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Or rather, the anticipation of her new material. Yes, I know that the story broke last week, and that I’m not the only fan who is patiently waiting (eagerly doesn’t even come close to describing it) for the first new material for four years from the first lady of pop. We’ve had the rumours, leaks, and denials, but finally, the wait is almost over, and one of the most long-awaited comebacks in pop history is nearly upon us.

I’ve documented my love for the diminutive one and her music on these pages before, but I’ve not felt this excited about anything she’s released for a long time. And of course, that’s exactly what the Kylie promotional juggernaut wants me and every other fan the world over to feel. She’s got us over a barrel, in the nicest possible way, of course.

The new single arrives first, on 12 November (or a week earlier for downloaders). Written and produced by Kish Mauve, ‘2 Hearts’ is reportedly an electro track, and is reportedly good enough to make the top of the charts, although how much of that will be down to Kylie’s two-year absence is anyone’s guess. And, judging by the cover (pictured above) depicting a very made-up Kylie, I reckon it could well be at least a little 1980s sounding…

The album ‘X’ (denoting Kylie’s 10th studio album) follows two weeks later on 26 November. A 13-track collection of collaborations with pop’s elitist writers and producers, it would be a big disappointment if the finished product wasn’t nothing less than excellent.

Long-time collaborators Guy Chambers, Cathy Dennis, Karen Poole, and Richard Stannard are all present and correct, alongside the much-reported Calvin Harris, and Cutfather. Surprisingly, tracks with Boy George, Groove Armada, Mylo, and Scissor Sisters have fallen by the glittery wayside, and fans can only hope that they turn up on singles or albums of rarities.

However, in the spirit of the feeling that music is now everybody’s, Mylo posted his two tracks ‘In The Mood For Love’ and ‘Spell of Desire’ on his myspace page, and although they have since been removed, I don’t think that I would have been the only fan to find them quickly and download them. They are still out there if you look, and look you should, as if all the ‘X’ rejected songs are as good as ‘In The Mood For Love’, then the album should really be worth waiting for.

With its soaring harmonies and choruses, it really is an electro belter, and along with the earlier leaked (and denied) and equally good ‘Excuse My French’ and ‘When The Cats’s Away’ join the album’s worth of songs that didn’t make the ‘X’ final cut. I’ve not heard ‘Lose Control’, but apparently that’s better than all of the rest of them put together…

Here’s the full track list:

2 Hearts
Like A Drug
In My Arms
Speakerphone
Sensitized
Heart Beat Rock
The One
No More Rain
All I See
Stars
Wow
Nu-di-ty
Cosmic

It all sounds good, and while ‘Speakerphone’, and ‘Wow’ are my favourites on name alone, ‘Nu-di-ty’ has an SMS-type ring to it, and suggests something rather coarse. ‘In My Arms’ has been a leaked fan favourite, too, and by releasing details so tantalisingly and slowly (and not to mention the Mylo downloads), Camp Kylie has certainly stoked the anticipation fires to be so hot, they almost hurt.

Before all that though, is the screening of the ‘White Diamond’ film, which documents how Kylie and her team take Showgirl Homecoming from rehearsals to the road first in Australia and then to the UK.

To be shown on 16 October only at selected Vue Cinemas, it will be presented in High Definition, and Dolby 5:1 digital surround sound, and should be an experience not to miss. And, finally, the film itself will be included on a DVD version of the ‘Showgirl Homecoming’ tour, due for release on 10 December.

There’s never been a more exciting time to be a Kylie fan. The next few weeks should be very interesting to say the least, and more than a little exciting…

*Thanks to Mariah Carey for the inspiration of this blog post title.

*UPDATE*, 5 October 2007: GMTV to play world exclusive of ‘2 Hearts’ video on Wednesday 10 October

*UPDATE*, 8 October 2007: Popjustice reveals Kylie ‘X’ cover

This week hasn’t been a good one for commuting. Thinking that I would be late home on Wednesday night after a work pub quiz, I got a later train in the morning, but still an early enough one to work a decent amount of hours. But, as the saying goes, all the best laid plans go to waste. Guess what? A broken down train further down the line was soon reported to us and the ’10-minute’ delay turned into one 34 minutes longer. I wasn’t the only person who wasn’t happy.

But, there was more misery to come. On Wednesday night, even the train home was late. You would think that ‘one’ could get it right, even at 22h30. But no, the Intercity back to the wilds of Suffolk was delayed by 14 minutes, as the driver couldn’t ‘get the brakes to release’. That’s a new one from the book of never-ending excuses, ‘one’; sticky brakes that won’t release.

Maybe us passengers who pay a fortune in season tickets every year for a bad service should be treated to some new rolling stock? I mean, all I wanted to do was to get home, before the alarm awoke me at six again on Thursday morning. In all honesty, it can’t be that hard, can it, to run an on-time service, with reliable rolling stock? What do we pay our season ticket for? And if it’s not for line or carriage improvements, where does the money go?

This morning there were yet more delays. Points failures at Liverpool Street meant that only half the platforms were in use (and a 60-minute wait), and admittedly, this wasn’t ‘one’s’ fault, but it did mean that as I’ve only been in the office for four days this week, 50% of those days have suffered depleted hours due to train delays. It’s just not good enough. I’d be tempted to leave work later if it wasn’t for the fact that due to this week’s problems; I don’t know what to expect from the evening journey home until I get to Liverpool Street.

I’ll be truly glad when the days of commuting are over. Maybe the planning should start now…

Jars of quince jelly

After our recent day of satisfaction from tomato chutney making, today we thought we’d have a go at creating something altogether sweeter. Picking 2kg of quince from the bush at the house, quince jelly was our end product of choice this afternoon. As we were in danger of losing the fruit off the tree, the time was undoubtedly right.

Any good jam of jelly begins with the soaking of the fruit, and after 90 minutes and just over three pints of water, the previously sticky and halved fruit were very soft, the skins and pips having removed themselves. Filtering the mixture to get a pure syrup through a muslin bag over a drip stand was done overnight, and in the morning we had a large mixing bowl’s full of dark red liquid, ready for turning into jelly.

Nik adds the lemon

Adding three pounds of jam sugar to our three pints of syrup, we then boiled it until all of the sugar had dissolved, and then added the juice of one lemon. The next step a long time, but is crucial when making jelly. Keeping the heat up until the mixture reached 105 degrees seemed to take forever, but at that temperature the setting process begins. Removing one spoonful from the pan, and dropping it onto a saucer, we waited to see if it would cool. If it goes crinkly when a finger is run over it, then it’s ready to be jarred up. A few minutes and 10 half-pound jars later, we were done.

Thinking we were on a roll, we set about our next round of making. A can of Ma Made bitter Seville oranges had been bought to produce homemade marmalade. Technically it’s cheating, but it was so very easy. Even the water and pectin (to make the marmalade set) are added to the oranges to make the process even easier.

Jars of marmalade

To the 850g can of oranges, we added some fresh ginger, and three quarters of a pint of water, and four pounds of sugar. Boiling this little lot up to a temperature where the sugar dissolves seemed to take much less time, but once done, it only needs to sit on the hob for 15 minutes, when it should then be ready for setting testing on the saucer.

We produced 12 jars of the orange stuff, and have ordered more jars, as we’re fast running out. It’s kept us busy and has been very satisfying, though, and should ensure that we’ve got enough for lazy weekend breakfast treats for quite some time to come.

It’s been one of the most-talked about stars of the IAA Frankfurt motor show, and it could well put the Volkswagen back into Volkswagen.

Unveiled to an expectant and hungry press exactly one week ago, the VW up! could revolutionise transport for city slickers who want something different to tool about town in. Why? Well, unlike all other small cars, it has its engine at the back, above the rear wheels, just like the original Beetle. This helps production costs and interior space, which is handy, as the German giant is aiming this car at a global audience.

Trailblazing a new Volkswagen city car due in 2009, it is, for the moment, very much a concept car. Rumoured to go into production in a basic form for developing countries, a posher and more stylish version will be sent to do battle with the competition in established markets. Two other variations are said to be planned for unveilings at shows in both Tokyo and Los Angeles.

With a wheel at each corner and minimal overhangs, the four-seater takes on a monobox appearance, but not at the expense of style. Looking like something cute and cuddly which has escaped from an episode of The Jetsons (or with its white and black colour scheme, Kylie’s ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’ video), it almost appears to have a personality. Talk of the ‘instantly recognisable Volkswagen face’ seems a little extreme, though.

The interior is just as stylish. It’s technological, too, with unique software linked to a touch-sensitive screen (Apple iPhone customers will be at home), which has the ability to sense specific hand movements to access the car’s function controls. Another screen ahead of the driver tells the driver other information such as the status of the systems, and a real-time read-out of the amounts of CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere. In addition, each of the individual lightweight seats can be folded and removed from the car in order for larger loads to be carried, and feature inflatable pockets.

Unsurprisingly, for one so teeny, the up! is quite capable of being a real greeny. Two and three-cylinder engines are slated for the production car, both fitted with VW’s fuel-stratified injection technology. With a sub-1.000kg weight, 80mpg could be theoretically possible, along with low emissions, to really push home the green message. Online sources hint at a possible low-emission diesel variant, too.

I’ve grown to like the looks of the little up! and I could well be one of the potential buyers which Volkswagen is looking to target with the production version of this car. Is it any coincidence that it looks like a product of the iPod generation, when the company announced that it was in talks with Apple recently, to discuss possible collaborations which could include an ‘iCar’?

While it maybe subconsciously and blatantly reminiscent of Apple, I think the clean white body certainly gets the car noticed, and contrasts well with the black bumper and wheel inserts. And while the transparent rear end is as stylish as it is practical, the glowing badge and taillights which sit behind it are frivolous and fun.

With a 3450mm length and 1630mm width, the up! is both shorter and narrower than the current Fox city car, which hasn’t exactly set the world alight with its bland styling, despite its modest price. That’s one thing VW aims to get right with this successor. Many press reports suggest a sub-£5,000 price for the Western market models, while the developing countries version could cost as less as £4,000. And that’s what the company has possibly been lacking in the last few years: a model in true ‘people’s car’ territory.

It seems that we’ve not been alone in rediscovering Desireless’ ‘Voyage Voyage’ while we were on holiday.

One-time Eurovision winner wannabe Kate Ryan has given the track a club-type makeover, and is expecting a European release in September.

And, surely the musical makeover of all musical makeovers, there’s also a much slower version featuring chanting Gregorian monks.

But, the original is still the best; a perfect slice of late 1980s French electro pop, and as the video shows, the most perfect late 1980s hairstyle? I’ve been trying to track down a digital version of the song, but I don’t desire it that much to travel to these prices.