New Releases: Kylie Minogue, Nicki Minaj, Doja Cat & more

Let's kick off this week's New Releases with the grand Padam (Padam) herself, Miss Kylie Minogue. 

After scoring her first UK Top 10 hit in 12 years with the fantastically bonkers Padam Padam earlier this summer, Kylie is finally issuing the next single from her forthcoming record, Tension. Released today, the title track comes with a co-write from Official Charts fave Kamille (who has written for the likes of Little Mix, Mabel and FLO) and has been compared, by its a producer, to a Girls Aloud track. We can certainly hear the Aloudian influence on the way that Tension bends and breaks itself over at three different hooks and a house piano bassline over the course of its short run-time. It may not quite continue the Padamic, but it's more proof than ever than Kylie has her finger on the pulse of pop music right now. 

Doja Cat continues the visually abrasive, bold and shocking roll-outs that have accompanied her forthcoming album Scarlet with her new single Demons, which comes with a fancy video featuring Christina Ricci and creative direction that comes straight out of The Exorcist. No-one is doing it better at the moment...and just in time for Halloween!

Nicki Minaj has made a lot of noise in recent weeks that her brand new album, Pink Friday 2 due this November, will be a continuation of the aesthetic and sonic productions that defined her first two, most successful records Pink Friday and Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. The LP's first single doesn't sound anything like last summer's funky Super Freaky Girl, or share the big pop girl ambitions of Starships or Super Bass. The production - a nice, acoustic-laden beat, from what we've heard - is definitely pop, but maybe she's saving the big, freaky EDM bangers for later down the line?

Elsewhere this week, Griff unveils the first single from her long-awaited debut album (Vertigo), L Devine's own debut album is finally on the way after 7 long years and she's shared the closing track this week (Laundry Day - read more in our interview with L Devine here) and 2021 Eurovision winner Måneskin are not resting their poor feet after the release of their third album Rush!, they have a brand new single, Honey (Are You Coming?) produced by Danish hitmaker Sly (Dua Lipa). 

As for albums this week, Royal Blood will be looking to secure a fourth consecutive Number 1 album with Back To The Water below. If they do, they'll join a very exclusive Official Charts club, of acts who have reached Number 1 with all of their studio albums.