Tension (song)

Minogue co-wrote "Tension" with Anya Jones, Camille Purcell, Jon Green, and producers Duck Blackwell and longtime collaborator Richard Stannard.[3] The idea to collaborate with Jones and Purcell came after Minogue spent a week in Surrey working on new music with Blackwell, Green, Stannard, and Minogue's A&R Jamie Nelson.[4] Nelson had proposed working with Jones and Purcell, the latter of whom had mentioned being a big fan of Minogue's work and career. According to Minogue, the collaboration with the two provided her with the "female energy" she needed for the record.[4] Throughout the recording process, she mentioned how Purcell influenced her to gain self-confidence in the lyrics they wrote, particularly the phrases "Call me Kylie-ay-ay."[4]

Purcell said of her collaboration with Minogue, "She was a household name for me and my family, I think it was just part of my DNA, knowing her name and her music."[4] Although initially intimidated, Purcell began to relax around Minogue, and by the end of the day, she and Jones, along with Minogue and her long-time collaborators, had completed writing two songs: "Tension" and "Things We Do for Love," the latter serving as the album's third track.[4][3] Minogue stated that the original demo was "out of place," describing the lyrics as "edgy," the processed vocals as "more exaggerated," and the sound as "very deep club."[5]

"Tension" features a wide range of electronic dance sounds including dance-pop, house music, and electropop, with a total duration of three minutes and 37 seconds.[1][2][6] The song is written in the key of F Major.[7] Like Minogue's predecessor single "Padam Padam", Sam Franzini from The Line of Best Fit said the tracks touches on sex themes lyrically. Franzini used the line, "Oh my God, touch me right there," as an example, but also suggested that the parent album's sex-theme is used throughout.[8]

According to review by Ky Stewart from Junkee, the songs lyrics "is about finding your inner sexual desire and freeing your body, a message Kylie’s long advocated for."[9] Writing for NME, Liberty Dunworth described the song as a "dance-inspired track", while claiming the song showcases "Minogue channelling inspiration from both '90s house music and '00s club classics."[1] James Rettig of Stereogum defined "Tension" as a "twitchily smooth dance song" which, differently from the previous single "Padam Padam" "doesn’t have any meme-inducing hooks".[10]

Alexa Camp of Slant Magazine said that "Tension" was reminiscent of material from 2007's X, calling it "the most forward-minded track on the new album".[11] Describing the tracks vibe as "silly", Pitchfork writer, Harry Tafoya noticed Minogue "vamping through pounding piano house to deliver some truly ridiculous lyrics."[12] Noting the sounds eurodance sound, Riff Magazine editor Vera Maksymiuk wrote, "It plays with the formula a bit, using a variety of synth sounds and other electronic production. The sweet melodic verses are paired with a hard and punchy hook, recalling the dance music of the last couple of decades."[13] Similarly, Guy Oddy from The Arts Desk described its sound as "trancey Euro-house cracker with an infectious piano riff [...]."[14]

"Tension" was released on 31 August 2023 by BMG Rights Management and Minogue’s company, Darenote. It serves as the second single to Minogue’s sixteenth studio album of the same name (2023). Prior to its release, Minogue had teased the song on her social media.[15][16][17][18] The cover artwork for the song, created by Studio Moross, were taken from the video shoot; it features five silhouettes of Minogue in different looks, complete with a full-green hue.[19] It was first released as a digital download through its parent album.[5] "Tension" was eventually released in three formats: two CD singles with the extended version of the track and alternate artwork, and a cassette tape.[20][21][22]

"Tension" received positive reviews from music critics. Neil Z. Yeung from AllMusic described the song as "sensual", and felt it featured "another chorus for the ages," while writer Michael Cragg of Crack called it "playful."[23][24] Whilst review its parent album, DIY writer Otis Robison selected "Tension" as an album highlight, describing it as "euphoric."[25] Similarly, Harry Tafoya of Pitchfork highlighted "Tension" and album track "Padam Padam" as stand outs, stating, "Both songs land on the right side of silly-serious and wield sledgehammer-subtle choruses with the feverish commitment required to make a hook like “Call me Kylie-lie-lie/Don’t imitate-tate-tate/Cool like sorbet-et-et” feel ecstatic rather than clunky."[26]

Writing for Slant Magazine, Alexa Camp said, "Only Tension’s title track, with its digitally enhanced vocal hook, veers into territory that could be described as experimental."[27] Kitty Empire of The Guardian wrote that the song is "another dancefloor come-hither – but here, the coy sound of heartbeats is replaced by fruitier lines such as “touch me right there”."[28] Retropop Magazine called it "an equally-sensual electro-pop stormer underpinned by pulsing beats [...]".[29] Annabel Ross from The Sydney Morning Herald felt the track and "Padam Padam" "rival[ed] for catchiness and sex positivity as Minogue, alternating between helium vocals and a robotic deadpan, coos “touch me right there” over clubby beats.[30]"

Reviewing its inclusion on its parent album, Peter Piatkowski of PopMatters commended the track, saying, "The song also showcases just how accomplished Minogue is as a vocalist [...] The song’s inherent queerness means that Minogue dials the camp factor way up, and she slides into a stylized, near-scat that shows off a surprisingly supple and impressive range."[31] Conversely, David Smyth of Evening Standard gave it a mixed opinion, highlighting the track alongside other album tracks as "just fine."[32]

"Tension" experienced moderate commercial success. In Australia, the spent a sole week at its peak position of number 46 on the ARIA Singles Chart.[33] Additionally, it also charted on the Top 20 Australian Singles Chart at number three, and entered their New Music Singles Chart at number 19.[34][35] In New Zealand, it missed a position on the regional singles chart, but entered at number 10 on their Hot Singles Chart, Minogue's second top-ten in that chart after her 2021 single "Real Groove".[36] In Ireland, the song peaked at number thirty-six on the countries singles chart.[37]

In United Kingdom, the song opened at number one on three charts: the Singles Sales Chart, the Singles Downloads Chart and Physical Singles Chart.[38][39][40] On the regional Singles Chart, it debuted at number 19 as the highest new entry and best-seller of the week, ultimately becoming Minogue's 53rd Top 40 single in the UK.[41] In Latvia, the song reached number eight on their European Hit Radio chart.[42] Elsewhere, it achieved moderate success, achieving charting positions in Croatia, and component charts in Germany, Italy, and Malta.[43][44][45][46]

In North America, "Tension" missed the Canadian Hot 100, but did chart for a sole week on the Billboard Canadian Digital Songs Chart at number 47.[47] In the United States, it peaked at number 18 on the Dance/Electronic Songs chart, alongside topping the Dance/Electronic Digital Songs chart during the week of 16 September 2023.[48][49] In South America, the song charted on two English-speaking charts provided by Monitor Latino; number 15 in Guatemala, and number two in Nicaragua.[50][51]

"Tension" was anticipated by critics and the LGBT community due to the viral success with the songs predecessor "Padam Padam".[60][61][62] Beth Ashley from PinkNews highlighted the songs viral phenomenon by the internet memes that were made on social media, and comment, "To say that “Tension” has sent LGBTQ+ fans into a frenzy would be an understatement [...]".[60] The Australian Broadcasting Corporation echoed the same sentiments, saying, "Tension" is "already a crowd-pleaser with the Kylie Minogue faithful."[63]

Digital download / streaming

1. "Tension" – 3:36
2. "Padam Padam" – 2:46

CD and cassette single[64][65]

1. "Tension" – 3:36
2. "Tension" (extended mix) – 4:40

Digital download (Via Kylie.com)

1. "Tension" (extended mix) - 4:40

The Remixes - Digital EP[66]

1. "Tension" (Chromeo Remix) - 4:06
2. "Tension" (George Reid Remix) - 3:06
3. "Tension" (KDA Remix) - 3:15
4. "Tension" (Shadow Child Remix) - 3:36
5. "Tension" – 3:36

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Tension.[67]

Locations

• Recorded at Surrey Pool House, Surrey, UK; Infinite Disco Studio, Paris.

Personnel

• Kylie Minogue – lead vocals, writing, additional engineering
• Kamille – writing
• Anya Jones – writing
• Duck Blackwell – writing, production
• Biff Stannard – writing, production
• Jon Green – writing,
• Dick Beetham – mastering
• Guy Massey – mixing