Review: Kylie Minogue’s return with ‘Golden’

After thirty years of chart-topping singles, and four years since her previous studio album, Kylie Minogue is back with her latest album ‘Golden’, released on 6 April this year. The album combines Kylie’s trademark late-80s pop with surprising country vibes.

I was sceptical about the combination before hearing the lead track ‘Dancing’, released in January, which managed to pull off a country style whilst maintaining the energetic electro pop that defines Kylie’s music. The guitar intro building up to the main chorus took country to the next level by blending in some electronic dance beats. Despite it being a pleasantly surprising song, the music video didn’t quite live up to my expectations. As in the classic vibes of the genre, country music always brings to mind fields and dusky sunsets. Even though I knew this wouldn’t be the case with Kylie, I still felt like it was too much of a pop atmosphere visually, and it didn’t balance her country approach effectively. On the flip side, the video has enough sparkle and glitter to last a lifetime, and Kylie herself looks stunning as always.

Something ‘Golden’ taught me is that there’s a sound for every mood, whether you’re sitting and studying, or fancy something fast-paced to get you pumped for a night out. ‘One Last Kiss’, a personal favourite of mine, starts with smooth guitar picking and subtle vocals and climbs into an addictive high energy chorus. This song shows high promise of climbing to the top, as it is already gaining so much popularity with music lovers all over. In contrast, the soothing tones of ‘Radio On’ are powerful enough to cause goose bumps of emotion. The track’s pure country style proves that Kylie is adept enough at her new choice of genre to pull it off on its own should she chose to. And after this album, I certainly hope she does!

Overall, ‘Golden’ is an absolute must listen for any Kylie Minogue or 80s fanatic. I also recommend country music fans to give it a try. It may not be your classic country music but the pop twists add some original elements despite the unconventional mixing of the two music genres.