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Apr 03, 2024 By Mark Redfern Photography by Alasdair McLellan

1980s electro-pop icons Pet Shop Boys are releasing a new album, Nonetheless, on April 26 via Parlophone. Now they have shared its second single, “Dancing Star.” The song is about Russian ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev, who defected from the Soviet Union in 1961 to become a star in the West. He died in Paris in 1993, at age 54, from AIDS complications. Pet Shop Boys have also released two B-sides (“Sense of Time” and “If Jesus Had a Sister”), two remixes of “Dancing Star,” and one remix of previous B-side “Party in the Blitz.” Listen to it all below.

Previously Pet Shop Boys shared the album’s first single, “Loneliness,” via a music video.

James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Depeche Mode, Blur, Gorillaz, and Simian Mobile Disco) produced Nonetheless. It is the follow-up to 2020’s Hotspot and 2016’s Super.

The duo (Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe) collectively had this to say about the new album in a previous press release: “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.

“It was great to work with James Ford, who we think has brought new elements to our music. James has dared to make us a bit more minimal at times and the final result is a record we’re very proud of.”

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