Body Language - A Retro Review of a Divisive Work
Body Language is the ninth studio album by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. It was released on 10 November 2003 by Parlophone. Following the commercial success of her eighth studio album Fever (2001), Minogue enlisted a diverse group of writers and producers to aid in creating a new album, including Cathy Dennis, Dan Carey, Emiliana Torrini, Johnny Douglas, and Kurtis Mantronik among others. Influenced by the musical works of the 1980s and artists like Prince and Scritti Politti, Body Language musically differs from Minogue‘s previous albums, which mainly featured disco-oriented dance-pop tracks, and instead explores genres like synth-pop, electroclash, R&B, and hip hop. Lyrically, the album touches upon themes of enjoyment, flirting, and sex. Following its release, Body Language received generally favourable reviews from music critics, many of whom complimented Minogue for experimenting with new genres and the overall production of the album. Some critics, however, opined that many songs lacked catchy material and were not suitable for dancing. Commercially, Body Language peaked at number two on the albums chart of Australia and was certified double-platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). In the United Kingdom, the album peaked at number six and was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Three singles were released from Body Language. ”Slow” was released as the lead single in November 2003 and was a commercial success, peaking at number one on the singles charts of Australia, Denmark, Spain and the United Kingdom. ”Red Blooded Woman” was released as the second single and reached the top five in Australia and the United Kingdom. ”Chocolate” was released as the final single and peaked inside the top 10 in the United Kingdom. Minogue performed at a one-off concert-show titled ”Money Can‘t Buy”, on 15 November 2003 to mark the release of the album. Body Language became notable for displaying another change in Minogue‘s persona and is cited as an example of her numerous ”reinventions”.