Two absolute legends of synthpop, Soft Cell and Pet Shop Boys, have joined forces to create a new song called “Purple Zone.” It’s a fast-paced banger with Chris Lowe’s trademark synth riffs that sound very similar to the synths from the classic Pet Shop Boys tune, “Always On My Mind.”
The music video features Soft Cell’s Marc Almond selling ice cream from a truck and Pet Shop Boys’ Neil Tennant slinging drinks at a pub, while colorful characters around London mime the song’s lyrics. The always enigmatic Lowe remains barely visible, wearing a black cap, dark sunglasses, and a timely face mask. All four members of the two bands appear seated together at a table playing dominoes.
The “Purple Zone” single out today comes with three remixes: an Extended Mix, Club Mix, and a Club Dub. The Club Mix has Daft Punk-esque vocal effects.
“Purple Zone” will appear on Soft Cell’s upcoming album *Happiness not included, which is now coming out on May 6. Soft Cell’s Dave Ball says the album is about “the dreadful government we have at the moment and the levels of hypocrisy and incompetence.” We’ve already heard a couple of tracks from the album, including the dour “Heart Like Chernobyl” and “Bruises On My Illusions.”
In 2020, Pet Shop Boys released their 14th studio album, Hotspot. It includes the tracks “Burning the Heather,” “Monkey Business,” and my favorite song from the album, “Will-o-the-Wisp.”
You can find “Purple Zone” on Spotify.
