Albums: Sleep Of Reason

The Pet Shop Boys', Neil Tennant is a talented singer and songwriter. Following the announcement of a new collaborative album with composer Mark Springer, the singer has now released it. Mark was part of Rip Rig + Panic, a post-punk band founded in 1980, which also featured Neneh Cherry. Since then he has worked primarily as a solo artist, composing piano music, and scores for TV shows. 

His latest collaboration is with Neil Tennant and Sacconi Quartet, a UK-based classical string quartet founded in 2001.

Announcing the news on Pet Shop Boys' social media, they posted the album's artwork writing: Composer Mark Springer’s forthcoming new album, "Sleep of Reason", which includes a collaboration with Neil Tennant, is now available to pre-order on double vinyl and CD exclusively at the Bandcamp link in bio.

'The album is planned for release in April 2025 and consists of three major pieces inspired by the Spanish artist Francisco Goya: a piece for solo piano, a string quartet and a quintet for voice and strings. Mark Springer plays the piano, The Sacconi Quartet perform the quartet and they are joined by Neil Tennant on vocals for the quintet. The opening track "Phantoms and Monsters" can be listened to now at the Bandcamp link.'

Following the initial announcement, a second post confirmed the release date and that the album is available on CD. Neil told his fans: 'I just met the composer Mark Springer to get some CDs of his beautiful work, “Sleep of Reason”, the first part of which I sing on. It’s always exciting to get finished copies of a new record and this looks very handsome! It’s released on April 25th. Neil x'.

Speaking about the album, Neil said: "I bought a book of Goya's print series Los Caprichos which had inspired Mark's music and saw that the artworks were a satirical, cruel, nightmarish portrayal of the politics, corruption and culture of his era, exploring his dreams - or nightmares - while exposing the double standards of the ruling establishment.

"The lyrics I wrote for 'Sleep of Reason', in response to Los Caprichos, are intended to be sardonic and dreamlike, looking back to Goya's nightmares but then reflecting on my experiences in 21st Century popular culture and media in which I have located the 'monsters' Goya saw in his dreams.

"It often feels like we're living in an era dominated by monsters with their grotesque egos hollering through social media, unfiltered and untruthful, leaving a trail of wreckage behind them. Maybe it's always felt like that."

Sleep Of Reason The tracklist features 13 songs which are listed below.

1. Phantoms and Monsters

2. A Witch and a Devil

3. Truth is for Losers

4. Schmutzig

5. My Friend the Monster

6. The Madness of the Summer'

7. Morn

8. Noon

9. Night

10. Break

11. Fligh

12. Dark

13. Moon