VIDEO: Pet Shop Boys Issue "Slow Mix" Version Of Panti Bliss' Homophobia Speech

Several days ago Pet Shop Boys issued a dance track that accompanies the now-legendary speech on homophobia by Irish drag activist Panti Bliss. A second, slower version of the track has now been released with an accompanying video. Pet Shop Boys explain the genesis of the project:

Impressed by what they considered (in Neil's words) "a great statement in this age when gay marriage and cruel homophobia exist side by side," the Boys decided to put excerpts of Panti's speech to music just a couple weeks after it he delivered it. They composed an atmospheric backing track, set key segments of the speech to it, and turned it over to Panti himself, who then released it to the world on SoundCloud in early March 2014, about a week after the Boys recorded it. That initial release was a "Dance Mix," rhythmically in a light house/trance vein that, as the title of the mix indicates, would be right at home in most dance clubs. A "Slow Mix" surfaced just a few days later, virtually identical to the Dance Mix except in its statelier, more placid rhythm track, which served to place even greater emphasis on the import of Panti's words. Both mixes were handled by Chris.

Watch the video, which contains images of anti-gay oppression and violence around the world. The audio-only dance mix of the track is here.