Assessment: Kylie Minogue – Stress II (BMG)
★★★★☆
Sequel albums are uncommon, but Kylie justifies her choice to return to the studio with Stress II – an intense nine-song blast of latest materials to take a seat alongside 4 latest collaborations
Though Stress II inhabits the identical dancefloor area as its predecessor, its title has led to suspicions that its 9 new songs are merely offcuts, which might normally be packaged in a deluxe version of Stress, quite than claiming this can be a wholly separate album.
Worry not. These 9 new bangers solely final a complete of 25 minutes however, as fizzing lead single Lights Digicam Motion confirmed, they’re completely worthy of Full Kylie billing.
The one padding is by way of the 4 current collabs on the finish to bulk out the working time. With apologies to Bebe Rexha, Sia and the frankly rotten Orville Peck, solely The Blessed Madonna’s magnificently murky Edge Of Saturday Evening deserves its place alongside the equally lascivious up-all-night Hiya’s tease of “You and I make mistake.”
Lights Digicam Motion, That’s It
Principal album nearer Shoulda Left Ya is the one tune approaching a ballad, its “Cellphone lights on” epic really feel belying that it solely lasts two minutes 20 seconds. Taboo’s intro is cheekily much like Madonna’s Hung Up, setting the temper for Kylie’s personal confessions on a dancefloor.
Her self-described “electrical vitality” carries on into the bleepy Somebody For Me, earlier than the comparatively epic revenge anthem Good As Gone’s refrain is so infectious that it bears sufficient repeating to develop into the one tune to run previous three minutes.
Common Kylie producers Stannard & Blackwell, TMS, Steve Mac and Padam Padam’s Lostboy are concerned, however first-time helpers Jenn Decilveo and Vaughn Oliver helm the most important shock: Diamonds, which contains a uncommon rap from Minogue, its appropriately indestructible riff serving to to hold her by such an innovation.
Oliver – who labored on the latest album by Kylie’s pal Jake Shears – additionally produces probably the most traditional-sounding bop right here. It’s unusual that Minogue hasn’t had a tune referred to as Dance To The Music in her 37-year profession earlier than. Now it’s right here, it’s as blissful as you’d hope, a nostalgic 70s-tinged cooldown after the previous depth.
The final time Kylie solely had a 13-month hole between albums was from Mild Years to Fever in 2000-01, when she exploded again for her second imperial section.
Having loved making an attempt out different genres like nation (Golden), there appears to be no stopping Minogue once more now that she’s again centre stage on the dancefloor. It nonetheless fits her completely: simply attempt dislodging Kiss Bang Bang’s refrain as soon as it’s strutted into your head.
At this fee, don’t be stunned if Kylie goes for the hat-trick by the point her tour kicks off subsequent spring.
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