The Weekly Coos

Coming as a surprise to me, Kylie Minogue releases a companion piece to 2023’s Tension with Tension II; she’s taking a complete 180 from what the first album delivered in shifting away from the lively disco pop and synth-pop tones of the former. Tension was an amazing romp, especially after the equally amazing Magic, where those disco tones had a heavy impact. However, unlike those two, Tension II is consuming the night. It elevates the dancefloor with dark, fluttering neon lights and heightened dark synths, digging into a treasure trove of sounds influenced by the current wave of club-pop music, whether it’s House, Dance, or Eurodance, Kylie Minogue doesn’t waste time and meshes beautifully with the beats—this is predominately the case for the solo tracks since it peters out with the last two tracks. Some of it can be blamed on mild laziness since two tracks were released earlier this year on other albums as collaborations, and because it doesn’t fit the mood of Tension II. It’s a glaring stop that hurts the album, but not erroneously as the positives outweigh the negatives; the final product is a fun dance album that hones its direction with gravitas.

Tension II makes its presence known instantly with what it wants to be, strutting strong through the spotlight in the night. It isn’t some lyrically dense record as Kylie Minogue retreads familiarity in themes, but the writing isn’t dwindling with repetition. Minogue knows how to get the fish hook primed in choruses, or with a melodic tempo, reeling you in with such wonderful quirkiness, like the fruitful and fun “Taboo,” which speaks to sensual flirtations, kinds that may be seen as taboo comparatively. It all begins with “Lights Camera Action,” which like the title suggests, stages the vibe you’re about to hear, coming with captivating results of immersive greatness. Much of that greatness emanates from the cohesion the production and Minogue have with making the sentiments feel more potent through her vocals. At this point, the latter is more than expected from Kylie Minogue. However, the production becomes a key factor because it molds a sonic palette that allows the album to flow with consistent aesthetic ethos. Like they do so with the banger “Diamonds.” It has a wonderful throughline where its sonic textures align to weave something unique with the delicate funk tinges adding dimensions.

While there is a difference in tone setting with its direction from Tension, in a vacuum, it’s an album that doesn’t surprise, rather, it shows great consistency from an artist who continues to deliver pop bangers that will never get old. It’s one reason I sit here and write about why I’d recommend giving it a spin, whether a casual fan or a newcomer. She continues to be creative without exerting this necessity to lift the ego with ingenuity, instead, she just wants to deliver good pop music for all. Unfortunately, much of that comes in the 11 tracks before going into a shared quantity that extends the album’s length but doesn’t fit the aesthetic. Two of these tracks don’t fit the aesthetic—having been on other albums of different genres, transitions become wonky as you go from club banger to Kylie and Orville Peck doing some laid-back Country-Disco-Pop mix that takes you out of the zone. Fortunately, it’s taken you out enough that the closing track, which follows, won’t phase you when you realize it’s another redundant Sia song that isn’t as inventive. They feel unnecessary, especially compared to “Edge of Saturday Night,” Minogue’s collaboration with DJ The Blessed Madonna from their album, ironically being a standout track.

Tension 2 isn’t perfect, and though I’m positive about 11 of the 13 tracks, certain beats or melodies don’t hold it much together, like the melodies on “Hello,” which are too stagnant—the chorus of “Good as Gone” isn’t as captivating like the verses, production on “Someone For Me” and “My Oh My” play it safe, but some of that is fine because what’s pivotal is the delivery and impact. These tracks blend into the mold and give us some cohesion as the lights strobe and the percussion waves get higher, despite me feeling tepid about them. It can be played one way without as much of a flinch because it blends with the rest of the quality tracks. It may not be as gripping as “Kiss Bang Bang” or “Lights Camera Action,” or have the hokey charm of “Dance to the Music,” but when looking at it in a vacuum, it’s one great club-pop/dance-pop album that does it’s service, even when it’s not the most memorable. That isn’t a negative because the gravitas pulls hard with unforgettable tracks like “Kiss Bang Bang,” “Taboo,” and “Lights Camera Action.” It’s worth the listen.

What Tension II does, is change the playing field by shifting day into night and delivering a romp of tunes that highlight the ethos of club pop with bravado and ferocity. Kylie Minogue is not sleepwalking and still trying to create an impact with her music, it’s why it’s worth a listen despite being part of an extensive discography. The music stays ripe, and her star power remains shimmering, leaving you with a good danceable ride that culminates into something profoundly captivating. I highly recommend this album, especially back-to-back with the first, as you can have an everlasting 24-hour dance-off with yourself, just singing along and feeling either the “Padam Padam” or “Kiss Bang Bang.”