Tension II in Bloomington, MN

Rather than release a deluxe version of
Tension
bundled with era extras on a second disc, dance queen
Kylie Minogue
issued a brand-new full-length,
Tension II
, as her official 17th studio album. Arriving just a year after its elder sibling, this sequel set continues the pop diva's early-2020s winning run of irresistible dance anthems.
keeps those feet firmly planted on the dancefloor with a decent collection that ranges from breezy B-side-level filler, like the throwback disco of "Taboo" and "Dance to the Music," to marquee bangers such as the pounding "Lights Camera Action" and "Kiss Bang Bang." Other highlights include the shimmering "Hello," which sounds like a "Padam Padam" sequel, the breezy neon-sheen of "Shoulda Left Ya," and "My Oh My" with
Bebe Rexha
and
Tove Lo
, a slow-grower whose charm increases with each subsequent listen as the trio does a roll call on playful verses (most importantly teaching everyone how to correctly pronounce
's name). Tacked onto the end are a wealth of previously released guest appearances, such as "Dance Alone" from
Sia
's
Reasonable Woman
, "Midnight Ride" with
Diplo
Orville Peck
from the latter's
Stampede
, and "Edge of Saturday Night" with
the Blessed Madonna
. For fans craving more of
Kylie
's excellent early-2020s output,
delivers, even when it pales next to more immediate cuts on
Disco
and the first
. ~ Neil Z. Yeung