Happy 10th Anniversary to Kylie Minogue’s eleventh studio album Aphrodite, originally released in Japan June 30, 2010, in Australia July 2, 2010 and in the UK July 5, 2010.
Kylie Minogue. A name that has become synonymous with so many things, most notably pop music and its ever-changing stratosphere. The same name has, over time, also come to represent resilience, reinvention and a raconteur of sorts who has assumed the title of pop princess with one goal in mind: music.
Continuing on from the success of her previous four albums with Parlophone, Minogue released her eleventh studio album Aphrodite on the final day of June in 2010 to critical reception gold. Not long out of his Confessions On A Dance Floor (2005) success with Madonna, producer Stuart Price pulled together some of the best in the industry (Calvin Harris, Jake Shears, Nervo amongst others) to create a celebration of the singer’s disco-pop roots. It worked.
Aphrodite is Kylie in her purest form. Pop that dances through your ears and leaves you humming along without even the slightest realization that you have just learned two phrases to your new favorite song without even trying. We will refer to this as the “Kylie effect.” The album’s lead single “All The Lovers” managed to capitalize on this effect and extend Minogue’s reign as pop dance music royalty. The song was one of the last tracks to be written for the album, but in an official press statement she made after recording it, Minogue stated “I knew that ‘All the Lovers’ had to be the first single; it sums up the euphoria of the album perfectly.” The song has also gone on to serve as the namesake for Minogue’s adoring legion of fans, affectionately referred to as “Lovers.”
The album’s second single “Get Outta My Way” was made from the stuff of dance floor legend. With its sexy electro disco beats, clever lyrics and an unbeatable hook, the energy of this song was nothing but infectious. Again, it embodies pure pop and reinforces Minogue’s perfectionism when it comes to her songcraft.
With a total of four singles released from the album, the final two—“Better Than Today” and “Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love)”— failed to make as much of a ripple, let alone replicate the phenomenal success of the album’s first two smashs.
At the time of its arrival, Aphrodite was billed as another comeback album for Minogue. Perhaps due to the unreasonably high expectations that greeted its precursor, 2007’s X, which followed Minogue’s recovery from her bout with breast cancer. But despite lukewarm critical reception among some pundits, X performed quite well commercially and also provided the hype for the singer’s first US tour which took place in 2009.
Aphrodite’s core strength lies in its tightly cohesive format, even whilst stepping out of the box with moments like the ‘80s inspired “Closer” and the hyper Americana influence on “Cupid Boy.” Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters added some sisters’ flair on “Too Much” with the help of DJ maestro Calvin Harris, which works perfectly with Minogue’s campier side.
This album was released around the time that Lady Gaga stormed into the world of pop and shook things to their core. Whilst many could have seen this as a threat and tried their hardest to compete, Minogue focused on the coherence and formula that had afforded the singer so much success previously. It worked, once again, and for her loyal legion of fans, it’s pure joy wrapped up in twelve beautiful, eloquent tracks.
Minogue chose to stay true to herself and her artistry on this album, her unrivaled authenticity remaining squarely at the forefront in executing her musical vision. Its dazzling soundscapes, the euphoria that only a Kylie bop can give and of course that ever present ethereal voice that dances through your ears are coalesce for what is unapologetically Minogue on full blast.
Is this Minogue’s greatest work? Who cares? What it assuredly is, however, is a grand reaffirmation of her pop credibility and her penchant for employing the right team of collaborators who expertly lend their knowledge and expertise to the proceedings.
Price’s Midas touch is manifest across Aphrodite and for good reason. As with his work on Madonna’s Confessions album, he and Minogue crafted another legendary musical moment that endures as yet another indispensable entry in the Princess of Pop’s illustrious career to date.
LISTEN: