"Saint Etienne discusses the enduring camaraderie throughout their prolonged career, studio advancements, and the creation of their last album, 'International'"
In a surprising turn of events, British electronica band Saint Etienne has announced that their next album, "International", will be their final one together. This revelation comes after the release of their 2024 album, "The Night", and follows a creative journey spanning three decades.
The band's debut album, "Foxbase Alpha", propelled them into the limelight in 1991, earning a Mercury Prize nomination the following year. Over the years, they have amassed a colossal body of work, spanning 13 albums, myriad soundtracks, and compilations. Each album has a set brief, limiting where they can work and the sound they've aimed for.
The creative process behind "International" involves a collaborative approach, with ideas shared, discussed, and the best bits brought together. The band has a long history of evolving their sound across their career. For instance, in past albums like "Tiger Bay" (1994), they drew on diverse influences such as combining folk songs with electronic styles, crafted in inspiring environments like the Forest of Dean.
The trio - Bob Stanley, Sarah Cracknell, and Pete Wiggs - have pushed forward on a seemingly endless creative journey, spanning albums, soundtracks, radio shows, books, side-projects, collaborations, DJ sets, compilations, and more. Their recent albums demonstrate a mixture of thematic creativity and adapting to circumstances, such as "I've Been Trying to Tell You" (2021) which was a lockdown project amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pete uses a number of tools, including text-to-voice apps and plugins like Spectrasonics Omnisphere, CableGuys Shaperbox, and dearVR PRO 2 from Dear Reality, to help bring his ideas to life. The band's final album was recorded between Gus Bousfield's studio in Bradford, Tim Powell's in Hove, and Pete's home set-up.
Erol Alkan, Vince Clarke, Nick Heyward, Orbital's Paul Hartnoll, and Tim Powell of Xenomania are among the collaborators on the album. The closing track on "International", titled "Last Time", is a tear-jerker reflecting on the band's journey and saying goodbye to their fans.
The band's creativity has been restless, always continuing to change and shift across their discography. Much of "International" was made at the same time as "The Night" but has a distinctly different sonic flavor. The release of the first single "Glad" alongside the album announcement suggests a continuation of Saint Etienne’s thoughtful and inventive approach to music, shaped by their decades of experience and teamwork.
Despite the end of their recording career, the band has maintained their friendship as a core aspect of their group. After the release of "International", they plan to focus on hanging out as friends more. The album is due for release on 5th September, marking both a culmination of Saint Etienne’s artistic journey and a deliberate closing chapter, conceived with the intention to end their recording career positively as indicated by Bob Stanley.
The final album of British electronica band Saint Etienne, "International," showcases a blend of their lifestyle, entertainment, and music, as they collaborate and draw on diverse influences for one last musical journey. After its release, the band intends to shift their focus from sports (competitive creative work) to preserving their friendship, making hanging out as friends their new sports.
