Saint Etienne draw the curtain on a 35-year pop odyssey with International, their final album-length release. A wistful, dreamlike drift through the group’s enduring sonic fascinations, the record features appearances from a roll call of pop royalty and leftfield favourites — from 80s icons Vince Clarke and Nick Heyward to Confidence Man, Erol Alkan, Orbital, The Chemical Brothers, Doves and Xenomania. Lesser-known but no less inspired collaborators include Bradford’s Augustin Bousfield and Flash Cassette, whose sound has been likened to “Funkadelic via SEGA Mega Drive.”
Rather than implode or fade away, Saint Etienne have stayed the course — sidestepping ego and excess in favour of reinvention, curiosity and pop brilliance. International is both a celebration and a farewell: a final transmission from a band that never stopped moving forward.
Gatefold sleeve with printed inner sleeve.
