Minogue enlisted several collaborators and producers for the album, including Richard "Biff" Stannard, Duck Blackwell, Jackson Foote, Lostboy, PhD, Cutfather, and Oliver Heldens.

Originally inspired by the 1980s music and culture, she abandoned the idea and decided to make a record that emphasised each song's individuality rather than a central theme.

"[19] Production on the album began in 2021, with early sessions involving longtime collaborators Richard "Biff" Stannard, Duck Blackwell, and Jon Green, as well as Minogue's A&R Jamie Nelson.

[23][24] "Hold On to Now" was one of the first tracks written for Tension, with Minogue sending Stannard a "Na-na-na" melody as a voice note and developing it.

[22] They then worked with Anya Jones and Camille "Kamille" Purcell to complete two songs in one day, "Things We Do for Love" and "Tension".

Despite accepting the offer, she found the production process difficult because it required recording in remote locations, working without Heldens in person, and exchanging song stems via email.

"[22] When asked about the album's subject matter, she said: "There are songs [on Tension] that may appear more superficial, but I feel like I can sing them with more certainty than I may have in the early days, when I was 19, 20, 21, 25.

[c] She described it as a "blend of personal reflection, club abandon, and melancholic highs", saying she wanted to "celebrate each song's individuality and dive into that freedom.

"[19] The album's lyrics centre on themes of love, lust, and empowerment, all of which have appeared in Minogue's previous work, according to Jonah Waterhouse of Vogue Australia.

[20] "Thing We Do for Love" features a "weird structure" of synths, guitar, and drum riffs reminiscent of 1980s synth-pop and power pop, as well as a subtle nod to the 1984 musical drama film Footloose.

[20] "Hands" features a "nostalgic" disco-inspired funky bass line and Ms Marinade's vocals during the verses, which were taken from the original demo.

[20] "Green Light" has been compared to the work of British singer Dua Lipa, and it features early-1980s pop elements and a saxophone solo.

[52] During the album's release week, a digital bonus version with two additional tracks, "Heavenly Body" and "Drum", was made available on Minogue's website for a limited time.

"[56] Minogue considered naming the album Vegas High, but changed her mind, saying "I hope this doesn't sound depressing - when you watch the news, the word is used negatively - but actually, once we decided that, I was pleasantly surprised that this title was well received.

[59] 50 white test pressings with Minogue's autograph were distributed via her website, and a pop-up store in London promoting the album sold clear vinyl with a diamond holographic sleeve.

[f] It was a sleeper hit for Minogue, charting in several territories and receiving certification in her native Australia, Brazil, and the United Kingdom.

Commercially, it performed moderately, placing in the top ten on component charts in Australia, Latvia, Nicaragua, the United Kingdom, Malta, and New Zealand.

[144][145] Instead of a repackage, Tension II is a sequel to the original album, which "was never intended to be another volume of work" but eventually ended up with "enough" material for a new project.

I can't wait to share beautiful and wild moments with fans all over the world as we celebrate the Tension era and more.

"[43] Similarly, DIY writer Otis Robinson wrote, "There's enough originality pumped throughout each track that Tension will undoubtedly stand as one of the most favoured contemporary Kylie eras.

"[24] Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic described the album's energy as "custom-made for living in the moment and embracing cathartic release", adding, "Tension is a master class in pop wizardry and escapist bliss.

The Line of Best Fit editor Sam Franzini gave it a 9 out of 10, calling it a "knockout," while Lucy Harbon of Clash said Tension "heralds in a vibrant and fun new era that sees Kylie refreshed and ready to lead again.

"[36][22] Vera Maksymiuk of Riff gave Tension an 8 out of 10, calling it "purely joyous and alluring", while Devon Chodzin, a Paste magazine contributor, wrote: "There is plenty of material for the club to cycle through, and one can expect that the album cuts will gain new vitality on the dance floor, too.

NME writer Nick Levine gave it four stars, saying that while Tension was not Minogue's "most cohesive or revealing" album, he thought each track was "driven by its own internal logic.

"[41] Helen Brown of The Independent felt similarly about the album's "safe" quality, but added that "there's no denying the twirling pleasures" of Tension.

[161] According to Annabel Ross of The Sydney Morning Herald, Tension did a better job of "facilitating dance floor euphoria," but Minogue's "cheerful guardedness" throughout the album's content was the only "flaw.

"[162] Guy Oddy of The Arts Desk praised some of the album's tracks and sounds while criticising others for a lack of "deep intellectual introspection".

It's a thrill to see an ARIA Hall of Fame artist continue to dominate, reinvent and represent Australian music on such a global scale.

[206] According to the Official Charts Company, Tension outsold the rest of its top 20 competitors four days after its release, with total first-week sales of 53,239 album-equivalent units.

[209][210] Minogue also became the tenth solo act with the most UK number-one albums, tying Bob Dylan, and the third female artist, trailing only Taylor Swift (10) and Madonna (12).