I own a copy of the machine numbered, limited edition double LP along with a white label four track sampler. Rather strangely (or rather typically for Pet Shop Boys) the sampler has a remix that isn't on the main album and is not by the Pet Shop Boys. Quite why it is on there is anybody's guess.
The first track is the "Stars are blazing" remix of "Read My Mind" by The Killers and I'm not mad about either the song or the Pet Shop Boys embellishments. Then we rewind over ten years to Neil and Chris's remix of "Hallo Spaceboy" by David Bowie. The version presented here is the extended version that wasn't released commercially in the UK so it is nice to hear it being resurrected.
The first Pet Shop Boys song we come across is a radical reworking of the album track "Integral" which was also issued as a promotional single. Whilst this version isn't without charm, it strips away the melodies of the original and ultimately boils everything down to a monotonous club groove with some vocoder vocals.
There's a nice "Electro" remix of "Walking on thin ice" by Yoko Ono but its six minute plus run time sees it out stay its welcome. Having stolen the chord progression from "West End Girls" on "Jump" Madonna decided to make amends by offering the boys the opportunity to remix the single "Sorry". The PSB mix is typical of the electroclash style the boys adopted during this period but it doesn't excite me at all.
"Hooked on radiation" by Atomozer was also part of the electroclash club scene of the early millennium and the "Orange Alert Mix" by Neil and Chris was originally released on their own Olde English imprint in 2003. The most surprising partnership the boys ever forged was with Rammstein for their remix of "Mein Teil". As you might expect the Pet Shop Boys mix is a good deal faster than the original and adds more melodic elements that make it dance floor friendly. The album rounds out with the excellent "Maxi-mix" of single "I'm With Stupid" - which is probably the best thing on here. 2/5
