Kylie - Aphrodite
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Warner
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For a lass who isn’t known as a songwriter or a singer with a distinctive or powerful voice, little old Charlene - or Kylie Minogue to use her correct title - has irked out a established career that’s been largely based on the talent of others. The pop princess’ songs are generally about love or moving booty on the dance floor. Her style has rarely deviated from pop, camp disco, or a misguided attempt at indie and alternative. Her last album, X, was about hope and achievement. Not surprising given she’d survived breast cancer.
Aphrodite, executively produced by Stuart Price (of Madonna fame), is easily her best effort in ions. The house-like piano keys on Get Outta My Way has Kylie contemplating change as she moans “You’re getting boring” to a backdrop of beats.
The early ‘90s like Illusion has all-encompassing strings and gentle melodies to keep it bubbling along whilst Better than Today is vocally conventional and has Minogue harking back to her happy and cheesy pop years as she bellows “what’s the point of living if you don’t wanna dance?”. Too Much, which was co-written by Scottish dance nut Calvin Harris and Scissor Sister Jake Shears, is a typical hands-in-air effort. Put Your Hands Up (if you feel love), with its thumping undercurrent, is the nearest club anthem on the album. Everything is Beautiful, written by Keane’s Tim Rice-Oxley, is stale and the album’s sole sombre and down-tempo moment. With its vintage ‘80s sound, house DJ/producer Sebastian Ingrosso’s assistance with Cupid Boy is retro without the overblown nostalgia trip.
As there’s no real identity, soul or purpose to Kylie’s music, Aphrodite at least has Kylie back on-form. Whoever she is or whatever she represents, Kylie’s got the music bang-on this time around.
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Written by Stuart Evans
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