''Essential'' is a 1998

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...

Pet Shop Boys The Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of primary vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 50 million records worldwide, and were listed as the most successful duo i ...

, released as a limited edition in the United States by

EMI EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its break-up in 201 ...

Capitol A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity. Specific capitols include: * United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. * Numerous ...

and in Japan by Toshiba/EMI.Essential Japanese release
/ref> Produced for only six months, early promotional versions of the album had the title ''Early'', as the tracks featured were part of Pet Shop Boys' early catalogue.Pet Shop Boys official website, Essential information
/ref> The album contained

remix A remix (or reorchestration) is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, video, poem, or photograph can all be remixes. The o ...

es as well as album tracks and B-sides. The CD booklet contains an essay written by music journalist and Pet Shop Boys biographer

Chris Heath Chris Heath is a British writer who was a regular contributor to the popular English music magazine '' Smash Hits'' in the eighties and early nineties. In the late eighties, he travelled with Pet Shop Boys on their first ever world tour and the r ...

. While several of the selections had not been available on compact disc prior to its original release, as of 2018, it remains the only official CD appearance of the 7" version of "That's My Impression" (all other reissues and compilations using the "Disco" mix.)

Track listing

Personnel

* Evren Göknar - Mastering Engineer

Certifications

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Essential (Pet Shop Boys Album) Pet Shop Boys compilation albums 1998 compilation albums