Rocktrospectiva: The Rare And Dull "Disco 2" Turns 30

Released on 12 September 1994, "Disco 2" was the 8th., album in the career of the Pet Shop Boys, and the second of a club-ready sequel to "Disco" released on 1986, the album was a kind of collection of remixes of songs released on the albums "Behaviour" and "Very" as well as B-sides from the time, the album reached No. 6 on the UK Albums chart and spawned a single "Absolutely Fabulous".

A year after the release of "Very", the Pet Shop Boys had just reinvented their sound and were looking to somehow prolong that vibe and also repeat the critical success achieved with the "Disco" collection from 1986, however, and despite having good songs, the album was not very well received, both by critics and fans, they simply did not understand the meaning of the work and it was thought that it was something of a filler, therefore it was not very worthy, let's say, for an act that has cemented its fame on top, thanks to the quality of its songs.

The tracks on the CD were mixed into one long continuous megamix by DJ Danny Rampling. As a result, most of the tracks are in edited versions, having been cut off mid-way through in a crossfade into the following tracks (as a DJ might do while mixing music live). Some of the tracks were reduced by more than half of their original lengths in this way. In addition, some tracks were sped up or slowed down, in order to match the overall tempo of the mix.

Even though the album is a DJ mix by Rampling, mention of this only appears on the inner sleeve. Back then, it was considered one of EMI's autumn 1994 highlights, Disco 2 was promoted from its September release through to Christmas.

An earlier remix album, also titled Disco 2, was due for release in 1988 following the release of Actually (1987) and was to contain extended versions of Pet Shop Boys songs. The duo cancelled the album in protest at EMI including their cover of "Always on My Mind" intended for inclusion on Disco 2 .

The critics were awful for the album, considered it as dance, trancing and italo house-style raving album. However, the album dissapoints as a follow-up to Very, because how the tracks endlessly repeat one stuttering phrase, and also considered the interspersed samples of Absolutely Fabulous characters Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone to be very poor and because of that, some critics recommended the listeners to buy the "Very" twelve-inch singles instead.

Disco 2 Track List:

1. "Absolutely Fabulous" (Rollo Our Tribe Tongue-In Cheek Mix)

2. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Beatmasters Extended Nude Mix)

3. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (DJ Pierre Wild Pitch Mix) 

4. "Go West" (Farley & Heller Mix)

5. "Liberation" (E Smoove 12" Mix)

6. "So Hard" (Morales Red Zone Mix)

7. "Can You Forgive Her?" (Rollo Dub)

8. "Yesterday, When I Was Mad" (Junior Vásquez Fabulous Dub)

9. "Absolutely Fabulous" (Rollo Our Tribe Tongue-In Cheek Mix)

10. "Yesterday, When I Was Mad" (Coconut 1 12" Mix)

11. "Yesterday, When I Was Mad" (Jam & Spoon Mix) 1

12. "We All Feel Better In The Dark" (Brothers In Rhythm After Hours Climax Mix)