Nonetheless (Exclusive) (Limited) (Grey Vinyl)

LPA

1. Loneliness 
2. Feel
3. Why am I dancing?
4. New London boy
5. Dancing star

LPB

1. A new bohemia
2. The schlager hit parade
3. The secret of happiness
4. Bullet for Narcissus
5. Love is the law

Pet Shop Boys start a busy 2024 with the announcement of the forthcoming release of a brand new, 10-track studio album, ‘Nonetheless’, on Parlophone Records on April 26 and five special performances at London’s Royal Opera House in July.

The album is the duo’s first with producer James Ford, who has previously worked with artists including Arctic Monkeys, Depeche Mode, Blur, Gorillaz and Simian Mobile Disco.

‘Nonetheless’ features 10 brand new tracks, recorded and mixed in London last year, primarily at James Ford’s studio in East London. The orchestra and backing vocals were recorded at The Church studio in North London.

The music on ‘Nonetheless’ is both uplifting and reflective, mixing electronics, live instruments and orchestral arrangements. The songs are very melodic and quintessentially Pet Shop Boys with a fresh, open sound, bringing together classic strands of PSB song-writing and moving them in new directions.

Pet Shop Boys spoke about the creative process around the record: “We wanted this album to be a celebration of the unique and diverse emotions that make us human. From the more dance-orientated tracks to the raw poignancy of the introspective ballads, with their beautiful string arrangements, each track tells a story and contributes to the overall narrative of the album.”

Notably energised and driven by the huge resurgence spawned by their last trilogy of studio albums and the ongoing success of their ‘Dreamworld: The Greatest Hits Live’ tour, ‘Nonetheless’ is the sound of a group at a new peak of their remarkably consistent creative power.

Having sold in excess of 50 million records, Pet Shop Boys are easily the most successful UK duo of all time. Since their first Number 1 single, ‘West End girls’, they have forged a singular path. Such is the strength of their catalogue that in June 2020 The Guardian reported that ‘West End girls’ had been voted the greatest Number 1 single ever in the UK: “36 years on, their debut single still pulses with that beguiling ambiguity - perfect pop equilibrium that almost made Dusty Springfield crash her car the first time she heard it.”

BRIT awards and Grammy nominations have been numerous, including in 2009 when Pet Shop Boys won the BRIT for outstanding contribution to music; in 2000 Pet Shop Boys’ song-writing was rewarded with the Ivor Novello award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music - with over 70 hit singles spanning five decades, song-writing remains resolutely at the core of Pet Shop Boys’ continuing relevance and success.

PSB’s last three albums, recorded with producer Stuart Price, coincided with extended bouts of touring which saw the group headline Glastonbury for the third time, as well as headlining other major music festivals across the world. The duo also toured the US in 2022 in the co-headlining ‘Unity’ tour with New Order, which saw them selling out arenas including Madison Square Garden in New York and the Hollywood Bowl in LA. PSB finished that year headlining Edinburgh’s iconic Hogmanay show. More dates for the Dreamworld tour have already been announced for 2024, including a headline slot at the Isle of Wight Festival this summer.

Pet Shop Boys said today: “We’re very excited to release this new album. Its 10 tracks are the strongest indicators of where we are today. Like much of our music it’s very reflective. It was great to work with James Ford, who we think has brought new elements to our music. Our demos are sometimes quite complicated, and James has dared to make us a bit more minimal at times - but also, the string arrangements are very beautiful. Some of the record is quite heart-breaking, but we hope a lot of it is also uplifting. It’s a record we’re very proud of.”

Parlophone Managing Director Jennifer Ivory added: “Pet Shop Boys and Parlophone enjoyed an incredibly successful and creative partnership which spanned almost 30 years, so it feels amazing to have them back with us. One of the most innovative and inventive acts to come out of the UK, their new music continues to evolve and push boundaries while they continue to blaze their own trail. We couldn't be happier to be working with them again on this new and exciting stage of their career. Parlophone is overwhelmingly proud to welcome Neil and Chris back home!”.