Pet Shop Boys – Liberation

It's pure hilarity that the "E-Smoove 12" Mix" never appeared on an actual 12" vinyl despite the mix name. It's CD only!! Only the E-Smoove 7" appeared on the 12" vinyl singles.

This should have been released just like it at the time.
I wonder why all other mixes were not available on the quite disappointing two CD set.

The Murk/Oscar G mixes are decent tribal/dubby house numbers on the upper scale of what they were doing at the time, but what makes this package truly outstanding is the two kaleidoscopic Jam&Spoon mixes, the "Trip-O-Matic Fairy Tale" (apparently Neil Tennant's favorite remix on the whole PSB-backcatalogue) is an insane melancholic-yet-hopeful twirling aerial breaky early trance number, up there with the greatest Hardkiss sunrise euphoria productions from the same era, giving justice to one of PSB's best melodies that was at the time kinda ruined in its original form by a clumsy "prog-acid-house" production a little heavy on the stomach (one of their very few "fautes de goût" IMO) ; where the purely spacedub "Remix N°2" is one of the best productions of the genre, on par with J&S' delightful remix of "Blue Monday" that was the only decent approach of the untouchable (together with Richie Hawtin's acid attack).
These two remixes are a lesson in creativity, elegance and inspiration in the free-spirited 90s, and among PSB's best remixes together with Moby's hyper dreamy version of "Miserabilism".

A nice lovely Love song. Fit for any girls and Boys.
It is perfektion.

Certainly one of my favorites by the Pet Shop Boys. Amazing orchestra on both "Liberation" and "Decadence", brilliant melodies, great lyrics. A real masterpiece! It reminds me a lot of things. As for the E-Smoove mixes, I believe your appreciation depends on how you see the track. I personally consider it like a totally different song. The extended 12:33 mix never includes Neil Tennant's voice (but E-Smoove is naming them in a cool rap). The 7" edit does incorporates some of the original vocals, but the whole thing is so compacted that the result is debatable.

On this second disc of LIBERATION mixes, the Murk boys get their hands on the track and deliver two mixes that carry that Miami-heavy bass that they are known for. Most of the original disappears from the Deepstrumental mix except for the word "liberation" itself, and it seems out of place and slightly out of tune. The Dopeassdub mix goes even deeper, adding some piano chords and a horn sample, but also adding some odd chanting. Jam & Spoon do a able job on "Young Offender," even if it's not particularly memorable. The "unplugged" version of "Decadence" doesn't have the kick of the original, but is strong nonetheless.

LIBERATION is a joyous, uplifting song about gay life and love... so how could E-Smoove make such a bland house mix from it? The diva singing seems out of place and gratuitous. Luckily the original vocals make an appearance on the 7" edit (though the minor key throws things off). But, on both versions... that rap! Best not mention it at all. The bright spot is the b-side, "Decadence," one of the best songs the Pet Shop Boys never put on an album. A meaningful and gorgeous song, featuring Johnny Marr's impeccable guitar playing and lovely strings, it liberates this single from completely sinking.