Kylie Minogue — the only Kylie, thank you — just announced a record deal with BMG, with plans in place to record a new album and officially Save Pop™ in 2017.
Perhaps as a result of this news, or perhaps simply due to some incredibly gay, reverse Trumpholian instance of kismet, the vaults have suddenly burst open in one glittery blast, and dozens of X-era demos have come pouring out this weekend.
It appears that the long-rumored “3-CDR” X set, a collection of 49 demos — early versions of X album tracks, B-sides, dozens of discards and a handful of session singer tracks recorded for Kylie’s 2007 masterpiece — has finally seen the light of day in full.
We’ve already seen some of these songs surface over the years, including “Come Down” and “Extra Ordinary Day.”
BOMBA! Vazam 39 demos/unreleaseds da era X! Confira: https://t.co/9tGiMeGLFH https://t.co/AdFleqtTAB
— KYLIE.com.br (@kyliebr) February 4, 2017
But thanks to Kylie Brasil (of course it’s Brazil), we’ve got more, more more.
The set is a veritable treasure trove of thumping electro-pop and hip-pop from one of Kylie’s most consistently excellent eras, from the shimmering strut of “To The 9’s” to Studio 54 throwback “Osmondosis” — and yes, even one long-rumored gem called “Sexual Gold.”
Even in rough form, some of these are fascinating: there’s an amazing song hidden somewhere in cuts like “I Can’t Help That,” “Simple Boy” (a personal favorite) and “Acid Min,” which nears Roisin Murphy-level disco experimentation. The whispering is also very much like her sister Dannii‘s “Everybody Changes Underwater” — too much to handle.
“Something 2 Believe In” could sit perfectly in between “Stars” and “No More Rain.” “Guess” feels like a quick pass at a Pharrell-esque, Hard Candy sound. And who would ever guess Kylie now has three entirely different songs called “Right Here, Right Now?” And this is exactly how I imagine the recording session for “What’s It Gonna Take?” went down.
Obviously, it’s unfortunate to see a beloved artist’s rough drafts leak (especially at this volume), but it also couldn’t come at a better time to remind us of the greatness, versatility and goddess level of Kylie Minogue. We’re spoiled.
Consider this the appetizer ahead of the main course coming later this year.
