When Pet Shop Boys dropped Bilingual in September 1996, they were at a really interesting transition point in their career. Coming after the massive global success of Very, which was packed to the brim with bright, anthemic Eurodance, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe decided to switch things up completely. Inspired by their travels in South America, particularly Brazil, they delivered their sixth studio album - a brilliant record that moved away from the standard club templates of the mid-nineties and leaned into something far more eclectic and adventurous.

The overall sonic vibe is an incredibly warm, infectious blend of their signature electronic synth-pop and lively Latin American percussion. The duo beautifully utilises rhythms like samba and bossa nova, blending them effortlessly with house music beats, lush horn sections, and political, bilingual lyrics. It is an album that feels deeply sunny and celebratory on the surface, but because it is Pet Shop Boys, there is always that underlying layer of classic British melancholy and dry wit running through the melodies, giving the whole thing a really rich and unique character.

The tracklist features some true gems, starting with the ecstatic, carnival-ready energy of Se a vida é (that's the way life is) and the driving, stadium-sized house beat of A red letter day. Then you have tracks like Single-bilingual, which marries a cheeky, conversational lyric to an incredibly smooth groove. Decades later, Bilingual remains a brilliant and rewarding revisit because it shows a legendary pop act expanding their horizons without losing an ounce of their identity. It is a fun, warm, and wonderfully distinct entry in their catalogue that gets better with every single spin.