In some ways, Kylie Minogue has had the quintessential pop career. She's gone from cheesy pop to indie artiness and back again. Aphrodite winks knowingly at her 80's past while at the same time moving things forward. It's very much the "carefree pop album" we've been promised. It's not perfect, but there are certainly glimpses of pop perfection throughout. 1. All The Lovers - The best-possible Kylie comeback single I could've hoped for. It's exactly the type of music I love from her. Shimmering and otherworldly, this is pure euphoria. Gorgeous. 10/10
2. Get Outta My Way - An obvious second single, and more uptempo and commercial than the opening track. Still, the melody is one of the strongest on the album (especially the chorus) and the production is suitably huge. 10/10
3. Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love) - Another highly commercial dance track, but not quite as strong as the last one. The chorus is catchy, for sure, but lacks the staying power of the last two tracks. Still, it sounds great played loud. 9/10
4. Closer - I didn't love this on first listen, but it's grown on me immensely. It's an odd little powder keg of a song, more a sonic vignette than a proper pop track. The hypnotic production is quite something. There's a great tension throughout. 9/10
5. Everything Is Beautiful - About as pop as pop gets, this is all about the melody -- and it's a good one. I wouldn't be surprised if this is a (very successful) single. It's got that polished sound to it. 9/10
6. Aphrodite - Completely different than anything else on the album, this hard, 90's-influenced dance track is pretty spectacular. The hook alone packs more of a punch than any of the other tracks. I can't help but think that this is the comeback single she should have released several years ago. 10/10
7. Illusion - One of the weaker tracks. The best part of it is the catchy synth hook that plays at the beginning and repeats throughout. The rest of it is pleasant, but slightly forgettable. 8/10
8. Better Than Today - A midtempo, new-wavey stomper that relies on a strong melody and a huge 80's influence. It's one of the best songs on the album and would make a terrific single choice. 10/10
9. Too Much - The last perfect song on here, it's a synth-heavy, aggressive track with shades of Calvin Harris (who worked on this) and several different melodies throughout. The chorus is slightly bonkers, but in the best way possible. Probably the most current-sounding song on here. 10/10
10. Cupid Boy - A hypnotic, high-pitched electro track. It's pretty throughout, but gets a little lost in the shuffle. I love how the chorus builds into a wall of synths, though. 8/10
11. Looking For An Angel - Opens with a string section, which carries on throughout the track. It's a very wistful, lush sound with vocals that hearken back to some of Minogue's 90's work. It's another song I didn't like so much at first, but I've really come around to. 9/10
12. Can't Beat This Feeling - Old-school, cheesy dancepop. It's certainly a reminder of where she started, though compared to the rest of the album it's slightly underwhelming as a closing track. I like the retro synths, but it's all a bit frantic. 7/10
Album Grade: 9.1/10
