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Essential
Essential - cover artwork
compilation album
release date: 31st March 1998
Art Direction: Johnny Lee, Ricky Mintz
Compiled By: Chris Heath, Todd Rosenberg
Design: Cimarron/Bacon/O'Brien
Liner Notes: Chris Heath
Mastered By: Evren Göknar

Essential is a 1998 compilation album by Pet Shop Boys, released as a limited edition in the United States by EMI/Capitol and in Japan by Toshiba/EMI. 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. The album contained remixes 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.
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.)
tracklist
  1. Domino Dancing4:42
    (alternate version)
  2. West End Girls6:29
    (dance mix)
  3. Opportunities3:48
    (original 7 inch version)
  4. Paninaro4:40
    (7-inch version)
  5. That's My Impression4:48
    (7" inch version)
  6. We All Feel Better In The Dark6:47
    (extended mix)
  7. It Couldn't Happen Here5:20
  8. It's Alright4:20
    (trever horn mix)
  9. Left To My Own Devices4:46
    (7" inch version)
  10. In The Night6:28
    (extended mix)
  11. Two Divided By Zero3:36
  12. Love Comes Quickly6:48
    (dance mix)
  13. Being Boring10:40
    (extended version)
releases
CD: 1998 US
(EMI/EPROP; 72434-93688-2-8) [ltd edn]
CD: 1998 JP
(EMI/Toshiba; TOCP-51059) [29 Apr 1998; ltd edn]