Tension has to be one of the most highly-anticipated album releases of the year - at least, it has been for me, who has been a devoted Kylie fan since I was 8 years old. Kylie’s 16th studio album was released on 22 September and it does not disappoint! I thought Kylie couldn’t top her 2020 dancefloor hit album, Disco, but she really said “hold my mirror ball” and delivered an album that is arguably among the best of her career. The album was preceded by the release of the hugely successful singles, Padam Padam and the equally impressive, Tension. Kylie also collaborated with Dutch DJ Oliver Heldens on the song 10 Out Of 10, which was released as a promotional single earlier this year and also appears on Tension.
I attended an all-Kylie afternoon dance party at Club Cumming in NYC, hosted by the always brilliant Bright Light Bright Light, in celebration of the release of Tension as well as Kylie's illustrious five-decade-spanning career. It was four hours of real grooves that had all the Kylie lovers dancing and spinning around as they put their hands up in celebration of the Kylie magic. On a night like this, it was clear that this dancefloor darling has still got it...she's wow wow wow wow.
Here is my track by track take on the standard version of album (since I am awaiting delivery of the deluxe version, which includes three bonus tracks):
1. Padam Padam
What's left to say? The song of summer 2023. Top tier Kylie. No notes.
2. Hold On To Now
The second track epitomizes everything we've come to love about a Kylie dance track: a euphoric and carefree dance anthem about living in the moment while still dreaming about the future: "Keep holding on to now - now -/ Dreaming we'll be dancing forever / Floating on this feeling together".
3. Things We Do For Love
Kylie draws from classic 80s pop for this pulsating track. Indeed, Todd Gilchrist from Variety points out that whereas Disco drew inspiration from...well, disco, Tension "pulls more heavily from ’80s pop", especially on this track, "a more stripped-down version of which you could easily imagine Kevin Bacon dancing to back in 1984".
4. Tension
Kylie has a knack for releasing incredible second singles which become instant gems in the Kylie discography (see: Did It Again, On A Night Like This, In Your Eyes, In My Arms, Get Outta My Way, Magic). Tension is no exception to the rule. It's fresh and fun and flirty - three fs we've come to associate with Kylie - and the perfect follow-up to Padam Padam. Also, "call me Kylie-lie-lie" and rhyming it with "Hot like chilli-li-li" is chef's kiss.
5. One More Time
More of a retro sound with an up-tempo melody that borrows from The Hustle, building to the catchy repetition of "One more time" in the chorus that is just begging for a mashup with Daft Punk's One More Time (I'm sure Bright Light Bright Light is already on it).
6. You Still Get Me High
Kylie slows things down so we can catch our breath....but not for long. The beat kicks in again on the chorus and we're back to a high energy dance number that would feel right at home in a Footloose-esque dance montage.
7. Hands
Marcus Wratten from Pink News describes Hands as "sweaty, summery, and just super fun" and "Tension’s coolest, most replayable two minutes". The pseudo rap is a different direction for Kylie for sure and I think this one will be a grower for me as opposed to the instant likes before it.
8. Green Light
A sultry up-tempo track with a smooth sax solo that has generated comparisons to Dua Lipa, with Clash going so far as to argue that Green Light feels "primed to take over the baton from Dua Lipa’s storming success with Dance The Night Away – proving to all the new pop girlies that Kylie is the queen and they are Princesses".
9. Vegas High
A perfect track for her upcoming Vegas residency (which we are not going to talk about because I haven't been able to secure tickets for it...yet). While it's good pop (let's be honest, there are no bad tracks on this album), it's not the best that Tension has to offer.
10. 10 Out Of 10
The aforementioned promotional single that whet our appetites for what Kylie had in store for us before the official launch of the Tension era. I really felt this one at the Kylie party, especially when those 10s drop in the chorus; it's almost impossible not to spontaneously vogue.
11. Story
This is a perfect high energy song to wrap up the album, with Kylie stating "You're part of my story" as the song draws to a close, perhaps a little nod to the loyal community who have and continue to show love for her and her work. Todd Gilchrist maintains that the song "spotlights her vocal range better than any other on the album, as she hits high notes in the chorus that it’s easy to forget she’s capable of" while capturing "all of that palpable, loving emotion" that Kylie does so well.
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