Long-time admirers of Saint Etienne will be used to the treats that the group release for the fans each Christmas, which usually comprise of represses of limited gear or older fanclub material. This year, also given a low-key full release, The Night is a whole new album.
In a similar vein to 2021 's I've Been Trying To Tell You, it finds the trio in ambient atmosphere vignette mode, with spoken-word, sound effects and half-shadows of songs and moods.
It's perfect for the "Occasional lighting and snuggle under a quality rug" set, acting like a diffuser easing your passage into sleep.
Co-produced alongside Augustin Bousfield, who also worked on IBTTTY, The Night uses echo and space, nods of dub and folk, and snatches of crystalline guitars and birdsong to build its world. It's autumn, an early night after Only Connect, an escape into the well-worn corners of your record collection, sinking into your own interior where it's okay to disengage.
There's not much in the way of choruses, with Gold and Preflyte the nearest to conventional songs but if you're already onboard the Etienne caravanette, you'll be used to the spectrum of their back catalogue offering something for everyone. With a more regular pop LP rumored to follow in 2025, it's better to think of The Night as a whole piece. A balm. A wonder.
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