Album "Tension II"

Kylie Minogue: There is a lack of lasting catchy tunes

Only goulash tastes really good when warmed up: Kylie Minogue and her new album "Tension II".

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/BMG, Erik Melvin)

Twenty years after her first Grammy for "Come Into My World", pop star Kylie Minogue was delighted to receive her second this year for "Padam Padam", the lead single from the hit album "Tension". The enormous success felt like a comeback, Minogue said last year. "Wow, this is a great moment," she told dpa in London, "and I actually want to go straight back into the studio." No sooner said than done. Almost a year and a half later, she is now releasing "Tension II".

The 56-year-old, who is often called the "Princess Of Pop", has repeatedly reinvented herself and changed her musical style throughout her career. Not this time. "The 'Tension' era was very special to me," Kylie explained on the announcement of the album and her world tour next year. "I can't possibly let it end now."

New and danceable
Accordingly, on "Tension II" - her record company refers to it as a partner album - she continues her tried-and-tested course with disco anthems, EDM stompers, electropop and a touch of the 80s. The album contains nine brand new studio tracks and a few well-known singles, including "My Oh My" with her younger colleagues Bebe Rexha and Tove Lo. The two-time Grammy winner proves once again that good pop music is absolutely not a question of age.

Other guests include The Blessed Madonna ("Edge Of Saturdaynight") and Sia ("Dance Alone"). "Midnight Ride", a dancefloor number with a strong country influence, is a little out of line. The collaboration with the South African, Canadian-based country singer Orville Peck and the DJ Wesley Pentz alias Diplo was also included on Peck's recently released album "Stampede".

A somewhat stale rehash
The successful model can't quite be copied after all. "Tension II" is a solid pop album. In direct comparison with "Tension", however, the partner album clearly comes off worse. The songs are not as catchy, the mix is not as homogeneous. There is a lack of lasting catchy tunes. If "Tension" sounds too electronic or even too modern for you, you won't be happy with "Tension II" anyway.

In the increasingly confusing pop landscape, where the fear of artificial intelligence is rampant, Kylie Minogue continues to hold her own in the premier league. And the "Princess Of Pop" will be filling the big halls again on her "Tension" tour. In her former adopted home of London, where she first performed in the huge Hyde Park this year, she will perform four times next year in the large O2 Arena. There are currently no plans for an Austrian date.