Review Summary: Kylie creates the dance-pop record of the new millennium.
There’s something so uniquely sleek about Fever. Maybe I haven’t listened to enough from the time period, but this early 00’s dance record oozes the essence of cool. Like a virus, Fever’s groove grabs you from the start and doesn’t let go until the beat stops. Kylie’s trademark disco sound has transformed over the decades, and on Fever she utilizes an array of songwriters and producers to perfect that sound into one of the catchiest pop records of the new millenium.
Ok, straight up, the first three songs on this thing are all bangers. "More More More" has a groovy bassline that kicks serious ass over Kylie’s smooth, sleek vocals. It’s a perfect introduction in terms of what to expect from the rest of the album. This is followed by the one-two punch of classic singles, “Love At First Sight” and “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head”. The former is saccharine sweet, with twinkling strings and a blissful chorus that emulates the feeling of its title. The latter is more menacing, defined by an off-beat synth and constant hooks.
Fever is definitely a product of its time, but there’s not much wrong with that. "Fragile" borders on a euro-pop trance sound, laced with occasional guitar chords that sound heavenly over gentle vocals that come close to whispering. "Come Into My World" gives off the same vibe, with the same synth that "Can’t Get You Out Of My Head" uses. Alternatively, ‘Dancefloor’ goes for the tried-and-true disco approach, violins and organ synths in harmony over a Kylie that wants to just cut loose.
Fever's only downside is that even for its smorgasbord of producers, it can sound kind of repetitive. Those first three tracks that are certified bangers? Almost all of the other tracks could be described as lesser versions of them. There are exceptions (Give It To Me, Burning Up), but on a front to back listen, it all starts sounding familiar too fast. This doesn’t make the songs bad (except for Give It To Me, which sounds unfinished) - all of these songs have been cleanly produced and Kylie has an amazing voice that fits perfectly with Fever’s take on dance-pop.
Ultimately, Fever is an essential record for pop fans, club music fans, and anyone that’s ever heard a Kylie Minogue song they’ve liked. With classic singles and very little filler, Fever goes down easy. But with the amount of hooks packed into these dozen songs, don’t be surprised if you find yourself coming back to infectious choruses and sickeningly good grooves.
