Saint Etienne are already working on new music following the release of their latest album ‘I’ve Been Trying To Tell You’. 

The eight-track album – the group’s 10th overall – is a departure from their usual pop-oriented sound and features the group experimenting with samples from the late ‘90s. 

Alongside the LP is a film, directed by photographer Alasdair McLellan and soundtracked by the record, both of which explore the period in question.

Ahead of its release, musician and producer Pete Wiggs spoke to Retro Pop about the project and revealed it had very different origins. 

“We were actually recording a different album and we decided we’d better pause that because we couldn’t get in the studio,” he explained. 

“Then I remember Bob calling me up and saying he had this idea.”

While that album was put on hold as the group worked on ‘I’ve Been Trying To Tell You’ remotely during lockdown, Pete is hopeful they’ll return to the tracks soon. 

“I think we’ll carry on and resume when we can,” he added. “It’s a totally different sound, so we need to regroup, as it were, and hopefully there’ll be another album out next year.” 

He teased: “And we’ve also got a new Christmas song coming out this year as well – if we can clear the samples.”

In a review of the album, Retro Pop called ‘I’ve Been Trying To Tell You’ “an album to be played in full, front to back, with each experience unique, individual and deeply personal.”

‘I’ve Been Trying To Tell You’ is available on CD, vinyl and cassette. 

Interview: Pete Wiggs: ‘What makes a Saint Etienne song? I don’t know!’