Reviews (page 2 of 8)
To the losers crying about racial politics and discrediting this project's themes and messaging: you will be thrilled to know that the generator has a Kid Rock album waiting just for you. This is a wonderful modern inclusion that surely flew under a lot of people's radars! With production helmed by Inflo - close collaborator of Little Simz and Michael Kiwanuka records I've previously loved - it's no wonder that I was frequently hooked by the instrumentals, consistently loving the low-end and the genre influences at play. If anything, I think it might be a bit over-ambitious; at 20 tracks, it does get to be somewhat hit-or-miss at times, but maybe the variety isn't such a bad thing! For as heavy as the themes it approaches may be, they're not afraid to let some brighter and more positive moments shine through, and ultimately I think it makes for a better overall record. It's just missing some refinement in the weaker tracks! Standouts: Don't Shoot Guns Down • Wildfires • Bow • Black • Miracles • Pray up Stay Up
This is an overall great album that works both as an art statement and just something enjoyable to listen to. It's accessible but also contains some ideas that might challenge your perceptions. Overall, the production is lush, the rumbling bass keeps everything together, and it gives the impression of moving through exhibits at a museum or viewing different paintings in sequence. I still maintain that no album is improved by spoken word, but this is the rare outing around an hour in length that didn't have me reaching for the tracklist to see when it would be over. I felt like the tracks were arranged to give me a deliberate feeling, but I didn't get the sense that there was a specific narrative to follow. Lastly, I thought the album ended very abruptly and without any resolution. I actually checked to make sure I hadn't lost connection to my headphones.
Good variety of music with feel.
Dope
Følte meg truffet, godt å vite at jeg har rettigheter. Slutten av Hard life, da begynte det å bli bra. Hyggelig gjenhør med Cleo Sol Only synth in church var kul Monsters var grei Liten svensk radiosending inni der🥸 Var litt Speisa, følte det ikke helt men det hadde potensial, hadde noen kule innslag her og der
veldig blm. veldig politisk. veldig patriotisk. For all del veldig for at svartes liv betyr noe, men syns generelt at alt som blir for patriotisk e slitsomt. Det blir så svart hvitt liksom... som egt e heile problemet :--)) Kult uttrykk på musikken då. Litt Jungle stemning, alternativ hiphop/synth. Beste sang: Wildfires
Musically, this is unique and very good, plus the message is powerful and important.
I listened to this album once the year it came out and I remember enjoying it, and it was a joy to revisit. The production is what particularly stands out: it’s a unique record filled with all kinds of sounds, but what’s interesting is that there seems to be an intentional revolving door of what sound sticks out at any moment. Sometimes it’s the vocals, sometimes a synth, sometimes a unique rhythm sound. It’s like a feast where every dish has a hero flavor that really stands out while still complimenting the full menu. A stunning listen.
The concept behind this was interesting, and I can appreciate what SAULT was trying to do with it. There’s a lot here about Black identity, history, anger, pride, and the general atmosphere of 2020, so it feels more like a statement than just a collection of songs. Musically, though, R&B just isn’t really my thing. There were some good grooves, bits of funk, gospel, soul, and spoken word that kept it from becoming completely one-note, but I never got especially invested in the songs themselves. I respected the subject matter more than I enjoyed the album.
Very middling
Dont know what the fuss is all about
DJ Toenail
Made me wish I was black.
all the yt folks being mad because some black folks are singing is the reason this album needs to exist and has a place on this list it's also the blackest i felt ever since Beyoncé made me realize I had a flawless black woman in me, even as a pale eastern european man
Decent and inoffensive. There are good ideas here, but it seems a little under baked.
Cool album. It isn’t a chill listen by any means. Very emotionally charged and well done.
Interesting proposal but some songs were way too thematic
this was a bop. they're black btw
Кончики пальцев у Грааля Этот альбом легко мог стать лучшим из моих прослушанных, но станет только отличным. Как можно было так написать первую половину что каждая песня это произведение искусство и так испоганить конец. Испоганить не значит сделать погано а значит не соответствовать заявленному уровню первой половины. Может быть даже первой трети а не половины. К сожалению этот альбом не получит должной 10/10 а только 7/10 уж очень мне понравилась первая половина и не понравилось остальное.
For an album that landed within a month of George Floyd's death, this is an incredibly prescient listen to rediscover that time in 2020. However, I think the album is not particularly special as a listening experience - it's a largely pleasant, if muted, mish-mash of styles.
Man, this album caught me off good and probably you too. You got really confused with the narration cutting in and where the voice was coming from. A great meld of funk, soul, rnb with a strong message advocating strength despite, or more so because of, racial adversity. My biggest critique is the mix tape style the album is delivered, a few moments where I was really sinking into the tracks got cut short with a Segway into another movement. But, all in all enjoyable listen, great headphone album to pick up all the nuances and layers. Give it a go!
Rating the music not the politics
no
Really enjoyed this - it was completely unique/really weird, but in a good way. I suspect that if I had had time to listen to it more than once, I would have liked it even more; one of those albums that immediately grabs you, then sort of lost steam for me, but then, by the end, I really started to appreciate it.
I am neutral when it comes to politics and social issues, so I won't comment that regarding this album. Other than that, I like the production of this album, it's smooth and pleasant. Maybe not many songs that stands out (maybe Wildfires is a track that's worth mentioning as standout), but as a whole it is a nice listen.
Poignant and brilliant. A new one to me because I am uncultured, but I really enjoyed this and glad it was on the list for me to discover!!
I remember this record being insaaaanely hyped at the time and feeling like I didn't quite get it and ngl I still feel the same. What, really, is the difference between this and that band Jungle except the (obviously very good) political message. I just think it's overrated is that problematic of me?
Man, there's a lot of vitriol in the reviews on this. The message isn't for me, but I still dig the beats.
Again, I wanted to like this one more than I did. I could see it being one that grows on me with time. At least we got out of our general trend of rock for something different. I wasn’t able to devote much time to the lyricism but it is obviously charged from what I did hear and the track titles. It got better towards the middle third of the run, whereas I didn’t love the beginning.
I can appreciate the sentiment/message. The sequencing is great and the album flows well. However, I don’t like modern r&b. At least not to the extent that I’d listen to an hour of not very hi-energy r&b. A lot of the short tracks or even ordinary tracks were annoying (I’m looking at you, Black). Production is also crystal clear.
Maso
Nice and soulful, almost spoken word
glad i finally checked an album out by them
Some really fun loops that run on a little too long at times. Feels like this one might have been rushed
I had never even heard of SAULT so I was excited to hear something new to me. The album was good. Glad I heard it but I don’t know if I’ll seek out more from this band. 3.5 stars
Three stars, some of them had a decent beat some bits better than others. Politically sound but lyrics were often very repetitive.
A part of me was kind of hoping not to get this album so soon because of everything surrounding Inflo and Little Simz, but I was fine with giving Kanye a 5/5, so I may as well go into this with an open mind, and to my surprise I actually really, really enjoyed this. This was released less than a month after the murder of George Floyd, and you can absolutely feel the pain and sorrow of the aftermath of it throughout this album, but there also is a hope for the future. It also just sounds fantastic. Some of the best neo-soul I've heard this decade, and 'Wildfires' is one of the best songs I've heard in awhile. Really fantastic album, I probably should check out some of SAULT's other stuff after this.
Should have been better. Started with purpose, intent and some groove, reminiscent of Go! Team. Lost its way.
Feels vaguely racist to give this one star, but it did nothing for me.
Had mixed feelings about this album. On one hand- I appreciated the themes addressed by the album (black excellence, police violence) and some of the afrobeat inspired songs (Bow). On the otherhand, the repeated use of stripped down beats on a loop got old for me. Overall- not bad, but not for me. 2.5/5
This is not my favorite album by this group by any means but I'm so glad they are repped in this list somewhere. One of the most reclusive/interesting neo soul projects to emerge in the last few years.
Erikoinen albumi. Kaukana omasta musiikkimausta mutta silti itse asiassa varsin hyvä levy. Laittaisinko kuitenkaan spontaanisti tätä soimaan vapaapäivän ratoksi? Tuskin. Listan hienous on, että tällaistakin tulee kuunneltua, mitä ei muuten tulisi laitettua soimaan. Onko levyllä joku sanoma? En tiedä, en tullut perehtyneeksi mutta black-sanaa kovasti hoettiin eli liittyisikö mustan väestön asioihin jotenkin…? No mene ja tiedä. Hyvä albumi. 3/5
SAULT’s masterpiece feels like a time capsule of a troubling time. Centered around the George Floyd murder and the Black Lives Matter protests that followed, there are some tough subjects being tackled here. But for as hard-hitting as this album is, it’s in no way, at any point, a difficult or challenging listen. The songs are melodic and gorgeous. It’s that juxtaposition that works so well at getting their positive message across: lyrics tackling serious issues, often in a very confrontational way, set against uplifting melodies and music that gives a sense of resilience and positivity in the face of everything that was going on. “Hard Life” is a great example of the way that they move from the confrontational to harmonic. That shift to 70s soul midway through is inspired. But “Wildfires” is the absolute peak of the album. Lyrics that hit you hard in the gut, sung delicately to a gorgeous upbeat melody. Cleo Sol softly sings intense confrontations like “Take off your badge, we all know it was murder”, and counters it with the declaration of resistance “But we will never show fear, even in my eyes, I will always rise, in wildfires”. Those are chillingly brilliant words, but pairing it with such beautiful upbeat music is, frankly, genius. 4.5 stars
Really enjoyed this album. Primarily a beautiful chilled out vibe with the occasional splash of protest songs. Wildfires is the only track I knew beforehand and is for sure the standout song on the album, but there weren't any songs I didn't enjoy and the total product is probably greater than the sum of it's parts. 9/10
As I'm not racist, and I still think racism is an issue, I was able to listen to the album objectively, and it's fucking brilliant. Easy 5 stars for all of the reasons it deserves them. Important, significant, creative and enjoyable too.
Fine, nothing especially bad or good.
Feels like a very uninspired choice from someone trying to change up the list a bit for a new edition of his book. This is fine, but completely unchallenging both musically and thematically. It sounds like someone earnestly trying to get a message across that has already been given to us in far more interesting ways.
Really really good…
ah zoinks scoob. ah jeez. ah gah. Man I listen to olivia rodrigo and mcr man - electric soul is so not my thing. I promise I'm not racist I swear.
I was bored, not by the message because I love it, but by the music.
Cool, vibey, groovy. If people want to celebrate blackness then great. Just skip if you don't enjoy it, you don't need to make it about white erasure because you're uncomfortable. Losers.
Had a good message; musically was pleasant but a bit repetitive. I liked Sorry Ain't Enough best
This wasn't bad, but was not my favorite. There were a lot of skippers here. It is just super digital, which I was not a fan of. It had some really good songs tho. The transitions were neat. Liked Songs: "Hard Life" , "Don't Shoot Guns Down" , "Wildfires" , "Sorry Ain't Enough" , "Eternal Life" , "Only Synth in Church" , "Miracles"
It's got some good tunes and good production, but, a bit like listening to Billy Bragg singing about socialism for an hour, it's great is you identify with the subject matter but is a little repetitive when you don't. I definitely prefer this way of delivering a message to the hip hop method though
It’s not bad. It was released in 2020 I expected a bit more than just a little bit better and a little bit more modern production
i thought that this album was really really unique. a great expression of the black artist, and the joy that being black brings so many, despite consistent hardship these are the kinds of albums that i think belong on this list.
Held my attention the whole way through and was very timely and meaningful for when it was released. Something I’d definitely return to, but not something you can really listen to at any given moment. Almost a five but closer to a four and a half.
Oof there are some rough reviews for this album that have nothing to do with the music. Who would have thought that an album discussing the hardships and experience of a minority class in America would have negative reviews by people who say they didn't even listen to it? The music is good and the message is great. No one song stuck with me, but the album as a whole does.
3 out of 5. This album has a vibe and the beats are good.
Nobody knows who SAULT are. The collective operates in complete anonymity, releases records with almost no promotion, and periodically withdraws them from streaming entirely — a radical act in an era that demands artists be constantly visible and accessible. The music is the entire statement, and on Untitled (Black Is) that statement is considerable. Released in the immediate aftermath of George Floyd's murder and the global protests of 2020, the record carries that weight without being crushed by it. The grief and anger sit just underneath the surface of even the most groove-forward tracks — Black British soul and funk drawing from gospel, R&B, and Afrobeat in ways that feel organic rather than assembled. The Khruangbin comparison the record immediately invites is accurate but incomplete — same quality of groove as atmosphere, music that creates a world rather than just a collection of songs, but rawer and more politically urgent than anything Khruangbin has attempted. Michael Kiwanuka's appearance is the guest cameo that makes complete sense in retrospect — the same serious, purposeful soul music-making that earned KIWANUKA a five in this project finding its natural home here. The anonymity of SAULT and the visibility of Kiwanuka make for an interesting contrast; the music they make together sounds like neither is thinking about any of that. A four that passes the record player test comfortably — music worth putting on and letting run, which in 2020 or any year since is exactly what it was designed to be.
Æ e litt overraska over å ikke ha hørt om det her før, men dem e jo relativt ny, og æ e blitt relativt dårlig på å følge med, så det har kanskje bare gått mæ hus forbi. Men æ likte det skikkelig godt. Æ e jo generelt svak for politisk engasjert musikk (om man kan si det sånn), og noen ganger, når engasjementet e for altoppslukanes og kontant, så havne det kunstneriske mer i bakevja, fordi man må få ut det man tenke raskest mulig. Andre ganger, som her, fungere det utmerket, kanskje fordi det e nokka komponistan har bært på i et helt liv som kulminerte i et sinne, men også nokka livsbejaanes. Æ likte det veldig godt!
Decent enough listen, but nothing really jumps out at me. Reminds me of Kiwanuka, not surprised to see him collaborating on a few tracks.
Incredible album
Okay look, I am a New Zealander without a millilitre of African American blood in my body, to say I am out of my depth on this one is an understatement. I remember when I went to San Francisco in 2024 and saw a cop screaming and yelling at someone who stopped their car in the middle of an intersection because there was traffic in front of them, an interaction that to me felt extreme and excessive but to everyone else just seemed normal. Where I live, I saw a truck driver on his cellphone while driving, I watched a cop car slowly drive by. The cop shook his head, the truck driver ended the call and apologized, and then everyone moved on. The kiwi cop could have ticketed the dude, but no-one aside from me, the cop, and the truck driver were around and noone was in any danger, so the truckie got off with nothing more than a quick lecture. Not going to pretend that policing is perfect here, but my cultural upbringing is so far removed from the culture and experiences that birthed this record that I can only relate to this record in the most academic sense. All of that is to say, I don't have anything meaningful to say about this record's subject matter, I hope black people who listen to it find it affirming and helps them deal with their situation. What do I think of this album musically? It's nice and soothing, but something I also need to be in a very specific mood for. Some interesting blends of genre, containing elements of jazz, soul, trip hop, and ASMR. Glad that I listened to it though.
Not for me, but I can appreciate the musicianship.
Wow, I feel like a dumbass for this flying under my radar.
nice vibes but i don't like the politic message involved.
It wasn't bad music, but i couldnt even remotely relate and felt like it really wasn't made for me. Also way too many interludes.
Yawn. I won't get into the politics of the album since I am really not the one to comment on them. The music is just boring. Barely passable on that front and easily skippable. The political message is also done infinitely better by multitudes of other artists.
Clearly I'm not the target audience idk
Pleasantly surprised by this album. Had never heard of SAULT...really enjoyed it
Sault then. I’ve been mildly aware of them without actually hearing them. Got the impression it would be my kind of thing, but by the time that happened, they already had about 6 albums and I felt overwhelmed. This being in the 1001 has forced me to overcome the feeling of having missed the boat. 20 tracks, about a third of which are more like segues, but that doesn’t have to mean not worthy. I have no idea if this is typical of their albums, but it works pretty well here. There’s plenty going on that varies throughout the album, but I still managed to come away thinking it was a little bit samey. Sparse but interesting arrangements sit amongst beats which I assume are mixed slightly high on purpose. On top of which a nice vocal. Nice is hardly a compliment at all, is it? The context tells me I should be going ape for the voice, but I’m not. I’m on board with the pro-black messaging and I think as a theme for the whole album, it is realised successfully. I wasn’t desperate to loop back to the start as soon as I finished and I’m not sure what to do next; persist and see if this lands better with me following additional listens, or check out their catalogue to see how this fits in. My interest is piqued, and even though they now seem to have 14 albums (they’ve been very busy!) I am tempted to explore further. For now I’ll stick with a strong 3 stars. It was certainly not as impactful as Gabriels whom I am inclined (perhaps wrongly) to think of as comparable contemporaries.
Recht gechillt Aber mochte die musik grundsätzlich
This modern r&b album lyrically goes over the current themes and issues revolving around racism. The beats were pretty good, and I like how, even though the album is newer, I can immediately see its place in this list because of its cultural significance.
Gil Scot-Heron auf Wish bestellt. Paar gute Beats. Slopfest
First listen. This is falling into the category of music I admire….jury is still out about whether I like it or not. But this is clearly an ambitious album and I respect anything that is unique and striving for something new and thought provoking. 4
This is my 219th song of the list and probably the best "discovery" I've gotten from here. Really good and interesting album.
Wow, this one was a great surprise. I enjoyed its mix of R & B, electronic, soul, and gospel and found it really unique and interesting. But mostly I loved the positivity of it and its inspiring messages of hope, unity, and love in the face of discrimination and outright racism. It might go on a little bit too long but all of the songs engaged me, especially "Stop Dem," "Wildfires," "Bow," and "Pray up Stay Up." It's said that hard times and adversity make for great art and this album is proof of that.
The person who wrote the Apple Music description for this describes it as more of a mixtape than an album, and that feels accurate. A mixtape reaction to the racist police violence that escalated in 2020. Fairly minimalist lyrically while getting the message across effectively, and swapping between Black styles like R&B, funk, hip hop, soul.. heavy subject matter but great vibes. Bow and Monsters are excellent, and I love the positivity of the closer track. I'm a fan of these guys, they've been doing something unique and refreshing for a while. Some concerning reviews here from people who are apparently historically illiterate and think we're anywhere near a 'post-racial' society. Should be no war but the class war, sure, but systemic racism is real and getting worse in the US at least under the fucker in chief.
Cool beats and understated style
It gets 3 stars from me for my personal enjoyment, then one star to tip the ledger. The reviews on this album are whack.
Sounds like an A level Travelling theatre group
This album caught me off-guard. I've never heard of SAULT. This album is so amazing that I want to ask why they aren't huge, but it's basically a prog-RnB album which answers the question before I can ask it. 5 stars.
Ehh not really anything special
Actually it's 2.5/5
Very interesting album but for some reason I can’t give it more than a three
Number: 189 Familiarity: Moderate (3) Rating: 4 Before: ======= I like these guys/gals a lot. I already have some of their songs in my favorites by years lists but nothing from this album yet but I'm sure I must have at least skimmed through it, but maybe not. I didn't learn about SAULT until I started working on those favorites by years lists and have not had a chance to dig into their entire discography, yet. During: ======= Added Stop Dem to my favorites of 2020 list. Checking my 2020 list I see I have another track from them from 2020 but it is on their other untitled album from 2020, Rise. So looks like both albums are Untitled but both have a title, what's up with that? Seems a little pretentions tbh, but does not take away from my enjoyment of their music at all. After : ======= I thought the album was really good but not consistently great so I am giving it a 4. I have one 5, seven 3's and twelve 4's from the album. I listened to it like 5 times yesterday, some songs more that that, but I probably won't be listening to it again anytime soon. I did end up adding 4 songs from this album to my favorites of 2020 list: Stop Dem, Eternal Life, Monsters, & Pray Up Stay Up. Seems like the style shard to classify. I see it listed as Afrobeat, Funk, Gospel, Alternative R&B, Soul, & Retro-Soul in various sources. I'm going with Alternative R&B Soul as think that best fits the overall vibe of the album.
Pre Listen: Not really looking forward to this one based on Title, Album Cover, and release date. Hoping it won't sound astro-turfed, corporate or preachy. Low expectations. Notable Tracks: Out The Lies | Black Is | Black | Us - I have a simple smell test I apply to many political works of art this decade to determine if the message is actually progressive or regressive: If you replace a demographic in a lyric/verse with a different one, and it completely changes the tone of the message, it's probably regressive. Don't Shoot Guns Out - Holy fucking christ could you make the message behind the song anymore in your face and unpoetic? This is the musical equivalent of video game yellow paint. Sorry Ain't Enough - The best song on this album, both from a lyrical perspective and musical one. It's actual music. It's perhaps the only alright song on this album. Black - What the fuck is this. Worst song on the album musically by a landslide. DJ Toenail ass beat. Might be the worst song I've heard on here to date. Post Listen: This shit was so fucking banal. Exactly what I was expecting. Before beginning this complete rant of a review I want to clarify I'm quite left-leaning in my politics, to a degree that I think your average left-leaning American politician is just a Conservative Lite. I hold ideals of equality, freedom, and justice for all in exceptionally high regard, and believe that modern U.S. society is in desperate need of sweeping reforms. That being said, this album was such a nothing-burger in terms of messaging, musical substance, and politics. The beats and sounds were beyond simple, the occasional audio editing with distortions or sampling could've been done in Garage Band in 15 minutes. On the subject of politics especially, this album felt like the most tip-of-the-iceberg messaging I've ever had the displeasure of listening to. I could boil down the lyrical message behind most tracks to "Black people good. Being black is hard. American society bad". Even back in 2020 this sort of political messaging was quickly becoming so worn out. This is the kind of shit right-wing pundits would point to on their podcasts, talking about how asinine the left-wing movement is for promoting this, and if this is your only exposure to political music, you'd agree, because it just sounds so awful. This music is the kind of shit only performative liberals listen to. This is the kind of music people who did the social media "black out" back in 2020 listened to, while continuing to support corporations who perpetuate their oppression, vote for candidates who act against their best interests, and forget about it all within a month. The comments under almost every video was just the most narcissistic circle-jerk of self-congratulatory back-patters, going "We're so proud of you for being here" or "If you're here you get it." Almost made my eyes roll out of my head. Many of the 4 to 5 reviews on here read similarly. Despite all my issues here, the album had some alright Synth work, the B side was better than the A side by a sizeable margin, and they gave all proceeds from this album to charity apparently. This being a non-profit is all that's keeping it from being a one. 2/5
Just sacrificed an hour of the time I’ve got with good hearing in this life for the sake of abstract slam-poetry The Message™️ schlock. Not cool.
Pretty and preachy.
Way to go, List. You've finally served me someone I (1) haven't heard of and (2) provided a pretty cool listening experience.
Had never heard of this but very much enjoyed it.
good r&b
Me sorprendió para bien. Me gustó.
China dit que d'autres albums plus récents sont meilleurs. Bravo pour leur implication sociale.
Je suis semi-convaincu. Je trouve les accroches convenues (Black is beautiful, on suivait la tendance Black lives matter bien sûr à l'époque). Mais la musique a pris une belle tangent vers la fin de l'album avec d'excellents grooves et des trucs un peu plus osés avec du synthé analogue ( la track Only Synth in church si je me rappelle bien). Si le terme est pas déjà créé, j'appellerais ça du prog hip-hop.
Ohhh me voilà très intrigué! J'ai écouté ça dans le char en revenir des Îles-de-la-Madeleine. Pas le meilleur environnement pour cet album, mais j'y ai quand même trouvé quelque chose. l'intrumentation parfois hypnotisante, les sujets abordés, la douce voix féminine. J'y reviendrai!
Me encantó. Espectacular.
Fun, important and very culturally relevant for 2020. Cool but not in a rush to listen again
Not really my thing but know the impact this has had.
I like Monsters, but the rest was like a poetry slam that I didn’t enjoy with basic beats that I didn’t enjoy
A blind person could tell you what this album was about based on the album cover
I like the concept but it just didn't interest me that much, a lot of songs were just dull
Never hard of this before - pretty cool and interesting mix. Would listen again. 3.
Enjoyed this one, the backing tracks made me think Kendrick Lamar was going to come in at any moment, wouldn’t surprise me to learn if the songs on this album have been used as samples on rap songs. Enjoyed the message throughout as well, I’ll never begin to truly understand what black people endure, but listening to albums like this helps remind me that the fight for equality is ongoing and we all play a part.
I liked!
Wow, I fear I don’t have the bandwidth today to fully explain my thoughts on this album. It mocks the entire prospect of giving a numerical score to an album. It retains the warmth and musicality of Robert Glasper (a fav of mine in college) and squeezes it into something even more direct and straightforward. It delivers a message on first listen while remaining endlessly listenable. Beautifully mutable music that can mean different things to different people at different times. This lives up to the title of something every music lover should hear before they die. Reading about the mysterious nature of the collective and their obvious dedication to the project was inspiring. Wildfires is probably the best song I’ve heard on here in weeks.
Not my usual genre but I think this is rather good. Surprised it was 2020 - felt 90s in a great way
Ok in places, but not something I’d revisit. Quite liked Hard Life.
Really not my thing.
This album was pretty good. SAULT balances pain and uplift. A track might groove beautifully, but the subject matter underneath can be heavy as hell. That contrast matters. It’s not just “sad protest music”; it’s also about resilience, pride, memory, protection, anger, love, and survival. The percussion and basslines often give it physical movement, while the vocals and spoken passages keep pulling it back into lived experience.
Wasn't sure what to expect with this one
A little too long with a rocky start, but I enjoyed this. The back half was my favorite for sure. 3.5 rounded down to 3. Favorite tracks: Sorry Ain't Enough, Eternal Life, Only Synth in Church, Monsters, Miracles.
Fine but not the best late 2010s/early 2020s neo-soul representation that could be found out there.
This got a lot of buzz when it came out and I really couldn't understand why,
I don't know if I can properly rate this as I'm obviously not the target audience(I'm a suburban white boy from Florida). This album was clearly made with incredibly respectable intentions, but yet it doesn't grab me. It's unobtrusive modern R&B that doesn't really move me in any way. The album was based around the power of its lyrics, which are based on themes of African identity and racial justice. Yet lyrics are only one part of the puzzle, and they are often repetitive and simplistic (which is probably the point). That said, I find the album somewhat lacking in hooks and great music, as it relies too much on the lyrical messaging to make an impact. But, then, I'm white, so what do I know about the subject matter? This album is ranked #2 of 3 albums released in 2020. Other 2020 albums rated by me: evermore(3/3)-3
all over. vocals. preach. groove.
Musically - I like it a lot. It does get repetitive and I had to skip to the end of some songs. Then I made the mistake of reading others reviews. Made me go back and listen/read the lyrics.
fav songs: bow miracles conscious, political, strong themes/inconsistent music 25/100
Wildfires is amazing, but the rest of the album has trouble keeping up with that
Kind of a modern D’Angelo feel. I know I say this all the time but could use just a few rap verses. I mean “Hard Life” is one of the best boom-bap beats I’ve heard in years. Put Black Thought on that for a few bars and it’s one of the best rap songs of the 2020s. Will be listening to this again.
3.8 Nice addition to the list. Never heard of the collective before. Listened to a couple of their albums today, kinda diggin it.
Not bad, but not my thing.
An impressive output which dilutes how good these are. They’ve delivered so much of late hard to absorb however rated this album and the first bought from these. Wildfires 4.3/5
Cool stuff, lot of interesting ideas. Was impressed.
The woman’s voice is so beautiful silky smooth, but honestly the entire album was kinda boring. I tuned it out while working and it was just some background sounds.
This was a very very solid representation of pride, this 1000% deserves to be listened to by everyone. Amazing songs to fill too.
This is a really great addition to the list, as it was released at a pivotal moment for the Black Lives Matter movement. The lyrics celebrate being proud of their Black identity while addressing the continued systemic issues that continue to disadvantage them. It is important in this time that people are aware of the diverse challenges faced by individuals from various identities and experiences as people are increasingly only caring about what is best for them, not best for everyone. Therefore, albums like these that provide a platform for these Black communities are important so people can hear how these communities feel oppressed. Ultimately, addressing oppression is not a zero-sum game (like many people believe it is in the reviews), as promoting equality ultimately provides net benefits to society at whole. For the music itself, the album is well-produced, powerful, and an engaging listening experience.
Had low expectation for this, but it's been an absolute joy, Truly fantastic. They have a mellow vibe along with superb singing.i could just relax and listen for a long long time. Definitely a band to explore
Monsters is a great track. The rest were repetitive and genuinely boring.
I love Inflo's production, I became a fan of this through Little Simz albums, soon realized he also produced Michael Kiwanuka, Cleo Sol, many others, as well as being the main driving force of SAULT. It's truely hard to keep up or remember their discography apart from clear standout songs because of the titles and secrecy of their output, but their talent and beauty of their music is undeniable. I could've gone with this or 4 other albums to be considered for this list, Five, Seven, Acts of Faith and Ten are sensational albums, but this is the most theatrical and the album experience is exceptional. Wildfires is incredible, love the ambiance of Don't Shoot Guns Down, Sorry Ain't Enough is great, Bow, Monsters is great. I hope he mends his relationship with Simbi to continue collaborating because their music is the best both have ever created. Great inclusion.
Wow, I had no idea what to expect from this but this was an incredibly engaging listen, and as someone who doesn’t always focus on lyrical content, I have to say it was hard to miss the clear themes on display. A 2020 album that fits into the genres of R&B, Funk and Soul probably isn’t going to be up my street but musically, this was as engaging as the powerful messages. Very disappointing to read some of the negative reviews on the site about this album focused on racial issues but then perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised. Stop Dem really caught my attention early on, but this was full of great tracks including Don’t Shoot Guns Down, Bow (feat. Michael Kiwanuka, who I’ve come to really like), and Pray Up Stay Up. I’ve also very recently shortlisted their new album to listen to based on it being recommended as one of the albums of the year so far, so this is very timely.
This must've hit you so hard if you were on the "right side" of things during the peak woke. Okay, provocations aside, it's not really that bad of an album but I feel it's destined to be forgotten simply due to having nothing that special besides the then-current commentary.
An unexpected inclusion, but not one that doesn't merit it's place. It's a very powerful tracklist focused on themes of race, politics, and violence. I got a lot from this album and would be interested to hear more from the SAULT discography. Favourites: Sorry Ain't Enough Bow Monsters
Ok
It's rather poor, but there's one good tune
My guess is radical chic (Tom Wolfe a dickhead tho). & yet, from a sonic perspective, pretty darn good, even if it’s politically on the nose. I simply prefer my politics to be on the loose. +, I prefer Solange, Blood Orange, Kendrick Lamar, Toni Morrison.
This one was hard to place, as there are elements I loved and others I tired of simply because my taste has started to float away from repetitive beats and vocal samples (maybe this was too soon after Fatboy Slim?) I do sort of agree with the other reviews on this one though; for an album releasing at the moment in time that it did with the Black Lives Matter, you would have thought that a wider range of emotion would have been on display. That said, not everything is delivery in lyrics, with lyrics themselves contrasted with a beautiful and calm voice sometimes creates that juxtaposition that hits even harder; tracks like "Hard Life" and "Wildfires" were absolutely stunning and I'm glad I learnt of them, they are going straight to my playlists. Both of these had some Fugees energy to them, as did "Sorry Ain't Enough". Favourite tracks, for not only beautiful vocals but also for more soulful/less repetitive musical arrangements: "Hard Life", "Don't Shoot Guns Down", "Wildfires", "Sorry Ain't Enough" (instrumental on this one went in every direction I wanted it to making it deeply satisfying), "Why We Cry Why We Die", "Eternal Life", "Monsters", "Hold Me", ... I notice that all the female led tracks are the greatest ones for me! ..."Black" was a rather frustrating one, because it had a lot of interesting arrangements and was interrupted by the the female vocals with the lounge tune backing it which was gorgeous. I just wish we heard some bars on what it means to be Black, pride in heritage or the struggles faced... just a little something more than 'I'm Black'. Maybe what I am asking would have been too predictable. Overall, a good album with some good ideas, but I felt like they could have taken more risks on displaying some of that emotion that comes with wanting to get a message of change across. I possibly wouldn't have felt so strongly about this, had it released now in 2026 or even some 5-6 years before it actually did.
Surprisingly fitting music for work engagement. Loved the beats and variety.
Never heard of them but enjoyed this one. Lofi working music
A really cleanly and well produced album, with a very meaningful subject matter, but they could've been a bit more creative with the lyrics, no? They kinda got a Steven Universe vibe to it. And a whole lot of songs here just feel like long loops, unfortunately. But when they're groovin, they're really going. Favorites were Hard Life, Bow, and Eternal Life.
(71/100)
This was fantastic. Totally not on my radar but right up my alley.
They have a lovely sound - focused album
SAULT has a radical sound. Inflo creates sparse, austere R&B without the flourishes you’d usually associate from the genre. It puts a lot of pressure on the songwriting and vocals to be exceptional, and the group mostly lives up to this. I’ve only heard Inflo’s work with Little Simz before now and enjoyed hearing the sonic thread that binds the two projects. Untitled (Black Is) is a very 2020 record and a very Black record, responding to Black Lives Matter and George Floyd while also reflecting the claustrophobic feeling of the international lockdowns. It's interesting to hear a British group commenting on the state of race relations from across the pond, while I appreciate that these themes are ultimately universal, it would have been cool to also hear them zone in on some of the problems we have in the UK. Some songs caught me and inspired the meaningful response that was intended, other bits of speechifying sounded a little cheesy to my ears, though I recognise that these are the ears of a middle class white man.
SAULT getting a low 4 from me, it’s a bit overlong but I like basically all the ground it covers lyrically and musically and a few of the tracks are just lush
Rightous
Pretty good - I'm not a huge fan of the short interludes but the fleshed out songs were quite good. Completely unaware of this group, so this was a nice find for a Monday.
This is a good album. British R&B with Afrofuturist and hip-hop elements sliding in. The soundscape is kind of understated and impressionistic. The subject matter feels very 2020. Back when we thought we thought the struggle against racism was to challenge ingrained structural racism and unconscious personal biases and naively thought we could see positive change. In 2026, though, the racists are on the streets in Britain and the liberals and the left are in an existential battle. For this project (listening to 1001 Albums) there's an issue with latter albums in that there hasn't been the time between release and publication of the book to see how an album stands the test of time. Sault definitely deserve a spot in the 1001 Albums to hear before you die. They've had an impact on the contemporary music scene in the UK and the Modern Black British experience is a welcome inclusion in the culture breadth of the project. However, the band are very prolific, 13 albums since 2019) and is this the album that will stand out as their definitive recording? I'm not so sure!
For the topic that the record was covering, it just felt uninspired. Most of the album had the underlying feeling of someone in their late 50s figuring out how GarageBand works and quickly churning out a cheesy mess of sounds that they thought would change the world. I picture a group on public access TV embarrassingly pressing buttons to play the same beat over and over and over with soft voiced narration of cliched Black power lines that have been repeated in poetry for over a century. This unfortunately feels like a group taking advantage of a movement in time, not contributing anything meaningful to it. Repetitive, cliched, and boring. One of the few albums on the list that I turned tracks on after 45-60 seconds due to said boring repetition. Last five songs are where it started to pick up but could not save the album. I listened to some of the groups other music and liked it though.
The minimalism and cut-up approach distinguishes this, taking what might otherwise be bathetic trad soul tracks and subtracting instruments and track length until this becomes a Jazz Café “Straight Outta Compton”, a simultaneously more jagged and less futuristic cousin to Massive Attack, no bad thing. Sadly, the songs are flat and the lyrics are terrible. Initially I was sympathetic to the sentiments, but the succession of abstract sloganeering and detail-free declarations make this the lyrical equivalent of a ‘90’s Benetton ad. Not every protest record need evoke Nina Simone or Woodie Guthrie or Chuck D, but there’s nothing here, just vague vibes, “you go girl”, wearying nothing.
Just terrible. Would have sounded derivative in 1996, now just puzzling why anyone would make something so dull. Couldn't even finish it
C
This was great
This is an awesome album, super powerful and super chill! I also love their album covers and names; beautiful! I'm glad I found this album, and when I get a little more time (when I'm caught up on my album challenge) I'm definitely coming back!
New to me and what a great find! I loved this album, super interesting and powerful. Good vibes.
Masterpiece bro I swear #black
Alright r&b albums, tracks like monsters sounded like something entirely different. was ok, maybe not for me.
A welcome discovery
I think this album belongs here, but it's not the most entertaining to me. Wildfires is the clear standout.
very good. theming is strong, but it's also pretty easy to chill to. not a lot of tracks jumped out at me individually. favorite song is Wildfires or Bow. strong 3
Rating: 7/10 This group is pretty cool. It definitely has an extremely historic release, on Juneteenth 2020 which makes it an interesting landmark of an album. I'm very familiar with SAULT's founder Inflo as the producer for Michael Kiwanuka and, more importantly for me, Little Simz (until their unfortunate rift which has caused him to no longer produce for her). Simz is in my opinion one of the best rappers in the world right now and he was significant factor in the phenomenal discography she has. These artists make a great collective of UK conscious hip hop artists who are all doing really great work. Anyway, back to the album, this might not be standout but is still around a solid listen. I love the chill Wildfires, probably my favorite of the bunch. Why We Cry Why We Die and Black are also a good back to back. Songs flow along nicely, powerful stuff. Listen to Little Simz.
It's half stylish, half pretty empty (simple? streamlined?) but I did like it and I'm not sure why. I think it's just mostly solid and isn't doing too much, so it's hard to dislike that much about it 5.6/10
הם אף פעם לא עד כדי כך תפסו אותי אבל יש להם שירים טובים פה ושם
An album that was not meant for me.
Alright actually
Honestly, not very good. I’d rather listen to more interesting things.
Complete shite
I had no idea what this was when it came up but to be fair it impressed me. Some of the beats and melodies on here slap. 7/10
Soul, R&B, funk.
This one feels like it could have done more at pretty much... everything. It could have been more observant, more creative, more unique... Instead, this reminded me of two things: the short story I tried to write in 10th grade where I repeatedly spelled out its central theme while desperately trying to build any kind of compelling world around it, and the worship music I sat through in Chapel every week that made the same few observations about God that were neither interesting nor profound. My favorite tracks here sonically are mired in near-cringeworthy lyrics that say things that have been said much more creatively before (e.g. "Don't shoot, guns down / Racist policeman"). Basically, I just feel like you'd be better off spending your time reading/listening to/studying anything more observant or revolutionary about the racism Black people face in our world. Or listen to this, who cares.
The exact kind of political music that ineffectual libs can embrace. Which, if you are going to pick a record to represent 2020 on this list, that's pretty much exactly what you need. That this can be legitimately taken seriously as a radical polemic shows how neutered political art has become. Surface level observations, tired and stale aphorisms, boring and inoffensive music that prioritize vibes over everything else. The only people this music could possibly challenge are not going to be listening to this anyway, and that means we are left with a bunch of well-meaning listeners falling over themselves to praise this for fear of looking like they are not allies. When you can't even be as radical and challenging as a song like "Strange Fruit" over 80 years later, that says it all.
Review of the comments: A lot of privilege and bigotry going on in these reviews... Some of you are fucking disgusting. Don't be surprised when your adult children don't let you see your grandchildren. - a middle-aged white dude Review of the album: Never heard of this group before today, and I'll definitely be digging further into their catalog. I'm a sucker for downtempo electronic, so that was a big plus, right off the bat. Also appreciated were the reggae-styled bass on the occasional track, and the afrobeat influence on others. I don't know that this is something I'd spin on a regular basis, but certainly as an artwork, I am impressed. Maybe like looking at The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch: I don't think I'd hang it in my house, but I'd stop at it for an hour every time I was at the museum. Or maybe even go to the museum once a year to see it. As I was agonizing over the writing of that last paragraph, I changed my mind while a couple other songs played. I'd hang this in my house. And I'm definitely checking out the artist further. Thanks, 1001 Albums! ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ça partait bien, mais finalement c'était plutôt chiant.
Written in response to the BLM movement, "Untitled (Black Is)" is a mixture of R&B and soul and explores, as some critics have put it, the "black experience". Politically charged lyrics and titles feature heavily, and one only needs scroll down the track list to understand the theme of the album. Musically though, it is fairly solid; they aren't particularly inventive, nor are they particularly experimental. The songs certainly don't have the fire of other political albums, relying more on a reflective and convincing tone rather than a channeling of anger.
Interesting album.
Stop Dem // Hard Life // Wildfires // 3.5/5
great, powerful message not the most enjoyable listen tho, some songs were great
Let's keep it about the music guys. Music is mid to decent for me, with some absolute low points. 3/5
very good, very ambitious, very 2020
Nice album
This was an entertaining album. I’ve never heard of this band before. It’s a very socially conscious album about living as a black person in the world today. I enjoyed it. I liked the main singer's voice. It was a little long though.
I’d never heard of this album or group before. Despite how recently it was made, I’d missed it entirely. It was a very solid and enjoyable experience. There were a lot of interlude speech parts, probably too many. The words and lyrics were nice and empowering. I got a Public Enemy album a few days ago, and this feels like the exact opposite. One was raging against injustice and this one is trying to lift you up. All in all, I found this album to be very enjoyable. The music was good, the vocals were lovely. A couple songs I would probably listen to again.
I felt like this was all over the place and too long of an album.
It was all over the place which was deliberate yet the songs fell flat and were boring
Cool I guess. Didn’t really resonate with me, seems more like a societal/political statement than a musical one so I dunno. It was fine in parts. A little preachy though.
confused-is this hip-hop or spoken word? either way, it is way too long
Wildfire är en hit. Olik resten av skivan som är ojämn i kvalitet o genre
No soy lo suficiente negro como para que me gusté este disco xd.
I loved this album when it came out and I still return to it on a semi-regular basis, this was a lovely re-introduction. I’ve no doubts this is a must listen for wildfires alone but there are so many wonderful tracks I’d be here all day talking about my favourites.
Untitled Liked it, drifts a bit in places but Wildfire is worth the price of admission alone Favourite track: Wldfire
Cool, subtle, trip-hop like stuff. I don't know if I'm interested enough to listen again but not at all disappointed in the find
8/10… neo soul / indie r&b / *2020
Es relajante como para un viaje
As one part of R&B legends Houmous & Chutney I can really see where they went with this one. 3.2 5/10 Good Things Come After The Pressure
It was fine. Liked the beats but could do without the spoken word bits. Also I feel like such a dick for saying this but some of these lyrics/spoken parts are corny as hell.
A fun blend of electronic music, world music, hip hop and others. Also nice to have an album made within the last 6 years, with modern production quality.
Bunch of people real uncomfortable with their identities on here…someone else being proud of and exploring their identities doesn’t have shit to do with yours… still more of the British club style than I like for my own musical tastes, but the grooves were on point and I enjoyed it as some background cooking music.
I really liked the mood of this album. It’s serious, but positive and encouraging. It has this minimalist electronica, trip-hop, afrobeat sound going on, which I find very appealing. 3.5-4
I liked this a lot when it was released. It's been a little while since I've given the whole album a play though. Listening again, it kind of makes sense. There are some great moments. Wildfires in particular, but it doesn't quite get to great territory. A sold four.
Definitely unique for the time period but this album can’t make up its mind what it wants to be.
No me gusto
Loved some of the songs
Best Track - "Wildfires"
I had no idea what to expect but this is great. Loving the generally chilled out vibe. The spoken word interludes work and it all flows nicely. Yes it’s pretty low key but everything does not have to be in your face. A nice find from the generator
One for the white wokists to own. Not me, I’m just a lawnmower, you can tell me by the way I walk. 1/5 11/5/26
There are bits of this I really like, but a lot of it feels overdone and there's just not much focus.
Monsters fannst mér ansi skemmtilegt lag, restin var ágæt en ekki mjög eftirminnileg.
Giving this a 1 or 2 is crazy. At worst, this album is just fine. I loved it though. Could definitely see myself throwing it on again. Favorite Songs: Stop Dem, Bow, Monsters, Miracles, Hold Me
Musically this is so boring. Almost every single song is just a looping sample that just drones and doesn't change. Hard life is pretty good, but like why do these songs just have random ASMR sections. We're trying to listen to music guys c'mon. Some of the songs on this album do not need to be here like it's just looping chants that have meaning, but it loses weight after you say it for 2 minutes straight on an hour long album. And some of these songs are just so corny like we can do better than looping "Black. I'm Black. Black." like we can add more depth it's not gonna hurt anyone. Some of the album is actually pretty great, but every track just goes on way too long. Every time I'm really messing with the song, it just ends and then the beat just loops for like 2 minutes more. Bow, Eternal Life, and Monsters are fucking gas though.
Album #85: Untitled (Black Is) - SAULT Genre (W): Soul, R&B, funk No singles. I have not listened to this album before. Thoughts?: The production sounds nice but the album drags a lot. Kind of a let down and a boring album with nice messages. Favorite songs: Stop Dem, Wildfires, Bow
It’s alright, a bit too ‘artsy’ for me if you exclude the context in which it was made
2.5
Some great tracks on this one and I had not heard them. These are the gems I keep listening for
Not bad vocals, and music. Not my cup of tea.
My unhinged first reaction to hearing this album was, "This sounds like Black Pumas, why aren't they on this list?" Once I got over myself I was able to appreciate this album for the great, empowering, positive, progressive album that it is. And it was distributed for free! I'm still looking forward to Black Pumas, though.
This is really well-produced, with some nice beats. I really appreciate the important message being conveyed lyrically, especially given how sensitive this topic is. Unfortunately, though, it just doesn't have enough musical energy to fully engage me.
4/10
Ok
I dunno there isn't anything wrong about this album. Chance did the Donnie Trumpet project back in 2015, and Kanye did gospel fusion before. I enjoyed this album as much as it allowed me to. Hip hop rythmns with gospel hooks, and neo soul melodies it all really took shape well. Ocasionally the music got borning or one dimensional. I just took note and moved on. I don't think you need to be a scholar or a bigot to understand the fate of black plight. Thy being oppressed for centuries and the second they get ahead or speak about it some constantly run to the outrage corner and go "Stop complaining.". Its call expression numb nuts, this is it in exemplary form. Good album. Bad band name. Also appreciate the "anonymity". Pretty cool.
Wasn’t sure what to expect but this is beautiful.
Mildly inoffensive R & B, such as you might hear piped over the speakers at Poundland! Shan't be back for any more.
Not for me, though wildfires was a good track. Very hip coffee shop music.
As a white male, there is a LOT that I could never understand about experiences that are not my own. Saying things like “people never thought about race” or “why do you have to bring race/gender into it” is something that only someone who has the privilege of not having to think about race/gender gets. A person who is a different race has no choice to bring race into it, because race is a part of their everyday life. This album is very much a product of the time at which it was released. It happened to hit at the exact right time, speaking to a moment in ways that were unfortunately all too predictable when recording it. The fact is, there are certain things that ONLY happen to a small subset of people. This album is a testament to that. Frankly, the music here doesn’t always do it for me, but fuck all of the hideously racist reviews for this one. A very spiteful five stars. Dimery doesn’t always get it right, but kudos to him for including this one.
Not sure what to say So it’s best to say nothing at all
Fav songs: Out the Lies and Bow
One of the most racist albums I’ve ever heard
Well produced, but it's lacking something. As if it's meant to be the companion soundtrack to an art installation. Either that or I just don't get it.
I don't listen to much R&B, but this was a pretty solid album.
Até queria dar uma nota melhor nas honestamente esse álbum não é pra meus ouvidos. Até achei uns momentos legais mas no geral achei cansativo. QoA Cloudscape.
Beats that sound like the example albums from PlayStation music software with the most cringe student poetry level lyrics. One or two tracks that broke through to actually be interesting but otherwise just blah.
Not really sure what to make of this. Very recent entry. Starts kind of like slow house with a lot of R&B and as the album goes on it becomes more R&B and less house. It has some high highs (Miracles), but it is too long and gets tedious. It got this ambiguous atmosphere where you think it’s chill but it’s an intense kind of chill. It’s a good album, can’t say anything about importance since it’s not my scene but I can say it’s a solid three.
6/10 Medio soso, no me termina de aburrir pero tampoco me terminaron de gustar, no llega a ser ni malo ni bueno, tiene momentos mejores que otros pero nada que destaque
Me gusto mucho mas ee lo que me pense que me iba a gustar 3 estrellas
There's a retro sheen across this album. The '90s R'n'B inspired tracks are actually the least interesting for me. When electronica and African beats start to get involved, that's where it becomes an enjoyable listen. Overall, it's a bit middle of the road, but not bad.
SAULT got some great music and powerful messages on their Untitled (Black Is) album. Wildfires, Bow, and Why We Die Why We Cry are musical artistry. Didn’t care for the spoken word tracks on the album, but they do help send the message that repression and murder of black people is unacceptable and will no longer be tolerated. The album vaults SAULT onto the 1001 Must Hear List. (3.3*s) I’m not sure if the people that need to hear this message would ever be exposed to this album or ever listen to it if they were. musical artistry.
Untitled is titled Black Is so I'm not following. It's semi-interesting electronica R&B album. The racially angled piece has some things going for it but I was not fully sold. No track really grabbed me. Some of the mixing is good with unique styles to the songs that kept me lightly engaged. Without the Floyd incident, this would not have resonated as much with the public or critics. The record is different but makes the list for the surrounding police brutality tension. I would not have come across this on my own and can move on unmoved...2.22 stars.
Wasn't familiar with Sault but evidently I already had one of these songs saved in my library so I must have been exposed to it at some point. This album appears to be a project centered on black empowerment in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement. I had fear that this would just be an empty political piece that made the list due to controversial subject matter. While it includes a dash of political messaging none of it is excessive or out of touch. After a few songs the album hits its stride and has a handful of enjoyable tracks. Any of the political underlying is tasteful, measured and effective. It's not a bad album and I imagine would have been a powerful righteous entry for the target demographic and charity proceeds that it generated. I don't think I would have heard this album otherwise so I'm glad it made the list. 2.72 stars
I've never listened to this group before, this was great. Really interesting history as well, they're very prolific - i'm going to dip into some of their other albums soon!
Really like Wildfires, hadn't heard the rest. For my money, there's not much else on here which is quite so arresting as that track. But the band sound full of potential and I'll keep checking them out.
A beautiful celebration of blackness. I don't fully understand the "perfect album" hype though. 7/10
Didn't hate it, but I don't see myself going back to it anytime soon.
a good album written in direct immediate response to the murder of george floyd. this is the primary context of the album, which to me is both a boon and a bane, as it feels impossible to interpret it outside of that. far as i can tell, unless they added previously-unreleased tracks, it was produced in a few weeks afterwards to hit the juneteeth release. there's a rawness to that. there's an outpouring of grief, of pain, of hope, of empowerment, of desire for change, etc. to me, it's definitely felt. much of it that doesn't quite land for me (namely, the more spiritual and religious parts), but the intensity is felt. at the same time, to me this rawness entails a level of unrefinement that is noticeable to my ear in a way that makes this whole album feel underbaked. an hour in length, but not an hour well utilized or full, so it leaves me feeling a bit mixed.
Dumpster fire review section for this on the website. I enjoyed this quite a bit, it's an incredibly well produced soul album that is intensely topical to 2020 and the George Floyd protests. The material situation since that time hasn't changed much, and if anything has only gotten worse in many ways, so I think the points the album makes lands. Part of my high rating though is also the production on display here. It seems like in the late 2010s and early 2020s there's been an increased awareness that people are listening to music on higher quality setups then ever before and its resulted in a push towards some lovely crisp sounding albums. I also really love the blend of 60s souls sounds with contemporary twists, "Miracles" is the best example of that for me. I'm really torn between a 4 and 5 because whilst I do love a lot of this album, I can't imagine coming back and listening to it all again as an album. I think it just does enough for a light 5 though, so the Kiwanuka features get a 5 streak continues!
Not my thing at all tbh. Fav song is ‘Miracles’.
Seriously super repetitive, I would replace this with Max Roach freedom suite as there's barely any jazz on this list. Seems this is more of a political driven addition rather than on it's own merits cause musically it's quite boring, 2 or possibly 3 stars. But I am still on the holiday and not fully concentrating on these items lately so it's on me. perhaps I will revisit this project at some point
güzel bir teması olan ama bana hitap etmeyen bir albüm. 1-2 tane şarkısını beğendim
There's probably 3 minutes of melodies and voices that I liked, but most of it sounds so senseless to me
Musically its quiet alright. Interesting ideas. Very listenable melodies, beats and overall songs. It's biggest weakness is the fact that this hasn't aged very well into the big 26. I could see this making the rounds back in 2020 during the BLM movement and whatnot. However in current days it just sounds quite cringe. This is what I imagine white people thinking is playing at the 'cookout' The material sounds like they were trying to rewrite Marvin Gaye's 'What's going on' but through a white persons twitter overview of the black experience.
wtf is this crap
Excellent album -!love the grooves
3.5
I really like SAULT. Thankfully, I'm from a place that has zero issues with black, white, yellow, whatever - but in this particular case it makes this work's message completely irrelevant and even irritating at times. The music is solid though somewhat repetitive, and the album is overstretched. They have much better works.
Nice. Smooth. Easy. Rich sound and voice.
So it's not untitled then.
This was a frustrating listen, tried to focus on it but kept drifting off and not listening, I appreciate it but not really fussed on this one ⭐⭐⭐
Sobresale mucho en el gospel y música electrónica, con ese afrobeat que cierra la pinza. Especial mención a la rola con kiwanuka “Bow” y “Monsters”. Es un disco que exalta la cultura negra y Africana, a la cual no soy parte, por lo que no creo poder nunca entenderlo en su totalidad. Sin embargo, pasé un gran momento escuchando el álbum.
ugh
Kind of hit or miss, very BLM, probably did numbers in 2020. Some songs slapped others fairly forgettable. Feels like it made this list out of white guilt.
what is this ahahah. bow está nice y es porque es colab. No sé, es como experimental y siento que es DEI.
One of the few relatively modern albums on the whole list. Have heard of Sault but not listened before, let's hope for something innovative and fresh. It's just a person speaking over basic melodies for most of the album. Not super interesting. The one song with a tonne of listens is Wildfires, that one is at least melodic. The lyrics tell an important message, albeit one that has been told many times before. There's not a whole lot of variety here, either Definitely lacking the innovation I was hoping for. RnB for me is about rhythm and tempo, and I don't really think this album explores either in an interesting way. Monsters is my pick of the album.
I liked the vibes, the messages, and the music, but each track got to be really repetitive.
I'm not sure I get what this is trying to do, but I liked a few individual tracks
7.5/10
Buen album, variado, relajante y pegajoso según la canción
Not my thing.
This was very listenable but some of the reviews make me sad that there are still so many bigoted people out there.
British R&B has a sound I really like, and a lot of the instrumentation in this album was nice.
Am 19. Juni 2020 – dem amerikanischen Feiertag Juneteenth – veröffentlichte das britische Kollektiv Sault sein drittes Studioalbum über das Londoner Independentlabel Forever Living Originals. Der genaue Aufnahmeort bleibt bewusst ungenannt, wie nahezu alles rund um die anonym operierende Gruppe, hinter der primär Produzent Inflo (Dean Josiah Cover) und Sängerin Cleo Sol stehen. Musikalisch bewegt sich Untitled (Black Is) im Spannungsfeld von Neo-Soul, Funk, Afrobeat und Gospel: warme Bassgitarren, lebendige Schlagzeugarbeit, Spoken-Word-Einschübe und fließende Vokallinien fügen sich zu einem geschlossenen, organisch wirkenden Sound, der trotz aller Vielschichtigkeit erstaunlich geerdet klingt. Die zwanzig Tracks entstanden als unmittelbare Reaktion auf den Tod George Floyds und die weltweit ausgreifenden Black-Lives-Matter-Proteste des Sommers 2020. Songs wie „Wildfires", „Don't Shoot Guns Down" und „Black" sind keine konventionellen Protestsongs – sie verknüpfen politische Wut mit Trauer, Gemeinschaftsgefühl und schwarzer Freude zu einem emotionalen Panorama, das weit über den Moment hinausweist. Michael Kiwanuka ist auf „Bow" zu hören; Laurette Josiah spricht auf dem Interlude „This Generation" Worte, die sich tief einbrennen. Untitled (Black Is) wurde von NPR und BBC 6 Music gleichermaßen zum Album des Jahres 2020 erklärt und von der internationalen Kritik nahezu einhellig als Zeitdokument ersten Ranges gefeiert. Die Entscheidung, den Erlös aus Käufen vollständig an schwarze Bürgerrechtsorganisationen zu spenden, unterstreicht die konsequente Haltung einer Gruppe, die Musik nicht von politischem Handeln trennt. Dass Sault dabei musikalisch keinerlei Abstriche macht, ist das eigentlich Außergewöhnliche. Ein Album, das den Schmerz seiner Zeit in Schönheit verwandelt – und damit beides unvergesslich macht.
This album reminded me of the movie CB4 when one of the group goes to black power and raps I” I’m black tall and I’m black tall and I’m blackitty blackitty black y’all. What was meant to make fun then is played for seriousness here and it just doesn’t work.
I took on this challenge not so much to find new things I've never heard but to reconnect with some classic albums I had known but fell off my radar. I've listened to a bunch of pitchfork top lists, rolling Stones top 500 albums and similar styled lists. So usually when something comes up I've never heard of or totally forgot it's brand new and pretty outside the standard lists . And honestly I think those can be pretty rough. But this. Was. Great. Socially and politically conscious dance music? Sign me up
A fitting soundtrack to 2020 a year that saw the black movement take three steps forward, two steps back. A chaotic, angry, at times beautiful album. How much you will enjoy this album depends on how you view the murder of George Floyd, the riots of 2020, BLM, etc. Untitled (Black Is) is a wake-up call, a battle cry, a declaration of intent between soul, body and heart as much as an album of potent protest music.
4 - Another album that deeply surprised me. After reading about it too and the time it came out and the fact that the group is mostly anonymous but making these interesting and complex afrobeat/disco/r&b made me respect and admire this album so so much. Fav songs: Hard Life // Don't Shoot Guns Down // Wildfires // Bow // Monsters
2 Stars (5/15)
Me gusta como suena la bateria y las voces.
I think this is a great album with a strong message.
lo único bueno que tiene es que es un álbum todo de canciones así como antirracistas
No me gusto nada, muy raro todo. Salvo alguna que otra cancion, no le encuentro el ritmo, flojo flojo
A groovy feel from front to back with a message behind it. I'm down
muy buen ritmo. album protestista y liberal
It was fine - a few I'll keep for longer-term listening - but it went on a bit too long for my liking. 20 tracks is a marathon for any album, I think.
Definitely not the target audience, but enjoyed this as the art piece it is.
A repetitive album, which makes it feel like the album is too long. Beats tend to loop for an entire song and it can make it seem like songs are longer than they are. Some of the bass lines are great, the vocals are also very good, it’s just the repetition that bothers me.
Solid!
This album is definitely more recent than most on this list! Musically it's not bad! I cannot comment on race, prejudice, or discrimination for the purpose of writing this review; but I can be open to the message!
Never heard of this group but this album was pretty cool - really varied and despite being long it didn't feel that long.
Interesting, I like some of this music but some of it was pretty boring and some of it was more like skits
I enjoyed the beats and a few songs were ear worms. The album is clearly a product of the insane pandemic times but I think some songs hold up.
Come on Frank! Wasteland!? Lot to like these days. I present Sault. This album checked a lot of boxes for me in terms of style and genre, lot of obvious influences that I also love. Michael Kiwanuka makes an appearance and there’s a stark difference between what he did on the album we reviewed and this, and I think it’s keeping an edge and not neutering every track. Thinking about a lot of those neo soul acts. The lyrics and themes are pretty vague and cliched at times, but when you’re singing about something as simple a racism I think you have the right to speak in simple terms. Don’t shoot me you racist fuck!! No need to get too philosophical about it. I also place a lot less importance on lyrics relative to the actual music. I think of good lyrics as a bonus or a requirement to send a song to another level. Great find! Thanks list!
Wildfire and Bow were decent but the rest was not memorable.
I think this might be my new favourite 2020s album. It plays like a sound collage of jazz, soul and so many influences. It’s great.
Well, twist my arm! I’ll listen to dollar store TPAB any day. So this album, “Untitled (Black Is),” is a celebration of Black identity, that much is clear. It’s from 2020 so obviously it’s VERY politically conscious, and it’s got some nice vibes! The problem? Nothing stands out. I’ve listened to many a musical celebration of Black identity, from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (the best soul album of all time, as well as the best hip-hop album of all time, argue with a wall) to To Pimp A Butterfly itself (you know it. If you don’t, you’ve been living under a rock and it’s time to accept that) to Black Messiah, and honestly D’Angelo’s entire career. I don’t intend to pit different celebrations of Black culture against each other, especially as someone who IS NOT BLACK, but when you draw the comparisons between those albums and “Untitled,” the quality of the latter is evidently lower. The big problem is that a lot of the time the album just repeats mantras, which certainly creates a vibe, and I can surmise the intent behind all of the songs without passing it off as merely pleasant background noise, but I can’t quite justify it as the transcendent piece of art that it obviously wants to be. Certainly it’s beautiful, and rousing at times (especially on the album’s best interlude, “Us”). At the end of the day it’s pretty good, even if too inoffensive for how political it’s trying to be. 7.9/20
Zone out a lot. Lots of repeat rhythms and words
Horrible. First I thought I was listening to a kids Choir. The moment it went from kids choir to gospel choir I turned it off. I made it through halfway the third song.
Solid album. I appreciate the minimalism
Album Review 098 Untitled (Black Is) by Sault (2020) Rating: 4/5 This album is more important as a statement than as a collection of songs. Released during the 2020 BLM protests and the height of the pandemic, it is a message of solidarity and Black pride. In an ideal world, saying "Black Lives Matter" and taking the knee shouldn’t be needed but sadly, this record and the reaction to BLM shows we aren't there and why we needed this album. The core of the album is the partnership between producer Inflo and singer Cleo Sol. Their chemistry is obvious, especially on Wildfires, which is probably the most important soul track of the 21st century. The only issue is that the album feels too long. At 20 tracks, the message and the strenths of the better song gets diluted a bit. If they had cut the filler, this would be a 5/5 and one of the best albums of the 2020s. Between the chaos of COVID-19 and Sault releasing Untitled (Rise) so quickly after, the impact of this Black Is felt a bit crowded out and maybe didn’t get the attention it deserved at the time.
6.5
It was a decent listen. Nothing really captured my attention. Solid 3.
Wildfires
It’s good to get a more recent album on the list. Wildfires was best song. Others : Bow , Eternal Life,Miracles, Hold me. A lot of interlude type songs. Had a super minimal lofi vibe throughout which is cool. I think some more of dynamic moments would’ve been cool too.