Axis (song)

"Axis"
Single by Pet Shop Boys
from the album Electric
Released30 April 2013
Genre
Length5:32
Labelx2
Songwriters
ProducerStuart Price
Pet Shop Boys singles chronology
"Memory of the Future"
(2012)		 "Axis"
(2013)		 "Vocal"
(2013)
Music video
"Axis" on YouTube

"Axis" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their twelfth studio album, Electric (2013). It was released on 30 April 2013 by x2 as a preview to the album.[6] The song was written by the duo and produced by Stuart Price.

Background

"Axis" was written during the writing sessions for the duo's previous album, Elysium (2012).[7] Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant were inspired after attending an Italo disco night in Berlin, and they composed a demo that same night. "Axis" did not suit Elysium, and Pet Shop Boys decided to make a separate dance album, Electric. The titles "Electric" and "Turn It On", from the lyrics, were considered for the album track, but the original demo name "Axis" was kept. The song was produced by Stuart Price, who used a VCS 3 to create some of the sounds on the track.[8]

Release

"Axis" was released digitally on 30 April 2013 and as a 12-inch single on 15 July 2013.[6][9] The latter format includes a remix by Boys Noize,[9] which was also released as a digital download.[10] The single was the first release on Pet Shop Boys' own record label, x2.[11]

Artwork

The downloadable single artwork depicts a vertical slit of coloured light bisecting a black background, like an axis, while on the remix version the line is horizontal. The design concept of "an electrical flash coming through the darkness" had been originally considered for the album cover of Electric. The imagery was inspired by the opening sequence of the music video. The 12-inch vinyl has a blue sleeve with the record label name x2 in large white type.[11]

Music video

The music video for "Axis" was created by Jude Greenaway and Luke Halls and included footage used on the Electric Tour. The record and tour promotion were combined as a practical and budgetary concern since the duo were starting their own record label.[11]

The video begins with a vertical beam of light that becomes a tunnel through which Tennant and Lowe emerge, wearing costumes from the tour, including the black pointy hats designed for them by Gareth Pugh for the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony. The tour dancers, Tom Herron and Merry Holden, also appear, at times wearing minotaur headdresses.[11] Spin magazine remarked on the "raver-friendly visuals" and "Tron-like flashing lights".[1]

Live performances

The song was performed as the opening track on the Electric Tour[3][12][4][13] in a slightly shorter and more up-tempo version.

Track listings

Digital download[6]
No.TitleLength
1."Axis"5:32
12-inch single[9]
No.TitleLength
1."Axis"5:32
2."Axis" (Boys Noize remix)4:10

Charts

Chart performance for "Axis"
Chart (2013) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[14] 194
UK Singles (OCC)[15] 196
UK Indie (Official Charts)[16]25

Lyrics: Axis

References

  1. 1 2 Hogan, Marc (30 April 2013). "Pet Shop Boys Preview 'Pretty Banging' LP 'Electric' With Rave-y 'Axis' Video". Spin. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  2. ↑ Haider, Arwa (5 July 2013). "Pet Shop Boys: We left major label Parlophone and now we're in control of our destiny". Metro. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  3. 1 2 Lee, Darren (25 June 2013). "LIVE REPORT: Pet Shop Boys". The Quietus. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  4. 1 2 Needham, Alex (8 June 2014). "Pet Shop Boys review - tightrope walking between folk and art". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  5. ↑ O' Brien, Jon (27 February 2025). "Complete Guide - Pet Shop Boys Albums". Classic Pop. Retrieved 23 December 2025. Lead single "Axis", a commanding slice of electro-house...
  6. 1 2 3 "Electric – the new album". PetShopBoys.co.uk. 30 April 2013. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  7. ↑ Heath, Chris (2017). Elysium: Further Listening 2011–2012 (booklet). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone Records. p. 1. 0190295852788.
  8. ↑ Pet Shop Boys and Stuart Price (3 January 2024). Album Track by Track (Band and Producer Commentary) (audio commentary). x2.
  9. 1 2 3 "Axis 12" single". PetShopBoys.co.uk. 11 July 2013. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  10. ↑ "Axis Boys Noize Remix". petshopboys.co.uk. 13 May 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Heath, Chris; Hoare, Philip (2026). Pet Shop Boys Volume: The Complete Visual Record. New York: Thames & Hudson. pp. 406–9. ISBN 9780500027479.
  12. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys inicia gira mundial en Cumbre Tajín" [Pet Shop Boys kick off world tour at Cumbre Tajín]. El Financiero (in Spanish). 23 March 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  13. ↑ Collins, Robert (4 October 2013). "Pet Shop Boys deliver art attack in Vancouver". CTV News. Vancouver. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  14. ↑ "Response from ARIA re: Pet Shop Boys ARIA chart history, received 29 May 2018". Retrieved 6 November 2020 – via Imgur. N.B. The "NAT" column displays the release's peak position on the national chart.
  15. ↑ "Chart Log UK – Weekly Updates Sales 2013". Zobbel.de. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  16. ↑ "Official Independent Singles Chart on 5/5/2013 – Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
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