previous records Fever (2001) and Aphrodite (2010),[25][26] while DIY's Otis Robinson noted elements of scandipop, eurodance, and synthpop.[24] Harry Tafoya from Pitchfork Media felt the record was "compendium of all the sounds she's best known for: confectionary synth-pop, breezy Euro house, and propulsive EDM".[21] Covertly, Slant Magazine writer Alexa Camp felt a "unambiguous sonic thread [that] link[ed] all 14 of its songs."[27] Describing it as a "blend of personal reflection, club abandon and melancholic highs,"[25] Minogue elaborated that she wanted "to celebrate each song's individuality and to dive into that freedom."[28] Lyrically, the album includes themes of love, lust, and empowerment, which was noted by Jonah Waterhouse of Vogue Australia as a staple throughout Minogue's previous work.[20]

Tension opens with the first single, "Padam Padam", written by Ina Wroldsen and its producer Lostboy. The song, a "hypnotic" electronic number with synth and dance-pop elements,[29] is a reference to the heartbeat and is considered the album's centerfold for its sound.[25][23] The second song on the album, "Hold On to Now", was co-written by Minogue. Its synth-driven sound and "earnest" songwriting have been compared to the works of Swedish singer Robyn.[23][21] "Things We Do for Love", the third track, features synths, guitar, and drum riffs reminiscent of 1980s synthpop and power pop.[25][30] Critics noted the album's fourth track, "Tension," as the only experimental piece.[27][24] Featuring vocoder on Minogue’s vocal deliveries and jangly piano riffs, the title track is inspired by 1990s house music with elements of dance and electronic pop.[31][32]

The album's fifth track, "One More Time", is an uptempo pop-funk-disco hybrid that sonically resembles Minogue's previous album Disco (2020).[30][27] "You Still Get Me High" is the sixth track on the album, and it returns to Minogue's exploration of 1980s pop-dance sound from "Things We Do for Love".[30][25] Its lyrical content, inspired by themes surround love, was noted as a lyrical centrepiece to the album's overall songwriting.[25] "Hands" and "Green Light", the seventh and eighth tracks on the album, were noted as mid-tempo pieces inspired by R&B and funk; neither track was co-written by Minogue. "Hands" was musically compared to the song "Say So" by American singer Doja Cat and features a "nostalgic" disco-inspired funky bass line,[27][26] while "Green Light" was compared to the works of British recording artist Dua Lipa,[21][27] including early-1980s pop elements, complete with a saxophone solo.[30]

"Vegas High", the album's ninth track, was used as an intro piece to Minogue's announcement of her Las Vegas residency. It takes inspiration from 1990s dance music[33] and is a fast-paced club Techno song.[25] "10 Out of 10" is a collaboration with Dutch DJ and producer Oliver Heldens. The track was released as a promotional single months before the release of its parent album. According to Helden, the track "is inspired by 80s synth-pop and disco, 90s house, and 00s Eurodance, with a modern dance music twist."[34] "Story", the album's final track on the standard edition, returns to the 1980s sound that runs throughout the record. Musically, it is described as a fast-paced bubblegum pop-dance track that critics found "anthematic".[27][25]

Tension was released on September 22, 2023.[35][36] It is her sixteenth musical effort, as well as her third with BMG Rights Management and her third directly through her company, Darenote—directly after her previous releases Golden (2018) and Disco (2020).[37][2] The standard album features 11 tracks totalling more than 35 minutes in length, whilst the deluxe edition lasts over 45 minutes long with three additional songs: "Love Train", "Just Imagine", and "Somebody to Love".[38] Tension was released on numerous physical formats via her web-store and various retailer outlets.[39] Early bundle releases included a signed autograph from Minogue, as well as variants of different copies. The standard edition includes a card-slip case and a casebound book, while the deluxe edition were released as two variants of the latter. The standard edition with card-slip packaging includes alternate artwork in a variety of colours.[40]

Eight large vinyl variants were also released: a standard black vinyl, a silver vinyl with gatefold packaging, and four different coloured slipcase vinyls: transparent orange, transparent pink, transparent green, and coke bottle-inspired clear vinyl.[41][42][43] Additionally, each coloured vinyl have an alternate cover art that corresponds to its colour. A white test pressing vinyl, limited to fifty copies, was exclusive to her store with her autograph on the cover.[44] A limited edition clear vinyl was made available at a pop-up store in London, featuring a holographic cover.[43] Five cassette tapes were also released: an orange tape, a green tape, a blue tape, a pink tape, and a double cassette featuring content from the deluxe edition. The cassettes can also be purchased separately or as part of a bundle exclusive to Minogue's website.[45][46] Tension was also distributed on digital platforms and streaming services, both standard and deluxe editions.[35][36]

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	8.1/10[89]
Metacritic	86/100[90]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[26]
Classic Pop	[30]
Crack	8/10[91]
DIY	[24]
NME	[92]
The Observer	[93]
Pitchfork	7.3/10[21]
PopMatters	9/10[94]
Rolling Stone UK	[23]
Slant Magazine	[27]

Tension received critical acclaim from music critics. On Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average based on ratings from publications, the album scored 86 out of 100 based on 15 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim", making it Minogue's highest-rated album on the site.[90] On AnyDecentMusic?, which assigns a weighted average based on ratings from publications, the album scored 8.1 out of 10, based on 18 reviews.[89] Many critics considered Tension to be among Minogue's best work.[95][96][97]

John Earls from Classic Pop wrote that Tension is "built on confidence" and is an "object lesson in truly memorable pop".[98] Otis Robinson of DIY noted that "there's enough originality pumped throughout each track that Tension will undoubtedly stand as one of the most favoured contemporary Kylie eras."[24] Harry Tafoya from Pitchfork Media described it her "most relaxed album," and her best record in recent years.[21] Emma Harrison of Metro gave it five stars, heralding it as one of the "icon's best albums yet."[99]

Several critics praised the album's overall energy and Minogue's contribution. Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic described the record's energy as "custom-made for living in the moment and embracing cathartic release," while writing that "Tension is a master class in pop wizardry and escapist bliss. Releasing an album this expertly crafted and stunning in her fifth decade in the business is an absolute wonder to behold."[26] Hannah Mylrea from Rolling Stone UK labelled it "brilliantly good fun,"[23] while Vera Maksymiuk from Riff Magazine gave Tension an 8 out of 10, described it as "purely joyous and alluring."[25] Writing for Crack Magazine, Michael Cragg labelled it "quintessential Kylie," saying its "an album packed full of gleaming choruses, gold-plated melodies and Kylie's uncanny ability to make love and loss shimmer with possibilities."[91]

Other reviewers noted the album's diverse set of sounds and genres. Retropop Magazine awarded the album four stars, with particular commendations toward its sonic diversity and featured some of her best vocal work.[22] NME's Nick Levine noted that although Tension was not Minogue's "most cohesive or revealing" work, he believed each track was "driven by its own internal logic."[92] Despite praising the album's various sounds, Alexa Camp of Slant Magazine felt Minogue was playing it safe with the record, referring to it as "another Kylie Minogue album."[27] Annabel Ross of The Sydney Morning Herald awarded it three stars, saying that although Tension did a better job at "facilitating dance floor euphoria", she felt Minogue's "cheerful guardedness" throughout the album's content was the only "fault."[100]

Some critics connected Tension' to a series of albums and records that use sounds from disco music and electronic music since the 2020s, from artists like Lady Gaga, Jessie Ware, Dua Lipa and Beyoncé.[101][102]

Tension debuted at number one on the Australian Albums Chart, becoming Minogue's fourth consecutive chart-topping album and her eighth number-one album overall. Annabelle Herd, CEO of the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), congratulated Miinogue on this success, stating, "It’s a thrill to see an ARIA Hall of Fame artist continue to dominate, reinvent and represent Australian music on such a global scale. We can’t wait to celebrate her success at this year’s awards".[103] In New Zealand, the album debuted at number five on their regional albums chart, Minogue's highest charting album since Fever (2001), and was the week's second best-seller.[104] In Ireland, the album debuted at number 2 on the regional albums chart, and her third-consecutive album to reach number one on the Independent Album Charts.[105][106]

Tension debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, becoming Minogue's ninth number-one album and fourth consecutive entry since Golden (2018). According to the Official Charts Company, Tension outsold the rest of its top-20 competitors four days after its release, with total first-week sales of 53,239 album-equivalent units.[107][108] This marked the fifth highest-opening sales for a record in the UK of 2023, and the third highest selling vinyl of the year.[109][110] Additionally, Minogue became the tenth solo act with the most UK number one albums, tying Bob Dylan, and the third female artist, behind Taylor Swift (10) and Madonna (12).[111] Tension also opened at number one on the Scottish Albums Chart, her fifth effort to do so.[112]

Tension debuted in Japan on two Oricon component charts: number 19 on the digital chart and number 20 on the Western chart.[113][114] It also entered the Billboard Japan Hot Albums chart at number 65.[115] In the Netherlands, Tension became her highest-charting record, opening at number 3 on the Dutch Album Top 100.[116] In Belgium, Tension became Minogue's first number-one album on the Wallonia Ultratop Albums Chart, and also became her highest-charting record on the Flanders Ultratop Albums Chart.[117][118] Tension tied with Minogue's album Aphrodite (2010) for her highest charting peak in Switzerland and Spain, debuting at number two on the Swiss Albums Top 100 and the Spanish Top 100 Albums chart.[119][120] The album opened at number 31 on the Danish Albums Chart, her first appearance since Kiss Me Once (2014).[121]

In the United States, Tension debuted at number 21 on the Billboard 200, making it her third highest-charting album in the country.[122] It sold 24,500 total album-equivalent units in its first week, 19,500 of which were pure sales, making it Kylie Minogue's highest first-week sales since Body Language in 2003, which sold 43,500 units.[123] It also debuted atop of the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart, making it her second consecutive album to do so after Disco, and achieved her joint highest peak with Disco on the Independent Albums chart at number four.[124][125] In Canada, Tension debuted at number 23 on their regional albums charts.[126]

Tension was listed as a highly anticipated album for 2023.[127][128][129][130] Minogue, and her work on Tension, have been nominated for four awards at the 2023 ARIA Music Awards, including Best Solo Artist, Best Independent Release, Best Pop Release, and Song of the Year, with the latter decided by public vote.[131] This is the most nominations Minogue has received since the 16th Annual Awards in 2002, when she was nominated seven times.[132] Minogue has been nominated for Best Australian Act at the 2023 MTV Europe Music Awards, her first nomination in twenty years since the 2003 ceremony.[133]

Furthermore, the album's main singles "Padam Padam" and "Tension" have received widespread praise from music critics, who many hailed the former track as contender for song of the summer of 2023.[134][135] Both tracks have gone viral on various social media platforms and have been subjected to meme culture.[136] Furthermore, both songs have been hailed as gay anthems; the former received recognition due to its release prior to pride month, whereas the latter benefited from the success of "Padam Padam" and its success of going viral.[137][138][139] Alistair Norbury, President of BMG Rights Management in the United Kingdom, noted the album's commercial success. Upon its release, Tension amassed over 170 million streams, far exceeding her previous efforts with BMG. Norbury stated that their "focus for Kylie [with Tension] has been on building her streaming audience."[109]

Since the release of "Padam Padam", music journalists and publications have noted a commercial resurgence for Minogue. The term "Padam-ic" was coined by George Griffiths of the Official Charts Company[140] and later used by Laura Snapes of The Guardian to encapsulate the cultural impact of "Padam Padam", describing it as the "cultural moment in which frivolity and lightness seem to be breezing back after the pandemic and after an era in which culture has been taken very seriously".[141] Critics have observed that it is a rare occurrence for a middle-aged artist to have achieved a mediatic impact in the last decades.[142][143][144][145] In an interview for Variety, James Masterton, a chart analyst, and historian says the success of the single is significant because Minogue has "bridged a generation gap with a hit record that is reaching out both to her loyal (and ageing) acolytes but also a new generation of music fans", the latter attracted thanks to the TikTok platform that "contributed to the explosion of Kylie's single; [...] bypassing all traditional media avenues".[146]

Notes

• ^{^a} signifies a vocal producer

Musicians

Technical

• Dick Beetham – mastering (1–9, 11–13)
• Guy Massey – mixing (1–9, 11–13)
• Dale Becker – mastering (10)
• Oliver Heldens – mastering, mixing (10)
• Serge Courtois – mixing (10)
• Peter Rycroft – engineering (1)
• Duck Blackwell – engineering (2–6, 9, 11, 14)
• Biff Stannard – engineering (3–6)
• Jonny Bird – engineering (3)
• Jon Green – engineering (4–6)
• Daniel Davidsen – engineering (7)
• Kasper Larsen – engineering (7)
• PhD – engineering (8)
• Sky Adams – engineering (12)
• Carl Ryden – engineering (13)
• Kylie Minogue – vocal engineering (1, 7, 8, 13), additional vocal engineering (2–4, 6, 11, 14)

Visuals

• Studio Moross – design
• Haris Nukem – photography