Synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys’ upcoming album A man from the future will detail the life of British mathematician and computer pioneer Alan Turing. The album is a collaboration between the duo and Turing biographer Andrew Hodges.
Originally conceived in 2012 with Hodges and performed at the Proms in 2014 with the BBC Concert Orchestra, the album has been revised with updated spoken-word elements, rearranged orchestral pieces and an emphasis on electronics. Described as a musical biography, the Pet Shop Boys said, “Our motive in creating this work was to make a musical memorial to Alan Turing who gave so much to his country and the world and was rewarded for it by being prosecuted for his sexuality.”
They added, “He also looked forward to a time when being gay would be accepted as normal. In both his professional and private lives, he was ahead of his time.”
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Turing was a British mathematician, computer scientist, logician, cryptanalyst, philosopher and theoretical biologist. He is best known for his vital role in World War II, when he helped break German Enigma-encrypted messages, using the electromechanical Bombe machine. His work made a significant contribution to the Allied war effort.
In 1952, he was convicted of homosexuality, being charged with “gross indecency” under Section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885. After pleading guilty, he was sentenced to 12 months’ probation under the condition that he undergo chemical castration, a hormonal treatment intended to reduce his libido.
On June 8, 1954, Turing was found dead in his home. His death was ruled a suicide.
Pet Shop Boys have long been associated with queer culture, with lead vocalist Neil Tennant coming out publicly as gay in a 1994 interview with the magazine Attitude.
The album consists of eight songs based on significant moments in Turing’s life. Moments such as his early childhood, discovering his sexuality, his wartime codebreaking, his predictions about artificial intelligence and his conviction in 1952.
The track list includes ‘Natural Wonders Every Child Should Know’, ‘He Dreamed of Machines’, ‘The Enigma’, ‘Other Ranks’, ‘The Memory and the Control’, ‘The Trial’, ‘Only in His Death’ and ‘A Man from the Future’.
Joining the duo on A man from the future are the Manchester Camerata Octet and the Manchester Grammar School Choir, providing strings and vocals respectively. The string arrangements are provided by composer Sven Helbig.
As with the 2014 Proms performance, actor Juliet Stevenson returns to provide narration as part of the updated spoken-word elements taken from Hodges’ book Alan Turing: The Enigma.
The final track will also feature the 2009 speech made by former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in which he apologised for Turing’s conviction under the homophobic laws of the time, as well as honouring his contribution to Britain’s wartime effort.
The piece will be broadcast through BBC Radio 6 Music on October 4, followed by an interview with the band. BBC Radio 3’s Unclassified will air the piece again later that evening.
A man from the future will be officially released on October 9 through Parlophone Records.
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