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"Slow" is an electropop song written by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue, Dan Carey and Emilíana Torrini for Minogue's ninth studio album, Body Language (2003). It was produced by Sunnyroads (Carey and Torrini) and received a positive reception from music critics. The song was released as the album's lead single in late 2003 and reached number one in Australia, Denmark, Romania and the United Kingdom, where it became Minogue's seventh number-one single. In the United States, "Slow" was released to success on the Billboard dance charts, reaching the top position on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. Additionally, the song earned Minogue her third consecutive Grammy Award nomination in the Best Dance Recording category, but lost out to "Toxic" by Britney Spears.

Composition
"Slow"

According to the sheet music published by Hal Leonard Corporation, it is set in common time with a tempo of 114 beats per minute. Composed in the key of D♭ major, the chord progression F-E♭-Dm-Dm-E♭-F follows throughout Minogue's edition while the progression G-F-E-E-F-G follows Pallot's. with Pallot's vocal range spanning from the low-note of B4 to the high-note of G6. Minogue's version is composed in the key of F major with Minogue's vocal range spanning from the low-note of A4 to the high-note of F6. The chord progression F-E♭-Dm-Dm-E♭-F follows throughout Minogue's edition while the progression G-F-E-E-F-G follows Pallot's. The middle eight remains in F (Pallot's version did not contain a middle eight).

A
"Better Than Today" is a pop song with many additional styles, including rock, funk, soul and country. It also incorporates the use of the electric and acoustic guitar, synthesizers and drum programming by both Pallot and Chatterley. According to the sheet music published by Hal Leonard Corporation, it is set in common time with a tempo of 110 beats per minute. Pallot's version of the song is composed in the key of G major with Pallot's vocal range spanning from the low-note of B4 to the high-note of G6. Minogue's version is composed in the key of F major with Minogue's vocal range spanning from the low-note of A4 to the high-note of F6. The chord progression F-E♭-Dm-Dm-E♭-F follows throughout Minogue's edition while the progression G-F-E-E-F-G follows Pallot's. The middle eight remains in F (Pallot's version did not contain a middle eight).

Many comparisons have been made on the song's style. Popjustice compared "Better Than Today" to the style used in Minogue's 1990 album Rhythm of Love. Hannah Kim of the Korea JoongAng Daily stated the track adds on to a "classic 70s disco sound". When reviewing the album, Ian Wade of BBC Music called the song a "tech-country strut". Fraser McAlpine of BBC said that without research, it "bears the musical fingerprint" of Shears. "It's got that 'Laura' bounce ... And the bit where Kylie goes way up high? Well you've heard the verses to 'I Don't Feel Like Dancing' [sic] right? Sonically similar..." Christel Loar of PopMatters and Nick Levine of Digital Spy praised the lyric in the song, "What's the point in living if you don't wanna dance?" Levine specifically applauded Pallot and Chatterly for "coming up with probably the Kyliest Kylie lyric ever".

Critical reception
"Slow" was greeted to positive reviews by a variety of critics. New York magazine's Ethan Brown described the song as a "template" for pop stars to follow that has electric beats that are "warm, even radiant." Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone called "Slow" a "Prince-style electro-glitz disco gem." Adrien Begrand of PopMatters, claimed that the song was the focal point of the album and wrote that it was Minogue's most seductive piece to date.

Chart performance
On 3 November 2003, "Slow" was released in the United Kingdom. The song became Minogue's seventh number-one single when it debuted at the top spot on the singles chart, and spent a total of ten weeks in the top seventy-five. However, even though "Slow" became a number one in the UK, it only sold 43,000 copies, her lowest-selling number-one single in the UK and to date is one of the lowest-selling number-one singles in UK chart history second only to George Michael's "Faith". Outside of the UK, the song was also successful. It debuted at number one in Australia and became Minogue's ninth number one on the ARIA Singles Chart. In addition, "Slow" was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association for shipments of over 70,000 copies. In continental Europe the single peaked at number one in Denmark and Romania and attained top five and top ten success in most nations, including Belgium, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and Norway, resulting in a peak position of number two on the pan-European chart. In Canada, the song was released on 13 January 2004, and it peaked at number six, becoming one of Minogue's most successful singles there.

Due to favourable reception of Minogue's previous releases, "Slow" was released in the United States. Initially, Capitol slated "Cruise Control" as the first U.S. single. Plans were scrapped due to Minogue's choosing "Slow" instead. When the song did not meet both sales and chart expectations, "Slow" was quickly scrapped in place for "Red Blooded Woman". "Slow" became her third release to reach the top of the Billboard Hot Dance Chart Play chart. It also performed well on the Hot Dance Airplay chart, where it reached number seven. The song however was not a success on the Billboard Hot 100, debuting at number ninety-three before peaking at number ninety-one, spending only three weeks on the chart.

Music video
The single's music video, directed by Baillie Walsh, was shot over a three-day period in the Spanish city of Barcelona, at the Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc. The first two days of shooting were postponed due to heavy rain, but the video was completed by the end of the third day. The video opens with a man diving into a swimming pool from a diving board from where the skyscrapers of Barcelona can be clearly seen. After the man gets out the pool, the rest of the video focuses on Minogue, who is amongst a crowded poolside of swimwear-clad men and women. There are various side-views and bird's-eye views of Minogue as she sings the song.

Live performances
Minogue performed the song on the following concert tours:
 * Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour
 * Showgirl: The Homecoming Tour
 * KylieX2008
 * For You, For Me Tour
 * Aphrodite World Tour (Jazz version/Chemical Brothers Remix medley)

The song was also performed on the 2003 TV concert Money Can't Buy.

Cover versions

 * Bell X1 on Even Better than the Real Thing Vol. 2
 * Mayer/Aguayo on Kompakt: Total 6
 * Tricky on Knowle West Boy
 * The Chemical Brothers remix

Track listings
These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Slow".

(Released: 3 November 2003)
 * UK CD 1
 * 1) "Slow" (Album Version) – 3:15
 * 2) "Soul on Fire" – 3:32

(Released: 13 January 2004)
 * Canadian CD single
 * 1) "Slow" (Album Version) – 3:15
 * 2) "Soul on Fire" – 3:32

(Released: 3 November 2003)
 * UK CD 2 and Australian CD 1
 * 1) "Slow" (Album Version) – 3:15
 * 2) "Sweet Music" (Main Version) – 4:08
 * 3) "Slow" (Medicine 8 Remix) – 6:57
 * 4) "Slow" (Video)

(Released: 1 November 2003)
 * Australian CD 2
 * 1) "Slow" (Album Version) – 3:15
 * 2) "Soul on Fire" – 3:32
 * 3) "Slow" (Radio Slave Mix) – 10:27
 * 4) "Slow" (Synth City Mix) – 5:50

(Released: 2 December 2003)
 * French DVD single
 * 1) "Slow" (Album Version) – 3:15
 * 2) "Sweet Music" (Main Version) – 4:08
 * 3) "Slow" (Video)

(Released: November 10, 2003)
 * Japanese CD single
 * 1) "Slow" (Album Version) – 3:15
 * 2) "Soul on Fire" (Main Version) – 3:32
 * 3) "Slow" (Medicine 8 Remix) – 6:57
 * 4) "Slow" (Radio Slave Mix) (Short Version) – 6:35
 * 5) "Slow" (Extended Mix) – 6:25