| Before recording Body Language, Kylie Minogue must have wondered how to follow Fever. That was an album that not only prompted six million people to grab a copy but sparked a national obsession with the diminutive pop diva's posterior. Well, breaking Madonna's record as the female solo artist with the greatest UK chart-topping longevity isn't a bad start. Fifteen years after Kylie first reached the pinnacle of the UK chart with "I Should Be So Lucky", "Slow" took the mini minx to the top for the seventh time. Oozing with the same entrancing blend of seductive electronica, spiralling rhythms and breathy vocals that sent hormones raging with "Can't Get You Out of My Head", "Slow" was cowritten by Minogue and is easily the finest moment on Body Language. Despite the army of writers, Body Language is a surprisingly cohesive serving of R&B-lite, laced with a sprinkling of Prince-style 1980s disco-fuelled funk, such as "Still Standing", which finds Kylie pronouncing "You know you want it!" amid a bed of grinding bass and squelching synths. There are moments such as "Red Blooded Woman" when the generic-pop production machine all but eradicates any sense of Kylie, but on the whole the formulaic funk and predictable pop styling is outweighed by the soap survivor's inimitable presence. As a result, Body Language is sure to work its magic. --Christopher Barrett |
