Saint Etienne are going back to the ‘90s with their new album ‘I’ve Been Trying To Tell You’.
The LP, due September 10, is preceded by lead single Pond House, which samples Natalie Imbruglia’s hit single Beauty on the Fire.
And much like the group’s early work, the new LP is built on samples from 1997 to 2001, which feature across its eight tracks.
Speaking about the creative decision, Bob Stanley assures: “They’re all by people you’d have heard on daytime Radio 1 or 2 at the time, not Boards of Canada or anything.”
He adds: “To me it’s about optimism, and the nineties, and how memory is an unreliable narrator. Pete and Gus have done a properly amazing production job. I think it sounds gorgeous.”
“It’s the first sample driven album we’ve made since ‘So Tough’ and it’s been a really refreshing experience, such fun,” says Sarah Cracknell. “It’s both dreamy and atmospheric, late summer sounds.”
Adds Pete Wiggs: “We’ve really pulled apart and dived deep into the samples; the concept and each of our interpretations of it have made this a very special sounding album, we hope you think so too.”
Alongside the album, Saint Etienne will also release a film, helmed by photographer Alasdair McLellan, set to premiere at NFT1 on London’s Southbank on September 3.
The premiere will be accompanied by a whole weekend of ‘The Films Of Saint Etienne’.
‘I’ve Been Trying To Tell You’ is available to pre-order across formats now.
Following the album release, Saint Etienne will be heading out on tour across the UK in November, with tickets on sale July 30 from 10 am BST.
The full list of tour dates is as follows:
November
18 St Lukes, Glasgow
19 TBA, Sunderland
20 Alexandra Palace Theatre, London
23 Trinity, Bristol
24 Institute, Birmingham
25 Victoria Hall, Saltaire
26 Grand Central Hall, Liverpool
27 Old Market, Hove