Track Review: Kylie Minogue Floats Into the Disco With "Say Something"

Kylie Minogue is back! After jumping into country-pop with 2018's Golden, the Grammy-nominated "Can't Get You Out of My Head" songstress has pivoted to disco for her latest album and single: "Say Something" from Disco out November 6.

Different elements of disco have reemerged in some of Top 40's biggest hits this year courtesy of Doja Cat, The Weeknd, Dua Lipa, and Lady Gaga. With "Say Something," Kylie has delivered the strongest and most authentic ode to the disco era that 2020 has seen so far. Introduced by thumping synths and sultry exhales, "Say Something" immediately situates itself, and the listener, in that hazy and sensual space of classic disco. The synths are nicely offset by an earthy bass guitar riff that prevents the track from feeling too computerized. Kylie sings about, in her own words, "our eternal quest for love." From the first verse alone, her flirty vocal performance makes sure to accentuate the strength of the lyrics even in the face of such lush production: "We're a million miles apart in a thousand ways/Baby, you can light up the dark like a solar scape." She employs a legato delivery in the first half of the song's chorus and then she veers into the power pop lane for the punchy "say something" hook in the latter half of the chorus. That defiance of the hook is counterbalanced by the psychedelic feeling of the whispery ad-libs that eventually morph into a pseudo-choir by the time we reach the utterly hypnotizing outro.

"Say Something" is a genuine tribute to the disco era; it effortlessly recalls the soft sensuality and natural danceability of the genre and mood.

Score: 76