1
Kylie Minogue “Tension”
2023 belonged to Padam, without a doubt it was Kylie Minogue’s year. Her hit song “Padam Padam” became her first top ten in the UK in over a decade and the song went as they say, viral, it went beyond her fanbase and even though it never charted on the Billboard Hot 100, it became an anthem and landed on many year end lists. Her album “Tension” was critically acclaimed by both her peers and the public. It’s my favorite release of the year, dare I say her best album since 2010’s “Aphrodite”? “Hold On To Now” and “The Thing’s For Love” are swirling feel good EDM nuggets, the perfect pop songs for Kylie. The title track is an edgy modern club banger, check out her Doctor Who inspired sexy video clip, this song for anyone else her younger would be a hit. My favorite tracks for future singles would be her residency anthem romp “Vegas High”. “Hands” this sing a long rap R&B flavoured track could have been a perfect song for the Barbie movie. The Last track “Story”, Kylie’s voice soars on this track like an angel, those that dissed her singing ability in the past should take a listen. The album is almost flawless, even lesser tracks “One More Time”, and “Green Light” are fun and super catchy, I’ve noticed these tracks are favorites for others. My only con is the Oliver Heldens duet “10 Out of 10”. Kylie broke new ground ending the year with a 20 date sold out show in Vegas at the Voltaire. All this proving a 55 year old pop star with little fanbase in North America, can be at the top of her game.
2
Jake Shears “Last Man Standing”
Lead singer of the now defunct group the Scissor Sisters, Jake Shears return with his sophomore solo album. “Last Man Dancing” is a suburb disco infused slice of Studio 54. “Too Much Music” and the heavenly “I Used To Be In Love”, are hit singles in the waiting. Jake has a way to tap into the magical era of music we loved, the record is a modern take on the late 1970’s early 1980’s. “Do The Television” brings me back to the new wave disco synth of the 80’ with a swirling R&B baseline reminiscent of Michael Jackson. Most artists sample or pilfer from this era but Jake builds upon it and creates a sonic masterpiece. I generally don’t like instrumentals tracks but “8 Ball” which goes on forever doesn’t get tiresome. Kylie Minogue guest’s on the track “Voices”, she cous and whispers like a siren over a pulsating beat akin to Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder’s “I Feel Love”. The whole album shimmers with a joy and love of music, you can tell that Jake enjoyed making this album. He taps into his Elton John with the title track, I could easily see Elton duet-ing as he did on the Scissor Sisters number one UK hit “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’”. Guest Amber Martin shines on “The Devil Came Down On The Dancefloor”. The closing track “Diamonds Don’t Burn” feels like a long lost James Bond Theme. By the end of the record you’ve left feeling like you just spent the best time of your life at the most delicious LGBT club in the land. I consider Jake a precursor to the likes of Troye Sivan and Sam Smith, a shame that he and the Scissors Sisters could not pierce the commercial market or mainstream audience but they were operating before the advent of YouTube and social media became a force to reckon with.
3
Duran Duran “Danse Macabre”
Duran Duran deliver the goods on their Halloween themed album “Danse Macabre”. I was worried that this oddly put together record might be a throw away but it’s a tightly packed creative and fun project . Simon’s vocals are in top form, and the production is outstanding. The record is produced partly by Duran Duran, Joshua Blair, Nile Rodgers and mixed by the master himself Bob Clearmountain. The record consists of three brand newly written songs, covers and remakes of Duran Duran deep cuts to fit the theme. Both their original guitarist and founding member Andy Taylor and Warren Cuccurullo who joined them from the late 1980’s to the 1990’s jump in on the project. The new track “Black Moonlight”, co-written by CHIC founder Nile Rodgers is a standout, it’s the most Duran sounding song in over two decades. My favorite has to be “Secret Oktober 31” a reworking of a song used only as the B side to their 1983 hit single “Union Of The Snake”. This gem has never sounded better, the production is Grammy worthy in my opinion. They made me like “Love Voudou”, a track from their 1993 self titled album, which I never really noticed or clicked with before, this sped up production fits it perfectly. They even made me like a Billie Eilish song with their take of “Bury A Friend”. The mash up of Duran’s Rio track “Lonely In Your Nightmare” with Rick James “Superfreak”, is fab although I would have preferred just hearing the full Duran song on this new take. The other cover tracks work well, Talking Heads “Psycho Killer” is fun along with Cerrone ‘s “Supernature”, The Specials’ “Ghost Town” and Sixousie and The Banshee “Spellbound”. The only misstep for me is their cover of the Rolling Stones song “Paint It Black”, it doesn’t quite hit the mark. The title track veers slightly into novelty territory but manages to ultimately transcend into a Duran bop. The centerpieces is the closing song “Confessions In The Afterlife” it shimmers with similar vibes and shades of their side project from 1985 called “Arcadia”, if you’ve never heard that fantastic album I urge you to check it out. The opener track “Nightboat” from their debut album will definitely excite fans as a full circle moment. The record is worthy to fall beside any other Duran Duran project and only proves how underrated they are.
4
Ellie Goulding “Higher Than Heaven”
Ellie Goulding is an artist always on the precipice of super stardom but for some reason she never quite makes it there. Her sensual dance album “Higher Than Heaven” delivers. From the pulsating dancefloor beats of the opener “Midnight Dreams”, the album is a romp though a dreamscape, a beautiful musical landscape that makes you never want to leave the club. The album never tires, it just leaves you wanting more. Check out “By The End Of The Night”, “ Like A Saviour”, “Easy Lover” with Big Sean and the title track. This album is sublime and one of the more underrated releases of the year. If you can, seek out the extended version with the five extra tracks, songs like “Intuition” and “Taste Like You” are just as good if not better then some of the tracks on the regular edition and well worth it.
5
Troye Sivan “Something To Give Each Other”
Troye Sivan is back with his third studio album and a trio of hot singles and videos, “Rush”, “One Of Your Girls” and “Got Me Started”. His albums have pushed the boundaries of what a gay male pop star can say or be. His debut “Blue Neighborhood” was a “coming out” record, his sophomore “Bloom” my favorite, showed a confident gay man. On His 3rd effort “Something To Give Each Other” partly inspired by his newly single life, Troye here is the party boy. Sivan let’s loose in his videos, he is shown as sexy, exotic and as confident as his female counterparts. In “Rush” we see an inhibited gay men, Troye being his true self as he indulges over a pulsating heartbeat rhythm. Troye dances as if no one is watching in “Got Me Started” over a looped sample of the 2009 hit song “Shooting Stars. The albums opus is “One Your Girls”, in the video he goes in all out drag, quite convincing as I almost did not recognize him at first, as he does a sexy strip tease over Disney actor Ross Lynch. The song is a beautiful melodic mid-slow trance as he coos to the controversial lines “Give me a call if you ever get lonely, I’ll be like one of your girls or your homies, Say what you want, and I’ll keep it a secret, You get the key to my heart, and I need it, Give me a call if you ever get desperate, I’ll be like one of your girls” . “What’s the Time Where You Are?” and “In Your Room” are a nice slow groove romps but I was hoping the album would have more hit potential then the three released singles, I found the rest of the record loses steam. SNL did a great spoof number on him, a sign that “one” has made it, will this be enough for Troye to breakthrough?
6
Sophie Ellis-Bextor “Hanna”
Following her “Disco Kitchen” tour and greatest hits album Sophie Ellis-Bextor was back this year with “Hanna” another stunning pop album. Check out “Breaking The Circle”, the mesmerized warm feeling of “Lost In The Sunshine” and the euphoric “Beyond The Universe”. “Until The Wheels Fall Off” is a rock bop which recalls us back to the 1980’s GoGo’s style. Produced by Ed Harcourt the project is slick sophisticated and tasteful. While Sophie is best known for her four on the floor dance beats like the mega hit “Murder On The Dancefloor”, this album has a much more easy groove, it has a warm comfort feeling that soothes the soul. Sophie slows thing down and get pensive on the beautiful “Tokyo” and “Broken Toy” one of the most heartbreaking songs, it’s perhaps not as forceful as Miley Cyrus’ “Wreaking Ball” or this years hit “Flowers” but it’s just as effective. Either of these songs would be hits if sung by the hot artist of the day. Sophie’s vocals never get much credit, but on this album she shines and proves she’s a stunning vocalist and stylist. Sophie is like the UK ‘s Carly Rae Jepsen, she has a knack to produce a volume of melodic pop songs but for some reason she never quite hits the commercial market or rather the market isn’t looking for her, a real shame.
7
Carly Rae Jepsen “The Loveliest Time”
Speaking of Carly Rae Jepsen, like clockwork she brings us her companion album called “The Loveliest Time”. Carly writes so many songs for every project that a “B” side type album will ultimately follow, this album is a companion to 2022’s “The Loneliest Time”. While this time around I prefer the previous “A” project, this follow up is nothing to sneeze at. I could have easily seen both projects together as a double album. Check out the synth groove of “Kamikaze”, the lead single “Shy Boy” or the melodic hook of “Aeroplanes”. “Kollage” has a beautiful 1960’s slow grove, a psychedelic atmosphere that I could easily hear Brigitte Bardot singing. “Shadow” sweet drumbeat, matching vocals and pretty harmonies will pull you right in. Don’t worry Carly bring us back to the dancefloor with the pulsating four on the floor heartbeat of “Psychedelic Switch” . The song “Come Over” tucked away towards the end of the album is an ear worm that should have been a huge hit. Carly has an knack to draw her listeners in, she memorizes you leaving you wanting more.
8
Take That “This Life”
Take That’s “This Life” released in late November is a last minute edition to my list . The album is proving to be my favorite of their since 2010’s “Progress” which reunited all five members. The group now consisting of just a trio, leader Gary Barlow, Marc Owen and Howard Donald was recorded in Georgia, Nashville and New York. You can hear the Western Rock vibe as the album leans more 1970’s adult guitar Rock then their previous dance synth flavoured albums. The album’s production and orchestration is beautiful, sonically it’s a fantastic album. The harmonies are gorgeous throughout as all three voices blend on every song, its not just Gary singing, no matter which member is doing the lead, this album feels like a group effect, that’s something that was not as present in their 1990’s heyday. So many stand out tracks, Donald shines on my favorite track of the album “March Of The Hopeful”, it’s a bold uplifting song that reminds me of my favorite Take That song, their mega anthem “Never Forget”. Gary’s beautiful falsetto’s shine on the rock mid tempo “Windows” the album’s lead single which unfortunately failed to chart. Third single, the title track is a cute catchy Beatles-que sing a long, Gary has a knack to write the perfect tune, many reviews have panned the song but had the 20 something version of the group released the track, it would have been a hit. Gary’s standout on the album has to be “Days I Hate Myself”, with backing beat quite similar to The Police and self reflective lyrics, it sounds like something I could hear on the radio, I’m surprised it was not a single. Mark places his mark on the acoustic “Brand New Day”, his voice is grittier but it give more gravitas to the song. I prefer the easy grooving “The Champion”, I would have chosen this song to release instead of “Brand New Day” which served as their second release . Mark sounds even better on the guitar rock “Time And Time Again”. Another favorite of mine is “Mind Full Of Madness” with it’s raging backbeat through the song that sound so much like Stevie Nick’s “Edge Of Seventeen” that I was sure it was either a sample or mash-up. “We Got All Day” showcases their unified vocals the best, but the last track “Where We Are” best sums up the reflective spirit of the album, the slightly psychedelic track looks back at a group that have stood the test of time, from boyband to manband and beyond.
9
Cher “Christmas”
I generally don’t buy Christmas albums but Cher has a way to take what is an annual boring cash grab and make a fantastic fun pop album. As soon as I heard the lead single “Dj Play A Christmas Song” the “Believe-esque” floor banger I knew I was in for a treat. Produced by Mark Taylor who helmed her dance anthem records “Believe” and ‘Livin’ Proof”, you’ll know that isn’t your schmaltzy mom album. The rest of the record delivers, the Stevie Wonder duet cooks up a storm on “What Christmas Means To Me”. Cher does a full 360 as she duets with Darlene Love on “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”, at 17 Cher sang back up on the original classic track. The album features four original songs including “Angels In The Snow” with Cyndi Lauper singing back up, it’s almost a shame that it’s delegated to a holiday track as it could be a huge hit. Lauper returns in full duet form on the pretty “Put A Little Holiday In Your Heart”. The Michael Bubble duet on “Home” isn’t reinventing the wheel but an obvious favourite for Cher who hand picked each song and made the album she wanted. “Run Rudolf Run” is rocking along with “Please Come Home For Christmas”. Even my least favorite track “Drop That Sleigh Ride” with rapper Tyga is palatable. The only track I’d replace is “Santa Baby”, which has been covered too many times. This album makes me earn for a few more proper pop studio album, let’s hope Cher delivers.
10
Claire Richards “Euphoria”
Claire Richards “Euphoria” is the record we didn’t know we needed. One fifth of UK’s super pop group Steps, there’s no denying Claire’s stellar voice, it carries most the groups repertoire. I’m genuinely not a fan of cover albums but this tracklist is sublime. Claire chooses some of her favorite dance bangers by her favorite Diva’s, I love that she didn’t choose the obvious hits. “So Emotional” was a number one record for Whitney Houston but is often forgotten and Cher’s “Song For The Lonely” is just as good if not better then her mega hit “Believe”. The record features takes on hits by Pat Benatar (Love Is A Battlefield), Olivia Newton-John (Xanadu), Céline Dion (I Surrender), Laura Branigan (Gloria), Kim Wilde (Never Trust A Stranger). As a treat Claire is joined by Australian pop Diva Delta Goodrem on the Donna Summer/Barbra Streisand opus “No More Tears (Enough Us Enough)”. The record doesn’t reinvent the wheel but it’s a big fun dance party hosted by one of the UK’s finest voices.