Untitled (Black Is)

I’ve lost track of how many of my reviews contain the phrase “I wanted to like this more than I did” but I think this might be the archetypal I Wanted To Like This More Than I Did album. Three maybe rounding up to offset some of the miserable racists in the review section here. Even if it’s a message I agree with I’m never going to appreciate spoken word interstitials on an album. If this was just the songs or you took a few of the interstitials and set them to music I’d be rating this higher. (Don’t Shoot Guns Down was this idea done right, for an idea of what I’m looking for. Or what Gil Scott-Heron was doing in his work.) The songs are inconsistent. I’m also never going to be on board with a children’s choir in a song. Kids singing should be relegated to pageants or other weird things I don’t have to participate in. Some of the best songs on here feel like ideas that never get fully formed. I wanted more than a minute of Only Synth In Church. Gonna sit with this one for a bit before actually pressing a number. You narrow this down to its absolute highs and it’s hovering around a four or five, you remind me about all the spoken word interstitials and I’m looking conflicted. Gonna listen to the bass line in Monsters again and focus on the good parts.

This is good. I was dreading what I thought would be another mediocre funk album as a litany of those is partly what led to me taking a break, but this was a bit different. The inclusion of African music helps keep it fresh, without that I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it as much The messaging is important and is still relevant, but coming from the bizarre microcosm of 2020, it does also feel slightly dated, despite only being 6 years old 3.5 Highlights: Bow

I like the production on nearly every track. Not a big fan of the spoken word sections, but a lot of very pretty vocals and synth and groovy beats. Generally i think this album is very cool as an art piece, with a notable emotional thru line or arc going on. Not really something i'd reach for for any casual listening sesh but i dont think thats the point of the album. Eternal Life and Monsters go p hard. Ends very well with Pray Up Stay Up. Probably another 3.5

Oof.....not good. 1/5.

(4/5) So, this list finally delivers some interesting and (contentiously) essential listening. It's a neo-Soul album that is embedded with political messages. The production is good, the vocals are good enough for the period, and it had some slower, funky jams -- a slowed down, modern Funkadelic or War, IMO. I liked it overall. I complain about the vocals, however, because it's almost impossible to tell what's been altered and what hasn't past the year 2010 it seems and that bugs me. We had the Kelela album yesterday and that thing rubbed me entirely wrong and mostly for the vocals and surrounding effects. This one landed better. Reading some of the reviews, here, it does seem like some triggered white snowflakes decided to rant because it offended their "white" sensitivity. They clearly drank all the Kkkool Aid, didn't they? Well, musically, this landed at a mid to high 3 for me (it also drags on some), but to give a middle finger to the racist shits here who can't allow for a world where people can speak (sing, really) their truth, I'll inflate it to a '4'. I was on the edge of a '4' anyway but if it pisses off some pale basement dweller who desperately needs to TOUCH SOME GRASS, I'm game for it.

I found myself liking this much more than I would have thought. I was thinking a four most of the way through, but ultimately the repetitive sameness of the sound knocks it down to three stars for me.

Was ok

I really really enjoyed this. Its a great story, and sounds so fresh. This is the most recent album we have had, and you could tell, but not in a bad way, but in that the production value is so high. Experimental but it has the homely feel of cleo souls voice.

This is great, really liked it. Been aware of this group since probably this came out, but only listened to them for the first time this year. Felt really cohesive. I get a bit nervous with the newer albums on here because I'm not sure there's enough distance to declare them worthy of inclusion, but this definitely is.

The Good: Nothing The Bad: Nothing The Ugly: Everything. It seems that, if you don't like the album, or more importantly, the message of the album, then you are a snowflake, or racist, or something like that. Let me premise my viewpoint as one of a person who's lived here and there, had friends of every spectrum, partied with everyone and all, and yet if I don't applaud BLM for their endeavors, then I am filled with hatred. The lady has a lovely voice, the band is tight. Nothing wrong with that... yet, imagine, if you will, that you are listening to a female singer telling you that light skin is the shits... People need to get a fucking grip of themselves. All fucking life matter, and there isn't a sane part of the world where criminals, even though they died due to police abuse, are viewed as martyrs for the cause. I am missing a message here where we are asked to look at our communities and do what we can to make things better... 2*

Not actually that bad of an album. I thought it was going to be bad, especially since it's from 2020, but it's not.

This was pretty good and a bit different than your typical R&B. Started off well, but the back half was just so-so. 3.7/5.

This is hip-hop/gospel/electronica music for supporters of BLM. I get it, I do. And I'm not against a pro-black radical message at all. Public Enemy is one of my favorites and Chuck said "Power and equality, and I'm out to get it/I know some of you ain't with it/This party started right in sixty-six/ With a pro-Black radical mix". And PE does it with gusto and flair. Unlike Chuck D and Public Enemy, who incorporate the message into the music without being... preachy and boring, this is exactly that. Preachy and boring and NOT inspiring. I hate to use the term, but this seems like a record "woke" critics are shoving down our throats to "support the message" instead of because it's an effective conveyance of that message. Good political and protest music is out there and should have been on this list LONG before this pile of garbage. A sure-fire "critic's choice" type of record that simply isn't good enough to be on the list of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

6,5

not my thing 1/5

Ok album… didn’t stand out

so fun to get a modern album!! i knew ‘wildfires’ previously, banger. really loved this, will revisit

I am uninterested in this in the extreme, but it's not bad? Just very much not my taste, and kinda boring.

This was fine. Kinda cool. Not bad. Not great. Cool message but wish it had a little more bite.

This was a pretty interesting listen. It's certainly politically charged so that's pretty neat. There are some greta beats throughout the album. It's classified as Afrobeat here but I'm not sure how much that really tracks. The interludes here kind of ruin the flow though. They all say the same thing as well. It's an interesting and fun listen but not the best album I ever had.

A really great album. Sounds and Musicianship is great. It would trigger a right winger which is great too!

Smooth and subtle, sometimes to an uninteresting degree, but maybe the first album on here that I'm surprised not to have heard of Highlights: "Wildfires", "Only Synth in Church", "Monsters"

Wow, this is so groovy! I love hearing Black pride and joy (and a bit of Persona 5 here too) as it takes us on a sonic journey of different African-/Black-influenced styles. The fact they kept up the vibes for 50+ min is a testament to how talented SAULT is with their songcraft; keeping it vibe-y and politically conscious is a fine line to walk through. My only gripe is the length could be more concise but the transitions between songs make up for it (4.5-5).

The negative comments this record has gotten about making listeners feel bad about being white are ludicrous. Talk about missing the point! This isn't about whiteness, this is about black celebration in a time when it was needed more than most. Coming out in the wake of the BLM protests, SAULT takes their laid back R&B sound and fuse it with other genres such as gospel and afrobeat. I can agree on points about the lyrics being repeative. Sometimes the direct lyrics work well. "Sorry Ain't Enough" hits the mark, while "Black" almost feels like it could be a parody of racially conscious art due to how barebones the lyrics. Despite being nearly an hour long and a genre that I don't frequent often, this album didn't drag at all and I found it rather easy to get lost in the mellow grooves.

Even though this is largely if not entirely music produced by the group, it certainly feels like its part of a sampling culture. The group is drawing from various moments in both Black popular music and Black resistance culture and updating through the lens of the present. It feels like a slicker and updated version of the Black Arts Movement. It doesn't have some of the more problematic elements of that movement that sprang up from time to time (at times, sexism and homophobia, a bit more often in some of the earlier works) but it also doesn't quite have brilliance of those works either. Still, even though I don't think its quite as good as its initial critical reputation, its still an interesting and ambitious work. It's pretty catchy at times as well.

Normally I disregard lyrics and textual themes when I listen to music - not because I think they don't matter, but because my brain really struggles to hear lyrics and distill meaning from them - but even I can tell that the lyrics and messaging are really important parts of this album. In terms of instrumentation and style, I really liked how varied the album was; makes the nearly 1-hour runtime fly by.

This is a tricky one. It’s hard to rate an album so wound up in social and political topics. As a bleeding heart liberal, I support the message 100%. As a huge music nerd, I just want into the music. It sounded like sketches of song ideas. Half the time I kept wondering if the music was samples or an actual band (or maybe they were sampling themselves?). Anyway, messaging = 4 stars, music = 2 stars.

I don't find this album to be of any interest to me at all. 2 stars or D-.

Zanimljivo svakako, svida mi se, dobra vibra. Najbolja pjesma: Sorry Ain't Enough

Good album. Very political and good voice of the BLM movement

Not my style of music. But I appreciated the experimentation and the significance historically of when it was released and world events at the time.

302. Ok

5.3/10

not sure

I don't know, I guess this just wasn't my genre. It had its moments, but I mostly was just listening to get it over with. Didn't spark much. Two stars.

I liked the message, but the music just isn't my style

Meh. 2/5

나쁘지는 않은 느낌이었는데 듣기 좋은 느낌의 음악은 아니었던 것 같다. It didn't feel bad, but I don't think it was the kind of music that was pleasant to listen to.

solid 3, some funky stuff

Cool album, pretty dense for some, I reckon. If this one makes you feel uncomfortable, you're probably the problem...

Quite a powerful album, I thought it started a bit slow and repetitive but as it went through I enjoyed it more and the songs became more diverse. I feel I’ll need to be in the right mood to listen to this in the future

Quality, timely and valuable. I’m not personally a fan of whispered spoken word, but that’s a matter of taste. Good mix

This is a 3.5 star album for me, because it is good, but it feels formulaic in too many ways musically. The purpose, the design and composition of the entire album, and the lyrics bring it up and do make it have some impact. However, that impact was never felt in the music for me personally. I'd like to listen to more of their albums, but I was a little disappointed that the music didn't do its part in the heavy lifting to make this a more impactful and memorable album.

Pretty good British R&B with touches of House, electronica, etc. Somewhat like the Roots?

Okej, känns lite krystat och genomstressat

A landmark album. This coincided with the Black Lives Matter movement and the music embodies the resistance. It’s lyrical and musical powerful. It has a lot to say and it just kills. Hits the mark perfectly in every way. The album is thematically consistent. And it’s also just fantastic music. Never heard anything quite like it before. Very deserving of this list. Easy 5 for me.

I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this

Interesting album when you read the back ground behind it. Sensational concept album that makes you think and reflect while you listen

Knew absolutely nothing about this album. Really great stuff. I think a couple songs could be trimmed off, but overall a really successful and entertaining outing. Funky, thought provoking, and giving strong thematic vibes. Liked this a lot.

I’m not a fan of combining politics with music for the most part. I use music for joy and nostalgia. That said, I still think there’s space for political music as artists have a right to express themselves and sometimes, music should be thought provoking. I can think of a few albums I received that were political, and yet, very well written. This album unfortunately missed that mark for me. I will give it a 3 still, but it’s not something I’ll go back to.

A decent, melancholy chill hop album with a message. It gets a little long but packs a punch on the best tracks. Top tracks: "Stop Dem," "Don't Shoot Guns Down"

I am very much not the audience for this! But it's good. It's fine. 2020 was weird, dog.

--Out the Lies...opening with a thesis statement of sorts --Stop Dem...some interesting things going on but I still don't hear anything I would describe as a "song", observation not criticism --Hard Life...a somewhat minimalist groove. the vocals imply an undercurrent of something sinister. as the track approaches four minutes we switch to something more jubilant. catharsis? --Don't Shoot Guns Down...another track that's more collage than song --Wildfires...here we go. slinky, sexy, and cool. this will fit nicely into many a playlist --X...short diversion --Sorry Ain't Enough...some Sade mixed with 90s hip-hop. it's a banger --Black Is...some affirmation. some nice background harmonies --Bow...we switch things up with something a more up-tempo afrobeat. Reminds me of the group Goat. booty shaker --This Generation...short diversion --Why We Cry Why We Die...solid bass groove. keys/synths barely there but appreciated --Black...interesting but feels like two completely different tracks sliced up and then stapled together --US...her speaking voice (Cleo Sol or Kid Sister?) is very pleasant --Eternal Life...love those 80s synths --Only Synth in Church...short and sweet --Monsters...pure head bopper. silky smooth bass work. hell yeah --June Child...a skit of sorts. not sure why it's here --Miracles...doo-wop throwback. as a fan of doo-wop, I approve --Hold Me...decent. autotune is used artistically but there's still too much of it --Pray Up Stay Up...we end on a positive note. fun but not quite as engaging as several other tracks

I like my soul with a bit more edge to it.

Not big on the spoken word parts

I was not previously familiar with the artist or album. This is an R&B album. The track Wildfires is pretty cool, but most of the rest of the album is not particularly memorable. It's also a bit long at 20 tracks and 56 minutes; there were definitely some moments where it seemed to drag. I doubt I would come back to this one.

Musically ok

Great timing just a few days after the Little Simz album, which I had zero expectations for and really enjoyed. This album features Inflo, the same producer, with his full band. (He also produced the KIWANUKA album which came up for me a few months ago, and Michael appears as a guest on both). It seems my ignorance of the UK urban scene in the 10-20s has been exposed. But it's good to learn. There's a bit more RnB here than the hip-hop flavour of GREY Area, which is less appealing to me, but it is also a bit brighter and less aggressive in its tone. In this sort of context, I prefer the more bass-heavy production and rap, to singing, but it's also got some powerful lyrics and themes. Instrumentally loads going on and plenty of variety in its tempos and vocal performances. I feel less likely to return to this album, however. It just didn't quite hit me as hard, but I've taken a few highlights away and won't mind listening to it again if it comes around.

It’s an R&B album released in June 2020, it’s exactly what you’d expect. Sonically it’s very pleasant.

I forgot about this album!

Gobsmacked by some of the reviews for this one. Seems like lots of you are upset by the directness of the messaging. When your house is on fire, you don't write a poem - you shout. And if a black man stating the simple fact that he is black triggers you to the point you have to stop listening, that says something quite concerning about you. Anyway, this is an awesome record.

Great grooves and beautiful voices. Love how the quieter parts still have so much feeling.

(Light 7/10) The messaging is this album's biggest strength. There were a couple standout tracks with "wildfires" and "monsters" but I think musically it didn't grab my attention too much. It's a nice sounding record for sure.

What a fantastic record. I was introduced to this around the time it was released and it still hits me in the same way. The sequencing is fantastic and the moods and sounds of the production are engaging. “Wildfires” is definitely my favorite - the vocalist is so charming. Glad to see this record on here.

No me gustó mucho. Hay trip hop y rap ahí, con cosas reggae también y demás. Seguro mucho contenido social que no puedo seguir por el idioma. 5/10

Got into this over covid ! A great album

Really beautiful album. So soulful, positive and diverse. Not what I was expecting after reading about SAULT. While it isn't my general cup of tea, I really enjoyed it. Favorite tracks were Out of Lies and Monsters.

Not my favorite Sault album, but really solid. The high level of creativity and quality from Inflo and Cleo Sol is especially impressive considering their prolificacy. I love Inflo's use of acoustic instrumentation mingled with digital production. He reminds me of Quincy Jones.

Can see with the context of when it was released why it made the list. I didn't think it was very good though, second half was better than the first but generally felt like a lot of underworked ideas. Small bits of potentially interesting music that weren't developed very far. Spoken word bits felt too vague to be powerful or even interesting. Feels to me this album was notable for the time of it's release than good in its own right.

First half was dull and light, second half the beats kicked in. Black the best track - but even that felt like a mixture of ideas. The heavy bass did not serve to complement the light female vocals, only made them more underwhelming. I agree with Sharkey, lyrically way too obvious. Not sure this will be in revised versions of the list in a few years.

I don't know about this. The message here is so on the nose at times that it loses it's intended impact. There's often no nuance or emotion to it, and it should be a charged subject. That being said, there was quite a few styles going on here which was interesting. It often was a bit showy for me though. It's not bad, but not going to be going back to it 2.5

I love this groups sound. And I didn't know that Cleo Sol was apart of this group. I love the blackness and the message this album has. Such beautiful voices and beats.

This is really interesting! The blend of genres is fresh and compelling. Awesome discovery.

I have not heard this before. I haven’t kept up with R&B in the past 10 to 15 years and what I’ve heard hasn’t been very interesting, so I came in with low expectations. Several songs are of this dull type and the rest are outstanding. There’s a lot of different musical styles I’m hearing referenced in the good songs with different types of jazz and funk and hip hop that create some great textures and the message from that specific time in 2020 is extremely powerful. I think this would be a better album if a few of the dull songs were dropped but it’s still fantastic.

Songlets. I thought the bears were enjoyable and some good rhythm but these didn't seem to evolve into songs, it was more like a demo.

Had just been introduced to SAULT a month or so ago through social media and dug a few of their more popular songs on Spotify, so was happy to see a full album come up on the list. While not a fan of the beat poetry interstitial tracks (love the message, hate the delivery), the actual music and composition on the album were solid, if a touch monotone. But when the track Let Me Go from their album 5 auto played immediately after, I was blown away and went straight to that to hear more, and found 5 to be a 5/5.This one settles in at a 3.5/5 that I'm happy to round up, and even more happy that it led me to their other, better material.

200. Untitled (Black Is) - SAULT (2020) 9.10.26 Variety: 5 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 4 Uniqueness: 4 Emotionality: 4 = 4.4 rounded down to a 4 "But sorry ain't enough/ I get in my own way" One of the most recent albums we've had on the list, and a group I am completely unfamiliar with. Looks like we might be on a roll of unheard material, which is a bit exciting as it can go in either direction. A quick check reveals that this one is by some Brits, a collective that dabbles in a lot of different genres. This one looks to mix R&B, gospel, funk, and soul. That's a mix I can get behind. Let's see how well they pull it off. THE TRACKS "Out the Lies" - If the album cover and title didn't make it clear that we'll be dealing with some still very relevant social and political issues on this album, the opening track sits you down and level sets. We get some very atmospheric production, with what may be a sample? Either way it seems to be processed to turn up the vintagey, live feel, and I'm already getting the vibe, along with the piano and synth transition that this might be heavily influenced by a kind of hauntological production ethos, which I can dig. The spoken word stuff never really works for me, but as an intro, i can see it. "Stop Dem" - The eerie children's chorus continues the hauntology vibes, and along with the pretty sick beats puts me in mind of both Gorillaz ad the Avalanches, who we recently listened to. The bass on here was killer, and overall a great track. Groovy, ghostly, and arrestingly troubling in its subject matter. This was pretty fucking tight. "Hard Life" - More trip/hop vibes here, with maybe a little bit of Fugees flavor thrown into the mix with some great chill vocals over top of a cool ass, but simple beat. More Gorillaz feels as well with the falsetto Albarnish male vocal supplementing. When the song briefly transforms into some 70s soul, I was sold. And the gospelish ending got thinking about the Staple Singers. "Don't Shoot Guns Down" - Having also just recently listened to some pretty heavy stuff from Fela Kuti, I can't help but be reminded of his awesome combination of serious messaging with rad as hell afrobeat rhythms. This one was pretty brutally upfront with the former, and did not fail to deliver on the latter. That's a goddamn hard mix to pull off without feeling clumsy or sacrificing the music for the message. "Wildfires" - More solid beats, this time with a funky bit of soul that brings to mind the kind of stuff Jill Scott would have been doing 20 years prior, but with a much more focused and on point message, which remains cohesive with everything before it so far. "Sorry Ain't Enough" - A funky slow jam structure welded onto some socially conscious pleading. Warm, soothing, soulful, jazzy and groovy with a great bass line, this one reminds me a bit of some Isley Brothers, this one is contemplative and questioning all at once, and even manages to dip a bit into some TLC-ish moments. "Bow" - Some MASSIVE bass and a talk box opens up this one, which reaches into the grab bag of funky afrobeat and pulls out a real burner of a track. The layered progression of instruments adds some cool textures, and this almost has a throwback production feel of some of the 90s Fatboy Slim albums. "Why We Cry Why We Die" - This one had a very 90s hip-hop feel to it, and reminded me of the Roots if they embraced some more electronic vibes. "Black" - Another sick ass beat, this time in service of a very simple, but atmospherically delivered vocals, that switches things up Avalanches style to completely different song a couple of times before diving back into the mesmerizing groove. We even get some cool funky guitar noodling at near the end that would not sound out of place on an Eddie Hazel track. "Eternal Life" - Some smooth synths glide us into a track that picks up some flavors that would not be out of place on a Janelle Monae or even an Outkast ( see "Prototype" for reference) album, and then sends us on our way into some gentle and hypnotic spacey territory. "Only Synth in Church" - Too short by far, I could have listened to this pretty bit of Stevie Wonderish ear candy for another few minutes. Should have been more than a placeholder. "Monsters" - I certainly did not expect to hear anything on hear that reminded me of Radiohead, but here we are. There's some Gorillaz and Stereolab vibes mixed in as well, with the processed falsetto vocal tricks, and the jazzy, synthy organ that provides a base that the song's funky rhythm's bloom out of. "Miracles" - Damn... the 60s soul sound on this is great. More awesomely crispy, bubbly bass on here with the throwback vibes reminds me of Lauren Hill's Doo Wop (That Thing) in parts. Cleo Sol's smooth as hell vocals have not been called out enough in this review, but this might be the peak example of how great they've been throughout. "Hold Me" - Slow jam sounds built around a sweetly reassuring emotional core, and some cool vocal remixing in the chorus, that feels a touch psychedelic, and disorienting in the mix. An very interesting presentation on what could have been a very plain track otherwise. "Pray Up Stay Up" - the 70s gospel soul is more apparent here than on any other track with the Staple Singers casting a big shadow on the proceedings. As enjoyable as this was throughout, I'm very happy they stuck the landing so hard. HIGHLIGHTS - "Stop Dem" - "Hard Life" - "Don't Shoot Guns Down" - "Wildfires" - "Sorry Ain't Enough" - "Bow" - "Black" - "Eternal Life" - "Only Synth in Church" - "Monsters" - "Miracles" - "Hold Me" - "Pray Up Stay Up" MIDLIGHTS - "Out the Lies" - "Why We Cry Why We Die" LOWLIGHTS - FINAL THOUGHTS Aside from the interstitials, there was a TON to like about this album. And those didn't bother me nearly as much as trues skits would have. The meditation/ inspirational CD feeling ones worked less, and the more musical ones a bit more. But then those are never really more than filler, even on the best of albums, so I usually discount them when looking at the individual tracks. They were not clumsy here though, and worked in context. Rarely are they necessary listening though. The influences are all over this one, and they're all ones that I love. From the 70s funk and soul, to the 90s R&B, 2000's electronica, and the 60's gospel, this albums reaches back into the past and expertly pulls all these disparate elements together into a well balance and groovy pot that simmers for just the right amount of time, filling up your bowl with a stew that's both delicious AND nourishing. I mentioned that it's hard to pull off mixing a good message with good music without sacrificing one for the other. Oftentimes even if I find myself agreeing with a point of view, the song ends up failing because I just don't like being preached at. This album finds that balance and makes it look easy, making me question why so many other artists fail. I mentioned Fela Kuti earlier, and once again I'm reminded of how well he did the same thing - embedding stories of sadness, violence, and calls for peace, resistance, and hope all within the soulful, catchy, even danceable music ( sometimes in the same song). This album follows in that tradition well, and the group has been added to the list of artists whose work I would like to explore more of. Someone has already recommended a great track from their album 5, which will likely be my next stop this morning. I'm glad that something newer on the list hit for me, and this goes up there with Django Django among the acts I'm glad the list introduced me to. While not an instant classic, I could see this moving up with repeat listens. Possible turn-Offs might Include: - positive, and sometimes uplifting social and political messaging - interstitials that pad the run time - a mélange of styles if you like to keep things simple You Might enjoy this if you like: - gospel, funk, R&B, soul, jazz - hauntological remix production techniques - killer grooves and funky beats - socially and politically responsible messaging that doesn't overtake the music PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Those interstitials, while not very annoying, don't really add too much and won't be missed FURTHER LISTENING - Be Altitude: Respect Yourself by the Staple Singers - Unknown Soldier by Fela Kuti - Between the Sheets by the Isley Brothers - CrazySexyCool by TLC - Since I Left You by the Avalanches - The Score by Fugees - Who Is Jill Scott by Jill Scott - Mezzanine by Massive Attack - Demon Days by Gorillaz

I found this to be a descendant of the spoken work beat poetry jams like Gil Scott-Heron. Immediately made me think of "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised." Yes, it has a message to say, and it will deliver it in as simple a way as needed. It is an indictment on all of us that any of this seems radical. They are simple, earnest, but extremely necessary sentiments. The music is an accentuation to what is being said. And the music is good. It is beat driven styles with elements of funk and rock. Yet it remains a canvas for the spoken word to paint upon. 2020 was a hard year due to more than just the global COVID pandemic. I think this will be an enduring piece of art from such a monumental time in world history. I'd never heard of Sault, but I respect what they are reaching for on this album. I enjoyed it at about a 3/5.

A record with a powerful statement and a sound to match it. It is mostly made up of a mix of soul, R&B, and jazz with a couple of spoken word interludes here and there. I just personally think that we're lucky to be finally living in a time where records like these can gain the social traction they deserve.

This album has a great groove to it! I love it!

Fascinatingly different album. Weird structure, but feels like an artefact from 2020. Puts me back in the space of pandemic anxiety and praxis in radical politics. Now what’s being called “Woke 1” was a real moment of no-bad-ideas-in-a-brainstorm type of art, media, and debate. That being said, the moments on this record, while musically interesting, are hard to differentiate the authenticity/performative dilemma of that era. Very good at capturing the moment, but feels dated 6 years later.

Great art offers: I) Joy II) Grief III) Humility and this has got all three in droves. Honestly amazing what they do with just drums and bass and harmonies on some of these tracks. Sparse, groovy, beautiful. Who is the lady singer? She's haunting. Listening to every other Sault album today!

A very emotional well produced well thought out piece of art. I am not black so this album is not for me. However I remember the events of 2020 very well. This album does a very good job at portraying the heavy emotions and eventsthat were happening during the BLM movement. Production is phenomenal very fun and interesting to listen to on top of some pretty powerful writing. Like I said this album isn’t for me but man it sounds good and I very much enjoyed it.

A beautiful, authentic expression of both the current moment and centuries of the Black experience. It would feel wrong to criticize this from my position of privilege, but luckily I don't have to because this is a great album! Not just in message, but also sonically and vocally. Great production, unique textures, perfect track lengths. Unfortunately, it seems BLM is only one of many chapters in the fight for equality and the end to racism and discrimination, but this album captures its essence in a heartfelt and inspiring way that I think will hold up for decades to come.

Modern Fela Kuit

Divisive and not the best Sault album (but at least they made the list). Instead of anger, Sault explores the magic of blackness. A positive message during a socially turbulent climate.

I love this record, and had kind of forgotten about it. in 2020 after it dropped, I was really into it. It was kind of one of the first modern R&B records that really captivated me. I think the subtle beats, low-fi production and layered hip hop throughout really drew me in. The lyrics and social issues is really cool, but I think the optimism and underlying joy of the album is what really flips the switch for me. This is a gem. I was stoked to jam out to this today.

DISCLAIMER: THE THINGS I DO NOT LIKE ABOUT THIS ALBUM HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE LYRICAL CONTENT OR OVERALL THEMES OF THE PROJECT. THE PRODUCTION IS A LITTLE DRY AND SOME PERFORMANCES LEAVE ME WANTING MORE. ACAB.

This was a really nice listen. Soul and gospel crossed with elements from electronica and rock. The positive affirmations are also a plus. Favourite Track(s): Only Synth in Church, Miracles, Wildfires Least Favourite Track(s): Stop Dem

Nice, but not for me.

Vissa låtar är bra melodisk soul. Andra känns mest som utfyllnad. 2,5 av 5.

Coming directly out of the Black Lives Matter movement, this is minimalist R&B tinged with Gospel and trip hop. The songs are more like Chants, with simple, repetitive lyrics that are deeply black-centric. As an expression of the Black experience of systemic racism and inequity it's probably up there with the great songs that came out of the 60s civil rights movement. At tthe same time it's affirming about the positives of being black. It's like a stash of Molotov cocktails wrapped up in the chilliest music.

3/5

Racist ass reviews for this very solid album

Lyrically, this was powerful, but it’s a shame that I found the music fairly dull. There is something quite effective about pairing potentially angry lyrics with a more pedestrian set of beats and easy soul and R&B sound, but I prefer my angry music to be more abrasive.

whoa interesting... this is for someone i'm sure, just not for me

What a world where a 6 year old album sounds so dated

I liked it.

This is a truly heartbreaking look into the black experience in 2020. Amid massive Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd by police officer Derek Chauvin, racial issues were truly placed at the forefront of discussion for all to see, and it is that environment that saw this album release by SAULT, a neo-soul collective from the UK. Hurriedly produced in just a couple weeks so it could be released on Juneteenth 2020, SAULT's album, while definitely still protestive in form, seems to focus much more on the sheer sadness of the utter injustice that was and still is conducted against black people, be it through direct violence by the state or damaging and corrosive negative stereotypes that permeate our culture. To that end, the album is very minimalistic, often focusing more on "simple" poetry readings and gospel touches which still fully convey the heartbreak in witnessing all the injustice and oppression done against the writers' fellows. A very eye-opening statement, and one which I greatly appreciate having, as a white person who does not experience this kind of oppression but who, hopefully, can always work to be a fierce ally. Which brings me to some of the other reviews of this. Be it tone-policing this album for not being angry ENOUGH, or the outright disgusting review that denounces all of BLM and insists that white people are actually the oppressed ones for the fact that a spotlight was shone on black issues for once, these are such privileged and reductive takes on the power of this music that I can't even really put it into words. Shame on you if your review falls into a category like this.

I didn’t love how much spoken word was on here, but to be clear, it’s not because of the content of it! I just really loved the vibe of the music and wanted more of it. Really cool stuff. Would recommend anyone to check out their other albums because their other songs are similarly cool.