By LoffMusic Editorial Staff | May 23, 2025
After more than three decades of redefining British pop with their elegant blend of electronica, nostalgia and melodic sophistication, Saint Etienne has announced what will be their final studio album. Titled International, the album will be released on September 5th via Heavenly Recordings. But don’t panic: they are not splitting up, they just want to close this stage “in style”.
The first preview, “Glad”, is already available and features the collaboration of Tom Rowlands (The Chemical Brothers) and Jez Williams (Doves). A cheerful, contemplative track full of those sonic details that have made Saint Etienne an essential British indie band since the 90s.
“Glad”: a farewell that sounds like a celebration
“We asked Tom if he had anything that would work with our sound and he sent us a base he had been working on with Jez. We instantly fell in love,” commented Sarah Cracknell on the origin of Glad.
The song, accompanied by a music video directed by Scrub, speaks of finding beauty in the everyday, of breathing free air when the world seems to enclose you. With a luminous melody and guitars that evoke the soft optimism of Doves, Glad fits perfectly as a letter of introduction to this latest stage.
An album of stellar collaborations
International is not a silent farewell, but a true celebration of sound. The team of collaborators includes such outstanding names as:
- Confidence Man
- Erol Alkan
- Vince Clarke (Erasure, Depeche Mode)
- Nick Heyward (Haircut 100)
- Paul Hartnoll (Orbital)
- Tim Powell (Xenomania)
This latest recording effort encapsulates the legacy of a band that always knew how to look forward without losing their love for the past.
An exemplary career
Formed in London in 1990 by Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs, soon joined by Sarah Cracknell, Saint Etienne debuted with Foxbase Alpha (1991), and quickly positioned themselves as pioneers of cosmopolitan indie-pop. Albums like So Tough (1993), Tiger Bay (1994) and Good Humor (1998) made them cult references.
In his own words, this is not a definitive end point:
“We are still great friends. It’s not a breakup, we just felt we didn’t want to go on forever. And we wanted to say goodbye in style.”
Tracklist of International
- Glad
- Dancing Heart
- The Go Betweens [ft. Nick Heyward].
- Sweet Melodies
- Save It for a Rainy Day
- Fade
- Brand New Me [ft. Confidence Man].
- Take Me to the Pilot
- Two Lovers
- Why Are You Calling
- He’s Gone
- The Last Time
LoffMusic says
Saint Etienne were never just any band. Their elegance, their way of intertwining club culture with melancholic pop, and their daring to experiment without losing their melodic soul, make them true emotional chroniclers of modern life. If International is their last chapter, it is one that promises to leave us with a full heart, a burning nostalgia and a soft smile.
