Reviews (page 4 of 8)
This is pretty good. I enjoyed the singers voice and message. The musicianship is really great in particular the drumming.
I'm sure someone out there really likes this type of music. But that someone is not me
I totally misjudged this album by the cover… some sort of metal album? Haha When it started I was like what the hell… Anyway, turns out I actually enjoyed it quite a bit and will definitely give it another listen.
Wasn't sure this would be for me during the first song, but the further I got into the album, the more it clicked for me. Excellent vibe music. Black lives matter
How can something so purportedly Black be so Beige? Mostly boring, often repetitive, and a bit of ASMR. Weird. (But not in the good way.) What can I say nice?? Um.. the production is pretty good. Sounds polished. Not enough music with instruments here to report on. A few different voices that are OK, I guess. There's no passion behind this. The things I need in music are technical prowess and passion. One can make me like a thing, while getting both is a godsend. This though, fails in both areas. Would never listen to this on purpose and I can't think of anyone else that would. Not sure who this is for really. I want to give it a 1.7 because it's not HORRIBLE, but given the system we have here, I am going with a 1.
It'Sault right
Not really my kind of thing, but nothing bad either.
Honestly, a few really great tracks here and there, but spread over an hour of a kind of experimental neo-soul killed those for me. Maybe not just my kind of stuff.
3.5
This is great and i think the other one, Rise, from same year is even better 4.5
Good
WELL, the reviews have certainly got me curious to listen to this… 🤺 Really like the variety, the depth, the mixture of ways of communicating and presenting the messages. It’s a really nice, and profound, mix. ‘Wildfires’ feels very familiar. And interesting to see it’s a double album and quite the catalogue since too. This feels like it ultimately captures the essence of the BLM movement. Seeing the common retort of “all lives matter” in some reviews, this album shows why extra focus and representation of minority groups is needed to reset this balance. And this does it perfectly ✊🏾 Whether this is viewed through its deeper meaning, or just musically. It is a great album and I’m excited to explore the rest of their work.
I can't give it 1 star because it's not unlistenable, but it's very much not my vibe. I understand that I am not the target audience for this album.
I've never heard this. Gave me chills.
Okay, good.
Really, really nice album! 5/5
Great black pride celebration album. Would listen again.
a complex and powerful album, but it felt more like poetry than music. this was not enjoyable to listen to as music.
What a throwback to the mid-pandemic 2020's. An expression of black culture after the Floyd killing, this album has a varied style that I quite enjoyed, with "Wildfire" being the best song by far, but there are a few other songs that I really enjoyed. There are some that I didn't particularly enjoy, but they don't stay long enough to detract from the album. I do believe that your culture and life experiences would greatly impact your view on this album, and being white, I don't feel the same impact on this record that someone else might. However, I do respect the work, and thus, I believe this is a solid 4/5.
Interesting album a couple of stand outs - similar sound running throughout most of other tracks
This is a solid album with plenty of soul and a generous helping of funk. Not sure I'll listen again, but it's undoubtedly a well written and produced album. Might venture into the rest of their discography.
🖕
I loved this. Hard to categorize. Totally new to me. Poetry. Very pleasantly surprised by this. 5
Very cool album Standout songs: Wild fires Bow Monsters
1. Out the Lies - 4 Starts with an interesting chant in the first half before some wonderful piano. The problem with the track is that it is a speaking track and not anything sung on it. I'm not a big fan of speaking tracks at all. 2. Stop Dem - 8 Really good instrumentals. Goes on for about 20 seconds too long but vocally the effects are brilliant. Really good track. 3. Hard Life - 6 Decent track. The vocals are superb and the effects on the vocals that eventually reiterate and become the bridge is a wonderful effect. It's too repetitive from the bridge onwards vocally but the instrumental change is excellent and the piano is a lot of fun before we're led into some brief speaking. 4. Don't Shoot Guns Down - 1 Repetitive. I understand the concept and point and message of the track which I agree with, it's just a very poor execution of it. 5. Wildfires - 9 Superb vocals. This is a simplistic track performed masterfully. Great bass, supporting claps and drums, and an outstanding voice lead to a superb track overall. 6. X - 2 The main vocal is awful as it fades between half-singing, whispering, and speaking. Background vocals are nice but the only make one brief appearance. 7. Sorry Ain't Enough - 6 Instrumentally this is absolutely fantastic. It looses me with how repetitive the lyrics can be and, when coupled with the slow pace, makes the track feel a little dragged out. Overall though, not a bad track. 8. Black Is - 1 It's a speaking track with barely any instrumentals. 9. Bow - 6 It's okay. Vocally it's enjoyable at times and a little stale in others. Instrumentally it's amazing. 10. This Generation - N/A It's like a reprise so it will not be rated. 11. Why We Cry Why We Die - 2 Instrumentally good, lyrically it's boring. It's just the title repeated endlessly over and over again through the whole track. 12. Black - 3 The female vocals on this track are the highlight. The rest is extremely dull music. The main problem is the female vocals are very very brief reprises from the monotony of the rest of the track. 13. Us - N/A It's a reprise if anything. 14. Eternal Life - 6 Very repetitive lyrically at times in the beginning but instrumentally absolutely amazing. Synthesizer on it is incredible. Acapaella didn't need to be one. Keeping the beatt and synth through that part would have been a better option. 15. Only Synth in Church - N/A Too short to be rated. 16. Monsters - 10 Absolutely brilliant track. Lyrics are superb, instruments are amazing both in synth and an absolutely excellent bass. Beat is excellent. Just an incredibly superb track. 17. June Child - N/A It's a reprise. 18. Miracles - 6 A bit too all over the place vocally. There's parts of it that are enjoyable and parts that aren't. Not too bad a track overall though. 19. Hold Me - 2 Really dull track with barely anything to it. 20. Pray Up Stay Up - 7 It's really repetitive but the beat and piano are absolutely awesome on the track you don't mind the lyrics as much as on other tracks on the album. Fun track. Average Rating: 4.94 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 2.47 Rounded Down: 2 Stars
Have listened to this a few times and its just not really landing for me - the songs feel a little flat/lacking energy despite the strength of the message. I liked the Michael K cameos.
Untitled (Black Is) I’m familiar with some of this as they play Sault a lot on 6 Music, and the bits I do know, like Wildfires, I really like. The drumming/rhythms/percussion throughout is fantastic, and I love the instrumental touches throughout like the synths on something like Eternal Life or Only Synth in Church, the piano on the Sly Stone-esque Pray Up, Stay Up. It makes sense that Kiwanuka is involved in parts of it, as it shares the same vintage soul feel, but combined with more modern r’n’b sound, as well as soul, funk, pop, rock and with some psychedelic strokes here and there. Wildfires shares some of the same feel as The Smoke by The Smile, in its slinky bass groove and jazzy drums, and that combination of bass and percussion stands out on multiple tracks, like the excellent Bow with it’s fantastic 60s-ish guitars, the sad and mournful Why We Cry Why We Die and the organny Monsters. Miracles is a great track, with slightly doo-wop, very early 60s Motown feel with some lovely guitar. Stop Dem is another interesting track, with it’s slightly discordant feel, and there’s elements of The Doors in the 5 to 1-esque sections of Hard Life. Sorry Ain’t Enough has a nice 90s soul feel, a bit Lauryn Hill, with some more excellent drumming. It perhaps is a few too many tracks for its 56 minutes, but it is a great album, and I’ve listened to it a lot over the last day or so. Easily a high 4, keen to revisit. 🖤🖤🖤🖤 Playlist submission: Bow
I'm assuming this isn't Sault's (from Sault n Peppa) solo career. In fact I was very surprised to discover Sault are British. It feels extremely American. The vocal intermissions are a lot like The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. They lose a bit of impact by the end, sounding like a self-help tape (you are a tiger). Musically, the album melds lounge rnb, jazz, soul and afrobeat and it does it well. Oftentimes it recalls Funkadelic, especially 'Stop Dem' which is a delicious extraterrestrial groove. Some of the album comprises loose sketches, that feel underdeveloped, albeit in keeping with the overall ambience. 'Why We Cry Why We Die' and 'Sorry Ain't Enough' have nice mood but are a bit too close to characterless nu-soul. But overall, an excellent album flitting between jam-like grooves and classic soul sounds to create something that feels original and interesting.
I'm happy I listened this album through.
A very interesting album. There are some good tracks on it. Overall, however, I didn't find it interesting enough to listen to again. 3/5
Buu
The spoken-interlude-industrial complex must be stopped.
I love Sault and they deserve to have a record on his list, me thinks
I quite enjoyed this but it was too long. Especially enjoyed Bow. will be going back to it.
Some really cool bits but a load of shite on here. Just squeezes a 3
Some interesting concepts followed by some real duds
Loved this
Really good music to work to.
Vibey but too long
Um estilo diferente para o que estava acostumado, mistura autentica de sons, letras, algumas músicas me envolveram e outras nem tanto.
Not good
This album is maybe the most 2020 crap ever produced, which makes this all the worse because SAULT are an extremely talented group with great production. Just a wasted album filled with saccharine platitudes about what black “is,” without ever taking a critical look at its message and delivery. The only reason this gets 2 stars and not 1 is because of the musicality of it. Seriously, I’m woke as hell but the inclusion of this album seems to be a dated, vestigial cultural relic of 2020. Just pick another SAULT album.
This Soul album builds its grooves on deep basslines, steady funk-inflected drums, sparse guitars, gospel-tinged keys, and layered percussion. The vocals shift between intimate whispers, soaring gospel-like choruses, and urgent spoken word, while the lyrics focus on Black identity and empowerment, giving the record undeniable meaning. Musically I found it unappealing and it failedt to leave a lasting impression.
* Boring, does not fit to my taste of music.
I liked this quite a bit. I have little to no knowledge of R&B so I was going into this without any prior context and had a great time. Favorite tracks were Sorry Ain't Enough, Eternal Life, and Don't Shoot Guns Down. Don't Shoot Guns Down in particular stood out as just kinda weird but shockingly catchy. The whole album was very well made, and I think I'll be revisiting this one at some point.
4*
soulful, groovy, but somehow an album that did not lodge in my memory - I enjoyed listening to it, but 10 minutes later couldn't remember anything much about it
A genre-bending odyssey that captures the strange era we live in.
6/10
Not my cup of tea for sure. I understand the cultural importance around the time of release, but I doubt this has the staying power to still be on a top 1000 albums list in another 10 years - musically it’s just not that great.
2.43
I like the vibes and grooves. Some say it’s a bit repetitive but isn’t James Brown repetitive? The hypnotic groove is the whole point. As for the politics, some of the best music is political because it has something to say.
I liked this. Almost lost a point for being in all caps, but was reassured by Wikipedia that it's a frequent styling and not their official going-by name.
Really great vibes (even with some heavy subject matter). Not a huge amount of range, but super effective at what it does.
Light on actual songs. Not sure what to make of it. When they attempt a song it is quite pleasant. But the rest? I am in a generous mood so I will give it a 2
Mostly too samey/easy listening, but these ones were good: Bow Black Eternal Life Monsters Pray up Stay Up
Really good new music, so glad this made it on the list.
Super solid, I really liked this
Ujevnt. Det er mye kult der, det er tematisk og estetisk samstemt, men jeg synes det blir litt for sprikende og intetsigende musikalsk. Jeg tror dette prosjektet hadde vært sterkere om det var vesentlig kortere, eller at det hadde blitt jobbet mer med. Svak 3.
En litt slappere versjon av Childish Gambino
Digger dette! Kul produksjon og form på låtene. Chill! vel, musikken er chill, teamtikken ikke likefullt...
Interesting
If the album name and cover art didn't give it away, the opening track does ...
If you're gonna listen to only one of these 20 tracks, I think I recommend Don't Shoot Guns Down. It's got enough of the alternative sound and general message of the project, I find it's a selling point. When you keep listening there's also a more 2000s RnB influence, lots of quality production, and statement pieces on the reality of black human beings. On a personal note, I find it too literal. I can appreciate making the message clear and connecting with your audience, but I like being able to ingest a piece like Don't Shoot so that I slowly get a large picture/emotion/understanding. I'm not sure why this record is on this list and it makes me very curious about the book. As someone who hadn't heard of them, I find Sault a very impressive project, I can appreciate the talent on this effort. 3.3/5
Man, some of the reviews are a mess. Can I just say - lived experience trumps your comfort - Middle Aged White Dude, 2025. Now that's out of the way. Its an interesting album, unique blends of hip hop beats, sampling (so many genres), R & B vocals, with some contemplative lyrics. Its not a difficult listen, musically. Lyrically its challenging, but that's about me, and probably you too.
Loved it. Will need another 4-5 listens to say anything of value, but guarantee it will get those listens.
Played this album on repeat for 3-4 times and it really grew on me. Not all of the songs are great but there are lots of good and groovy stuff here.
Major surprise, liked it a lot!
This was a huge surprise — in the best way possible. I had never heard this before, and when I first saw the album cover, I assumed it would lean heavily toward the harder side of music. Then I noticed Wikipedia listed it as R&B, and I thought, oh no, not this crap again. But when I pressed play, I was blown away by how good it was. The sound is groovy, energetic, and refreshingly free of whining — none of the clichéd “aahs” and “oohs.” Instead, it’s layered with many things, including some really nice afro rhythms that keep things moving. Even though the album was long, it never felt boring or dragged at any point. Well done, Sault. And one more thing: it feels great to jump back into the 21st century after spending time with so many albums from the ’60s. A welcome change!
While I'm not a huge fan of religious music such as gospel, I do enjoy some aspects of it, especially the quality of the singing and intricate choir work. This album on the other hand had it all. It is a mesh of styles that seems like it can not work on paper, but the music just flows through styles effortlessly. Quick look into Qobuz revealed they've a massive catalog of music, which I'm probably going to be parsing through at an leisure pace. Excellent!
Überraschend gutes Album, hat n sehr angenehmen Klang
schwierig, paar coole Lieder (mag den minimalistischen Beat), paar ganz schwache. Fand die Message teilweise zu sehr ins Gesicht. Gegen Ende ist es mir zu lange vorgekommen.
Also ich muss sagen ich vibe richtig hierzu, gechillt im Hintergrund beim arbeiten. Chillige R&B Beats
I really dislike R&B - and this endeavor doesn't change that much. Not saying this isn't well done, it's just not for me.
I liked the funk and soul melodies in this. Reminded me of Childish Gambino’s R&B stuff.
What, no PEUPPER?
Love the message and the musical variety, and the production values are spectacular, but this album commits a few cardinal sins - i.e., child-like chanting and lots of talking. 2.5/5.0: Mixed
this was incredibly tough to get through for me. it felt more like slam poetry that a cohesive album. i appreciate that this was more about the lyrics than anything but lyrics cant carry an album. the tracks that actually focus a bit more on the instrumentals are really good. the rest are pretty minimalistic and tend to be a bit boring. two stars overall, plus one for the message.
Trying to catch up so saying very little. Very political, but musically quite good. Not my thing though. 2.5, but rounded down.
A nice surprise. They’ve got a message, but they delivered it beautifully in a soulful trip hop style. Stand out track ‘Wildfires’
I remember all the fuss about their live shows and the mystery surrounding them, and thought for a nanosecond at the time, I must find out about them. I didn't, but i wished I had to prepare me for this. It was truly dreadful, but could have been so much better. Basic level songwriting at its worst. Those lyrics, talk about some sort of paranoia regarding their race. Credit to all the rappers out there, I may dislike their songs, attitude etc, but at least they nail their point home in a much more straightforward and mostly forceful way. This had the equivalent force of being hit around the face with a wet lettuce leaf. Over hyped twaddle.
This album, with a little help from the Imagine video released a mere 3 months prior, is the reason we live in a perfect world today. Bravo!
I am not black, so it didn't really resonate with me as it might have. I liked some things in the album. Wildfires is a nice song. It does get bogged down in repetition and the total length and amount of songs 2,5 stars
nice message ganz chillig aber Idk obs ein staple wird für mi. 3.5.
1. liez - 1.5 2. ztop - 1 3. hard - 1.5 4. gunz - 1 5. uuild - 2 6. X - 0 7. zorry - 1.5 8. black - 0 9. bouu - 1 10. generation - 0 11. die - 1.5 12. black - 1 13. uz - 0 14. eternal - 1 15. church - 1 16. Monster's - 1.5 17. June - 0 18. Miracles - 1.5 19. Hold - 1 20. Pray - 0
Some good tunes on this, didn’t really get into it in a huge way. Will need a relisten
I was put off by the first song saying 'black is beautiful' over and over - the second song saying back black black over and over - imagine if the first and second song said "white is right" and "white white white" over and over. This tainted the third song which is just a list of countries in Africa, and the four about police violence. Song odd matters, people! There's songs about god too. *coughs like Gollom eating elf bread* Ignoring the first two songs - and the lyrics generally - the vocals are nice but nothing special and the instruments sparse to the point of void. I suppose if your lived experience is being subject to prejudice in a overtly racist society then this may speak to you. In my patented -100 to 100 rating system where -50 is being preached to in a closed space on a hot day is -50 then this is -30 because at least i could get away.
I actually really enjoyed this. I don't understand the hateboner everyone else has for this album... admittedly it did feel a little bit weird being told that I am a powerful Black person when I am not Black.
This was fine. Not really a cohesive album per se but a number of decent tracks. I liked it but not a lot of extra interest.
Альбом нелегко найти, но я все же послушал. Опустим политический аспект, хотя тут это нелегко (описанные в альбоме проблемы конечно стоят внимания, но они относятся к другому государству и другой культуре, поэтому комментариев по их поводу не могу давать). Музычка мне понравилась, есть очень интересные мотивы, классический соул в смеси с современной обработкой, афро-мотивами, трип-хопом. Не является для меня открытием, поскольку подобная музыка была придумана еще полвека назад, но все равно неплохо. В целом средненький альбом, в котором сильно больше политики, чем музыкальных идей.
4/5
Found it a bit dull. One song only contained the title as lyrics, I don’t know, but it’s just not my taste. I gave up after 6 songs
This feels like an intensely personal and passionate expression of life and anger and experience as a black person living in the world that I honestly can't relate to but it's painful to know how many millions do. The album has a lot of unique styles/tones/genres represented and it's a very cool blend. It's not my usual cup of tea, but it's attention grabbing. It did kind of fade into the background for me after a while. Standouts were "Wildfires" and "Bow" Cool listen but I won't really go back to any of it. Pretty solid 3/5 and it's important that people keep making this kind of music but I wish they didn't have to.
Wel goed, maar niet mijn smaak
WTF??
I feel like the racial tone that Untitled (Black Is) has falls too much into cliché empowerment and prostest lines that really loose their meaning, as they are mild, and mostly used to serve the album's rhythm. Therefore, if you are looking for an album that makes a great social-political critique and commentary of the racial realities of african-american people living in the US, this is not worth your time. ...it is fun at times tho.
Sorry ain’t enough is a great track and I’ve added that to my rotation. I don’t feel like there’s enough in each of the other tracks to make it stand out. The subject of the music is also something I don’t naturally relate to, however much I agree with the words
Cool jazzy album, reminded me a lot of the Internet. It's more of a long listen than an album with a lot of bangers, but it's well crafted.
Black is many things
It's different (good different). If you like to explore new music it's a great album to listen to.
Nice fusion of genres. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the spoken word poetry portions but the music was irresistible
Pro Evolution Soccer ass soundtrack
Rating: 3/10 Instrumentally and vocally this was okay, Wildfires is an amazing song and the only standout on this album. My main complaint is the lyricism: just stating "black is beautiful" or "black is powerful" is not saying anything meaningful, insightful, or interesting. Other artists have covered this theme in a way that's a 1000X more interesting: Public Enemy, NWA, Kendrick Lamar, Mos Def, etc. This theme is consistent with every song on this album, so that is why I fault it so much. I understand the intention, but the execution is horrible.
Started really well but became rather "Meh!".
4 stars. Smooth, diverse, reivindicative, funny, nice voices, nice arrangements. Overproduction at times.
A beautiful album
Hard to relate personally but glad I heard this album
I’ve never gone too deeply into the SAULT discography. I like 5, but have never listened to this one front to back. It’s alright. Probably something I would listen to a song or to, but I don’t know if I would feel the need to play the whole thing again. I get the message it’s going for, but I don’t think there’s enough meat here. Favorite songs were Wildfires, Only Synth In Church, and Pray Up Stay Up.
It was ok but if you’re making a 20 song album about this topic I’d have thought you’d have more to say
3/6
Yeah fine
During my first listening, one of the things that catched my attention was how familiar it sounds. When I searched some information about the album, I found out that the producer of this album is the same one that produced some of the works of Little Simz. Talking about production, one of the things that stound out the most for me were the beats and instrumentation. You have the minimalistic but flavorful beats, like in the 'Wildfires' and you also got the incredible work of synths in 'Only Smith in Church' or 'Eternal Life' featuring some wonderful singing, which brings me to the next point, the vocals. This record present a high diversity of styles of singing, like spoken words, gospel and tht style of singing which characterizes R&B. My favourite parts where the ones featuring the last mentioned style, but I did also appreciate a lot the use of spoken word to emphasize the message of the album. And speaking of which, if there's something that makes the album more special than its mix of genres, is its message. It doesn't just talks about the struggles of the black comunity, like in the song 'Don't Shoot Guns Down', describing how they are very commonly victims of racially motivated police brutality; but most importantly, it tries to motivate those who are losing their identity as a member of their comunity, or at least this is the interpretation that I get from it. And this idea, is something I can relate a lot to, not because I'm black, but because I belong to a little region in Spain, called Galicia, where we are slowly losing our culture and roots due to the globalization and the severe punishment we had to suffer during the dictatorship of Franco. My only complain about this album would be that some songs can get a bit boring, like the last three songs or 'Why We Cry Why We Hide', in which the lyrics are almost repited throughout the whole track. I also have to mention that the beat in 'Black' sounds a bit goofy. I wasn't a big fan of it, specially in the context of this project. Overall, a very decent album, with its very highs and lows.
Politically conscious soul/funk/r&b music with a hip-hop feel and a particular focus on race and the Black experience in modern America. Perhaps not a novel combination, though something about Sault’s sound gives this album a unique and modern feel. But while modern, it feels very in touch with its musical and historical roots. The past, present, and future are all felt, fusing together as one. I really dug this album when it was first released - it felt fresh, timely, and significant at a time in the U.S. when racial tension was re-igniting and the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic was starting. It covered emotional ground that felt tangible - despair and disappointment, righteous anger, eternal hope in the face of injustice. It’s music with a salient message and great groove, even though many of the tracks are relatively simple and straight. The back half is a bit mellower and more typical than the fromt, though some of these tracks seem to extend the album rather than enhance it. Black Lives Matter. Full stop. If you have any qualifiers on that statement, you won’t dig this album.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ i heard this before when it came out in 2020 (if i remember correctly) it's... okay? i like the messaging, and there were some high moments here and there. i just didn't find the music all that compelling overall. loooots of spoken-word filler between tracks as well, don't care for it
Not for me xx
You know, it really had its moments I enjoyed, but I really felt most of this was pretty bad. Looking into the group, it seems that it's some sort of anonymous collective. I think I just like some of the musicians involved significantly more than the other ones. I'm just not the target audience for this record. Also, those ASMR interludes were borderline unlistenable lol.
A smooth R&B album with good voices singing. Not a genre I usually listen to but not something I would skip if it got played on random.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...............
Alle sangane handla om kordan da e å væra svart
Yep this is more like it.
I had no idea what to expect going into this. And when I started the album I still didn't really know what was going on. It kicks off harshly and intensely. But settles into some really slinky grooves. The auditory equivalent of a dairy milk wrapped in tin foil. The drums on the first few tracks really stand out. Lovely, crunchy, garage band tones. I was a little disappointed they didn't stick around. I feel like the electronic drums that usurped them at times took some of the 'cool' away. There's an absolutely righteous guitar solo at the end of 'Black' that could've been lifted from one of the smackier John Frusciante albums, especially with the jangly organ accompanying. This album goes everywhere. It's got blues, gospel, jazz, afrobeat, R&B, some unexpected experimental synth stuff. I initially thought it might be incohesive having almost continually changing scenery throughout, but the one thing that anchors the whole album is the vocals. Maybe that's something clever about giving the album it's 'identity'? Fuck yeah.
Luscious harmonies and vocal tones.
Fuck yeah
I remember NPR talking about this album in mid-2020 and then naming it album of the year. That checks out. As far as R&B goes, I found it pretty tuneless.
Good overall, but at times a little too lo-fi and or first draft for my taste. Felt like some songs had a great foundation but might have benefited from being fleshed out more.
I do love Sault, I think I first heard them on 3 Songs Podcast. This is so very good, I will have to remember to revisit more often
Pretty much what I expected.
Tempted to give this a 5 out of spite based off of how racist some of these reviews are but sadly I thought this was just decent
No esperaba que un álbum de Sault estuviese en esta lista, así que la escucha de hoy ha sido muy reconfortante, sobre todo por la voz de Cleo Sol, que siempre es un gusto escucharla. Si quieres escuchar algo del Neo Soul que está destacando en UK esta es una gran opción. 4/5
I wanted to like this so very much but I did not. It was musically really uninteresting to me with the production being really boring in my opinion. Also most of the songs boil down to one or two phrases repeated over and over again
I already had this and had forgotten about it, what does that tell you? It’s ok but a bit background, doesn’t really challenge you at though pleasant enough.
For those who don't know, SAULT is a black British music collective that combines elements of neo-soul, funk, and urban contemporary gospel. They were largely anonymous, but these days are known by two big-name collaborators, producer and multi-instrumentalist Inflo and vocalist Cleo Sol. Together, they released multiple albums within the span of a few years, to be timely with their efforts in tandem with recent sociopolitical events in the Western world related to the urban black experience, and Untitled (Black Is) was certainly utilized to address such. The group made it clear with their mission statement alongside the release. This album was meant to address issues of systemic racism and police brutality that have endured in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other such countries. In particular, what was fresh on people's minds at the time was the civil unrest that sparked following the murder of George Floyd, after he was fatally asphyxiated by a police officer. Of course, other black people have needlessly died at the hands of police, including Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, but it was George's death that resonated the most with people. I could see how a group like SAULT would be motivated to capture the essence of these systemic issues with an eclectic blend of soul and funk, while also looking to be empowering for black folk at a time of turmoil. Parallels could be argued between this record and Marvin Gaye's What's Going On, a classic soul record also released at a time of civil unrest. But this is where I need to bring up the three P's of good political art - power, populism, and precision. While the populism is evident here in the apparent messaging, there is some inconsistency in the power and precision. Regarding power, there are some noticeable moments in this record, such as on "Black Is", where the musical backdrop quiets down as the vocal lead takes on more poetic prose. Not exactly bad, but given the weight of the messaging, there could have been more immediacy and impact in the presentation. Conversely, there are moments on "Stop Dem!" and "Black" where vocal pickups clip at the front of the mix, as Inflo can't quite keep the production from getting rough in spots. As for the precision, while there are a few mentions of the issues at hand, such as the chants on "Stop Dem!" or the callout of the racist policemen on "Don't Shoot Guns Down", a lot of the language here comes off as a bit too respectable in tone, with not enough detail or genuine insight to effectively challenge the systems in play, leaving certain sentiments on this record ringing hollow. It is frustrating because I think there is a place for music to address these types of issues with racism and police brutality, and SAULT attempted to do just that here. I can see why this was picked for the 2021 edition of the book, given that the civil unrest of that previous summer was still fresh in people's minds. But at the end of the day, problems in the execution wind up leaving me wanting more.
A pretty solid album with a powerful message
feels more like something that should be in the library of congress rather than something I'd put on in the car. but it's worthy of being on the list
This album is not bad—it’s very competently made—but I really don’t care for it even a little. Honestly, it doesn’t inspire many good feelings in me since it’s an extremely 2020-core album. The very conceit of the project is that it’s some revolutionary statement that will “speak truth to power” and “get into good trouble” or whatever, when really it’s just a mid-ass R&B album with a bunch of inane lyrics. Living in the Trump 2.0 era makes you really cynical about what the point of this kind of crap ever was. But hey, I’m a white guy, so take my opinion as you will. Best song: Hard Life
The songs aren't the most standout individually to me, but listening through the whole thing, it has a decent bounty of atmosphere
no thaks
A beautiful, powerful masterpiece!
No strong positive or negative reactions to this R&B album. I liked it better than some R&B I've listened to, but I didn't love it.
While I appreciate the message, this was not for me. I am not sure I even finished listening.
Nice. A mix of r&b/soul, jazz, trip-hop (maybe), funk, and who knows what else. Prominent tasty basslines throughout.
I didn’t get all the way through this one, as I just ran out of time. But what I did hear, I mostly enjoyed…it kind of surprised me. I am going to settle on three stars.
I really loved this record!!
Has great moments but plenty of filler. Should have been cut down to a tight 40 minute album.
Didn't find it very good.
I have followed SAULT since around the time this album came out and I enjoyed revisiting this one. I was surprised to find on this list this collection of interesting homages to the work of soul and afrobeat artists imbued with powerful messages about justice and liberation.
I really didn't know how to rate this.
A dark and disjointed work, that somehow isn't depressing nor thematically chaotic. Brilliant.
Really solid, hadn’t heard of Sault before but it certainly is a powerful listen and if you are into political music like I am you will enjoy this. Solid beats and mixed it up enough to stay interesting. I think the album could have used some trimming to make this a full five stars but I think four stars is fair.
One word. Awkward. Perhaps I lack the relevant cultural background, but there wasn’t a single aspect I enjoyed or could relate to.
Untitled (Black Is) by Sault feels bloated and hard to follow, with production that leans more boring than adventurous despite its ambitious ideas.
A concept is not an album. I share the understanding of importance regarding racism, oppression and inequality but didn't feel anything with this album. I know it was not made for me nor my bubble of white non-american guys, but this feels more like a statement from the author than the appreciation of black music.
Really good! Diverse styles and presentations. This album is dedicated to black empowerment, and the timing of its release (in the depths of Covid lockdown and rising racial justice protests of summer 2020) is poignant and almost prophetic. This album is giving a lot of modern Sly and the Family Stone energy. On the downside (musically) there are several spoken parts that are preaching important messages to a particular audience. This interrupts the musical flow and makes it clear that the music, however beautiful and intriguing is not intended for me — I can’t just go around singing these songs without feeling like a poseur or that I’ve appropriated someone else’s anthem (That’s fine — I don’t need to be the target market for every album; just observing that targeting a demographic tends to exclude other demographics). On the whole, this was a really enjoyable listening experience. Many of the tracks are beautiful. I’ll certainly listen to it again — a 4.
Not really sure how to describe this album. On one hand its very uplifting, but on the other, i lowkey didnt like the music. Like some vocals were good, but i feel the song medium was wasted on it.
I've deducted a star for the artist's name being in all caps. 2/5
Some of these reviewers are really fine with showing their ass, huh. This album is pretty cool and interesting. It’s thoughtful, it’s unique. Honestly it’s a little bit like a 2020s version of a Sly Stone record? Personally I’m into the minimal nature of the lyrics and instrumentals. It’s a headspace to luxuriate in. My issue with this album is: I followed this album when it was released and my god was it perfect for the moment. The anonymity, the firm definitional stance while keeping softness, the soulful chords and melodies, I mean it was a balm back in 2020. But for me at least, now the album is a little slighter without that context. I didn’t realize at the time but the surrounding context was the main reason it hit so hard. Without that, the album is just a little more limp. Still it’s very good, and a must-listen (#189).
nothing super special for me, but the songs I liked had a good beat/groove to them. otherwise not much stood out, this genre just isn’t really my thing in general
I found the first couple tracks hard to get through, but then, I got to "Don't Shoot Guns Out." It was as relevant yesterday (August 6th, 2025) as it was during 2020, when we had the senseless murder of George Floyd and the subsequent summer of protests that came from it. We = The American public Guns out - Don't Shoot. That was a slogan used by protestors at the time, to talk about police brutality. If you don't see the parallels between an album like this and Fela Kuti's "Zombie," which I got the day before, you're not picking up on what's being put down. You're not seeing the shit that's happening in the US government, with their military, with their police forces. The same shit that happened in Nigeria is happening here, too. "Black is beautiful. Black is excellent - too." The album has a good mix of vocals, rhythms, call & response, synth, and African grooves - all things that I've come to appreciate since starting this project. I don't think this is a "daily driver" album for me, but, instead, something to come back to after I've had time to digest. Standout tracks: "Wildfires," "Why We Cry We Die", "Black", "Us" into "Eternal Life". "Monsters" brought to mind some of the work Childish Gambino did in their albums "Awaken, My Love" and "Atavista." ...okay, music review is done. That's the first one I've done in a while. I wish things changed for the better between 2020 and 2025. Things are looking pretty bleak outside my window. But the 1001 Album project goes on. I leave this review behind as something for future listeners to find.
Unknown band. One subject only. Being black. Repetitive lyrics. Boring.
Ohh, this was good. I couldn't care less for the politics but I really enjoyed the tunes and overall vibe, which is interesting cause soul / RnB is not normally a genre I'd actively listen to. I was walking through Melbourne Airport at the time of listening, and an alarm started beeping at the baggage carousel which was the exact same rhythm of the song Bow. I had to pause the music at one stage to check if it was really an external beep I could hear.
Good neo-soul, but they have better.
Call to action, soundtrack for the 2020 revolution george floyd, message = 10 - music 3 Hands up don't shoot
Not my favourite
Warm and tuneful
The songs in this album are the kinds of songs that they play at the beach, which are super repetitive and you would maybe enjoy if you like that kind of music, or you're on drugs. A couple of the songs were actually pretty decent, but still, nothing too exciting. I think that the whole album was trying to raise awareness for Black Lives Matter, which is great, but purely focusing on the music - it is not really my type, so it is a bit of a meh from me.
Was kind of all over the place, and a bit boring at the same time somehow. You'd think an album about oppression would show more emotion
Uhhum
This album seems more intent on delivering a message than providing a pleasurable musical experience. I came for the music and was left wanting. Message or not, this type of thing is not my jam.
Good new album for me! Drags a bit, but overall it was really enjoyable.
When I haven’t heard of an artist I read the wiki segment and skim reviews to see what to kind of expect. Some of the people on these reviews really tell on themselves here. Y’all are the reason protest albums are being made. I think it mixed defiance and hope well. Sure it’s long but I think it was an important listen
Enjoyed the first song but as R&B just isn’t my thing it didn’t do much for me. Not bad just wouldn’t listen to it again
Well, has a few nice melodies but overly earnest and simply overblown.
Ahhh opening up with an ASMR/phone sex voice. Nice touch. I can almost hear Kanye rapping over top of Stop Dem” , man that would have hit hard. Let me just say, I hate protest albums. I do, I hate anything to do with protesting honestly. It never accomplishes anything. I will say, 3 tracks in and I have yet to want to change the music to something else. The bass lines are on point. If those hit a little harder I’d run out and buy a system for my truck just to hear that boom. Ohh and it’s the return of the phone Sex ASMR voice on X. Black had me nervous. It started off sounding like a Sesame Street skit. This is another good album with weak vocals/lyrics. I get the point but I look for more substance in my music. That being said, I’m surprised by this. It’s very much worth a listen. Damn those beats are good.
Innovative and well-made, but it just wasn't terribly exciting. I could use this as background music but not for intentional listening. It reminds me of the difference between Moby's *18* and *Play.* *18* is not bad at all, but it doesn't make me drop everything and pay attention like *Play* does. [LATER] On the other hand, I couldn't shut it off, either. I carried my phone around until the last notes of "Pray Up, Stay Up" played. Maybe I liked it more than I initially thought.
This will be my final album from the 2020's to review, and it happens to be an album that I've listened to before. I can't remember what list I saw this album on (probably on Metacritic or Rolling Stone), but I remember checking it out and thinking it was pretty good. I haven't listened to it since that first listen, but I'm excited to dive back into this today! I thought this was a good album overall. There were some songs that weren't my taste musically, but the songs that were my taste were really good. From a songwriting standpoint, I thought this album did a great job of diving into several different themes, all of which were tied back to the black experience. These themes really resonated with me on a personal level, even as a white guy. I was raised by two parents who were overtly racist, much like how their parents raised them, and I've spent a good amount of energy as an adult, trying to unlearn the ugly things they taught me. I enjoy hearing firsthand accounts of the black experience, because for so long, everything I heard about it came from my prejudiced parents. But back to the music: I really loved the vibe of "Wildfires." The bass and percussion were awesome, and I really enjoyed the soft vocals. Sault used something that sounded like a spring echoing, like those cheap toy microphones, that I really enjoyed. I also thought this song created a great sense of place, that really sucked you into the atmosphere of the song. "Sorry Ain’t Enough" had some great keyboard or synth playing that I really liked. The bass playing was great too, giving this song a great soul-like feel. On "Bow," I really loved what sounded like a wah pedal. The song got even better when the percussion kicked in, and then it got kicked up another notch when the guitar started. I also loved how this song segued into "This Generation." "Eternal Life" was my favorite song on the album. I love synthesizers, and this song had a perfect synthesizer arrangement. Overall, Black Is was a pretty good album. Some songs were a bit of a bore, but the songs that weren't sounded great. The real star of the show here though is the songwriting, which dove into some really great themes.
I dug it, chill vibes with catchy melodies and some subtle but poignant social commentary.
Wow! First introduction to Sault. What a pleasant surprise! Poignant and beautiful. Great songs, good music. Loved "Bow" particularly.
Soft 5. I was bumping to some of this. Not super into it, but I enjoyed the bits that weren't super artsy/experimental. I do think overall, it's competently made and a decent listen. 'Wildfires' is a certified banger though.
interesting - not enticing though
Good album that I never would have listened to without this 1001 albums things.
A pretty long album and some of the songs weren’t it for me but I liked the artist and want to listen more
I liked it much more than expected. 3/5
A little too experimental for my tastes, but I really enjoyed the journey.
Difficult to score this. It was quite varied in a way I liked. There were some really nice tracks (Wildfires, and a couple of others) while others were a bit unfinished. It held together a little poorly, but the overall tone stayed with me. Probably another that would rise with more listens.
this was weird in a way that i enjoyed. not sure i’ll come back to it, but i enjoyed the experience.
This didn't really feel like an album, more like a bunch of sketches of what might become songs. Some of these were cool, but it didn't feel like it was ready for me to hear yet. I dunno, I wasn't inspired I guess.
there is potential
Nope. Not for me...
Nothing baffles me more than the sheer number of people who wanted to explore 1000 albums across all genres but are also like RACE DIDNT MATTER 15 YEARS AGO, YOU CANT BE WHITE ANYMORE. As if there isn’t a Gil-Scott Heron album on here, as if Common’s Be doesn’t literally start with him wishing to be like Malcom X. It’s almost like the history of music explored in this FUCKING PROJECT disputes the points you make, and you and everyone who upvoted you are just fucking racists who wish this was whiter than wonder bread and never made you uncomfortable. Anyway. This album is good. It’s a fun listen, I just don’t know that it has a staying power to be an all time great. I think in the nightmare year that was 2020 this album was comforting and affirming, but I wish the music was more bombastic.
i had never heard of this before, but I enjoyed it. good vibes all around.
It made me learn how some minorities feel.
Better than Coldplay
Slow rap / hip-hop
Loved it. As it’s a chill album that’s hard to categorize, dedicated to black excellence, it’s going to have a lower score than it deserves. But not from me.
This album has a lot of power behind it. The melodies/harmonies are beautiful, as well as the messaging. For me, this is just not something I will revisit.
01) Out the Lies - 4,0 02) Stop Dem - 7,5 03) Hard Life - 7,5 04) Don't Shoot Guns Down - 6,5 05) Wildfires - 8,0 06) X - 4,0 07) Sorry Ain't Enough - 7,5 08) Black Is - 6,0 09) Bow - 7,0 10) This Generation - / 11) Why We Cry Why We Die - 7,5 12) Black - 7,5 13) Us - / 14) Eternal Life - 8,0 15) Only Synth in Church - / 16) Monsters - 7,5 17) June Child - / 18) Miracles - 7,0 19) Hold Me - 7,0 20) Pray Up Stay Up - 7,0 TOTAL: 6,84 (68/100)
I expected more from this album. Love the singles of Sault. This album as a whole, I think I get it, but it just do anything for me.
Very interesting music. Not my cup of tea but I’d give it another try.
immediately one of my favourite albums
The execution of this concept album fell flat. There were some interesting moments, but overall it was not very interesting, musically speaking.
An unapologetic document of The State of Things that also knocks. Atmospheric, lovely vocal performances, and the bass work rocks. It is a little too long and I'm not a fan of the ASMR-style vocals interspersed throughout. I'm trying to not write about global reviews too much anymore, but people here saying this album is "trying to make [them] feel bad for being white" truly embarrass me. You are out of your mind if you think people were not talking about race 15 years ago, c'mon. If an album by Black musicians about being Black and proud makes you mad and defensive, that's on you, man. You can just say it's not for you and move on lmao
Not good. Long boring grooves that all sound the same.
2020 was a horrible year, but something amazing came out of the grief and anger. A diamond created by the pressure and heat of the times we live in. Hold tightly to this.
2.5
Interesting album that I have never heard of, couple of good tracks, would probably listen again.
Mon chum trouvait les références un peu old school; moi j’ai bien aimé le mariage entre les voix et les motifs, de même que la puissance des thèmes des textes
Started OK but then went about 20 minutes too long
Not necessarily a bad album, but not really my musical style.
This album sounds like 2020.
I like when the music gets a little triphoppy but it's also giving college student's musical thesis
4/5. About halfway through the album, I realized the energy I was getting. It's urgent R&B, like the music implies them taking their time but the writing feels rushed, like they are pushing to get their lyrics out but are beholden to the slower beats. It is slightly anxiety inducing but in a way to keep your attention, and the message is important so they a good job at getting it across. I think the album does suffer from length, around Eternal Life or June Child, could have been a good closer. Overall though, this was a great listen, and although the album was not meant for me, I was present in the room and felt the need for this record especially in the United States. Just some trimming around the edges, a little more polishing, and this would be a perfect record. Best Song: Wildfires, Black, Stop Dem, Eternal Life
So the music on this is great, but lyrically, it really isn’t my jam. I’m all for the cause, but it’s too religious for me.
Check your white privilege at the door when listening to this album. This was intriguing to say the least. Eye-opening, albeit a tad repetitive, but overall a good listen.
Some decent grooves and the overall chill vibe was surprising. Not too bad really.
Cool
Liked the beats. 3/5
Some songs are very nice. Other are kind of weird. It evens out to about average.
If you’re into contemporary social justice and politically charged lyrics, then this album will likely resonate with you. Personally, I’m a bit burned out on the constant news and media barrage, but I have to say, the music and production on this album are top-notch. It has a dark, synth-driven atmosphere and leans heavily towards an experimental and innovative vibe.
Surprisingly mellow album enjoyable
This was a really interesting record, that I can only image will grow on me through repeated listens. Favourite tracks: Stop Dem, Hard Life, Don't Shoot Guns Down, Wildfires, Sorry Ain't Enough, Black.
The Inflo/Little Simz issue made me think, in an apophenic way, about judgement calls. I assume that the deal was made in good faith; if so, then putting on a show of that (financial) magnitude points to hubris. OK, poor judgement... Sault have produced some of the most engaging music of the last decade in the UK. They've also put out a lot of filler. I wonder whether a steadying hand might have shaped something much more significant out of them. (This album tilts filler. Nothing at all wrong with it, but it only highlights the collective's real genius sporadically.)
Chillout <3
Not for me
Absolute Shite
Kinda boring. Might be nice for a romantic dinner or something, but that ain't my bag either.
Not for me.
Lost me on track 8. “Black is God. God is us”. That’s typically, I’m moving on from this record type lyrics.
I would rate lower, if I could. There has to be a better way to discuss real or perceived racism than to create a racism rant against racism, especially in a format as repetitive and artsy as this tried to be.
Some parts were decent but overall kind of boring for me.
black is beautiful
Simply not for me... I don't think there were a majority of the tracks that were "bad" (which is why it is not a 1).
This is fascinating. I really liked it immediately. After a while I started to drift, but I suspect it’s deserving of repeated listenings.
ligger på vippen mellem 1 og 2 - beats er helt ok, men den er laaang og kedelig og de der tekster er lidt cringy for mig
Ret ekstremt eksempel på en slut-10er bølge af plader som ikke kunne have mere end 3 sange uden et lille ASMR-interlude, jeg kan godt forstå hvorfor det er vigtigt men det virkede aldrig for mig. Egentlig ret groovy og gode beats, men alle sangene har samme tema og jeg synes pladen endte med at føles meget lang. Er det ikke lidt try-hard at kalde sin plade for Untitled (Black Is)? Så er den jo for helvede ikke untitled...
This was a long and hard listen. I found it very uninteresting. Both its themes and the music in general.
I think what I felt most from this album was disappointment, and some confusion stemming from that disappointment. On the surface, this felt like it was going to be a big statement of an album, one born out of the social and racial turmoil that came out of the death of George Floyd in 2020, and the uprising of the Black Lives Matter Movement and its newfound prominence in our society. The spoken word poetry in the first track gave me hope that I was going to get what I expected. It plays like a prologue to something significant, something that is going to explore the black experience in America, to analyze it and critique it, to help the listener understand it. What I did get, though, was something a little more surface-level. Some tracks have more interesting or profound lyrics that try to cut into the thick of what I described above. But some tracks? Some of them feel like a series of songs that relies heavily on the repetition of certain phrases or lyrics. These phrases range from deep-sounding to bordering on obvious or not carrying a lot of meaning outside of the surface-level. I don't like saying this, as I really hoped for something different. It's entirely possible that I just don't and couldn't understand the significance of some of the words, seeing as how I am not a black American. But still, as far as my own experience can take me, I didn't understand or connect with this on the level I was hoping to. Some of the tracks are boring, some of them are slow. I really hate to give something like this, something that is clearly deep and meaningful to its creators in both a personal and bigger way, a low rating. But I just didn't find it to be what I expected, and I didn't connect with it like I wanted to. Two stars. Standout Tracks: Don't Shoot Guns Down, Monsters, Pray up Stay Up
Original, inventive, poignant.
I wanted to like this one because the atmosphere and production kind of intruiged me, but I found it to be relentlessly boring. Every single song is a basic endlessly repeating drum beat and bassline with bland, repetitive vocals and instrumentation dropped on top of it. I just couldn't do it.
Considering the topic I felt no real impact, no power, and no emotion. Where TPAB is the gold standard on albums taking on black power, this album is at the opposite end of the meter. Sonically uninteresting and lyrically trite.
Jól hangzik
point0.
I could not relate.
This was an interesting listen. I am glad I have now heard it. A bit preachy and dramatic. It was definitely lacking some RAGE. It felt like a protest music you could make love to.
I'm surprised to see an album so young on the list but I do understand why it's here. Everything form the constant affirmations to the actual release date if the album gives the listener a sense that lovinging yourself is, in it self, an act of rebellion and of respect. The production for the most part is simple but warm and inviting even when pushing lore future sounds. I was just hoping for a little more umph from some of the more vocal tracks. I think this has the potential to continue to impress over time. Highlights include "wildfires", "sorry ain't enough", "monsters". Conceptually a 5🌟, listening wise closer to 4 ish.
A bit repetitive and religious for my taste
I was down with it at first and then it just dragged. Pity because it has some potential
a little repetitive at points but instrumentals were smooth and funky, never heard of these guys before
Aika uus levy ja aivan tuntematon artistikin. Sekä aika outo levy. Levy yhdistelee afromusiikkia, mutta on enimmäkseen kummiskin varmaan RnB. Tykkäsin levyn konseptiluonteesta ja välisoitoista, mutta kappaleet ei niin erikoisia. Wildfire oli silti hyvä. Parhaat: Wildfire, Black, Monsters
I love how unique this record is. The sampling and background vocals are my favorite part of the whole album, not to mention it's violently groovy. Also some people in the reviews of this album suck at masking their racism. To those people, you're literally the reason this album was made. Do better.
Das chönnt halt grad so guet eifach ergend imne Lade ergendwo laufe. Halt e fetti Hendergrond musig. Eigentelch hed sie nüd schlächts, vorallem för das dass sie im johr 2020 use cho esch, was meischtens scho mol es rächt schlächts Omen hed. Trozdem ergendwie nüd woni bsonders cha gniesse, obwohls gwössi Lütt secher au als höchi Konscht gsänd, wasi scho au cha verstoh.
Powerful political R&B, respect the message ☮️
This is a consistent album with solid beats and powerful messages. Liked Songs Added: Bow
Some thoughtful media rations on the black experience and worthwhile lamentations about racial injustice. I liked the recontextual nature of the monologue about the color black. Instead of offering a solution for every systemic problem black peoples face, this album tends to focus more on the exercising one’s frustration or grappling with the extreme wrongs that have been done to black people on small and large scales. “Hard Life” is worth a listen for that gritty bassline. Michael Kiwanuka makes an appearance on this albums most infectious track, “Bow”. While this album doesn’t offer some ground-shaking depictions or intricate stories (if you were looking for TPAB just go listen to it), there’s plenty of meditative and at times cathartic songs to make up this project. 3/5.
More a message than music. Doesn’t really speak to me.
I know the name SAULT and I know that they have a new record out (or coming out soon?), but I'm not super familiar with their discography. Maybe I'm just having a bad day and I'm in a shitty mood but I wasn't feeling this record. It overstayed its welcome and I was just kind of ready for it to be done. It felt droning and there wasn't a whole lot that gripped me. I usually love r&b but this didn't do much for me. I'm giving it a 2/5. It might have been higher if I weren't in a foul mood lol.
rubbish
This is a GREAT R&B album, really great in fact! I absolutely loved this one, and it’ll be going onto the collection. Tremendous, lifting, airy yet with an edge.
I had no business enjoying this as much as I did. Excellent.
a high-level trip-hop album
some good twisted stuff
5/10
skrítin samsuða en heillandi. minnir aðeins á snjóflóðin en meiri áhrif frá suðurríkjablús og afrískri tónlist. ég fíla þetta, 4. meirameira.
Not into it.
Couple of OK songs but most tracks get boring fast even though they are short.
I loved this album, another artist I didn't know before this list, but this album blew me away with good music. This one is a top album for me on this list.
This was an enjoyable album. The talking interludes were interesting. Not bad, but did break up the flow of the album for me. I liked the music, but can't see myself searching this on out again.
I'm glad there are some newer albums in the later editions, I've been in a rut of listening to the same few artists recently. This isn't something I would normally find and listen to, but I quite liked it. There is some cringy early 2020s "self-care" messaging in it, but the main message of Black people not wanting to be killed by the police is evergreen.
enjoyed it
sorry not for me
I liked this quite a lot. Some of it sounded quite Danger Mouse-like in places. Bow was my favorite track, I think.
Not my thing
I had never heard of Sault or their album Untitled (Black Is) before, so discovering it for this list was a fresh and exciting experience. This is a powerful and deeply affecting album. It’s charged with anger and frustration at the state of society in 2020, but it’s also filled with resilience and hope. The messages are clear, urgent, and uplifting—offering a sense of strength and possibility even in the face of injustice. The lyrics and soundscape take the listener on a profound journey through the Black experience—expressing outrage at the systemic killing of African Americans, sorrow in mourning, and tenderness in the portrayal of everyday life. The album captures both the pain and the beauty of living while Black. It's a complete narrative, told through stunning music and poetic, pointed words. Although this isn't my usual genre, I was struck by how beautiful and meaningful the album is. It's the kind of work that stays with you long after the last track finishes, and I would definitely listen to it again. Favourite song: Wildfires – a standout track with both emotional weight and musical brilliance. Least favourite: None. Every track plays an essential role and contributes to the album’s impact. Album artwork: Simple yet powerful—its minimalism adds to the overall weight and meaning of the project.
Lmao your message has expired loooooool. Commercialising a race might not be cringe in itself, but when the only thing you can say for it is "black is good", it's kind of cringe. At least Sonic can run fast Soulless soul, listenable slop
Out of respect for this album, I thought black text on white was antithetical to this album's message, so I have decided to write my review with black text on black instead. ████ ██ ██ ██████████ ██████ ██ ███████ ██ ████ ███ █ ████ ████████ ██ ██████. ████ █████ ███'█ █████ ███████ ███ ██ ██████ ██ ████.
I think this album is an example of less would have been more. Though there were sections I liked, they were rinsed and repeated so much it lost meaning.
There's plenty of other albums out there that deal with topics of racism and discrimination that are far more interesting sonically and lyrically. This plays off like poor slam poetry, and I guarantee you it only got on this list because sites like rolling stone and pitchfork want to virtue signal being against racism without doing anything of value. This album is pure tack, I'm sorry
Pretty fun and vibey album but it drags on a good bit. It's still a decent listen, but if it was 35/40 minutes long instead of 56 it would've been much more enjoyable
Found this rather dull and boring
Cool album, kind of a minimal, modern take on funk and soul, didn't think I would enjoy it this much. The songs mostly consist of a prominent beat or melody, which takes up most of the sonicscape, and strong and loud vocals, which tell the story in a sort of protest/chanting fashion. This provides a unique sound and atmosphere, I haven't heard anything like it before. The music is minimal, but still powerfull and engaging. The lyrical themes talk about the struggle of black people. The album manages to deliver the message, just not too strongly in my opinion. Would give it 3.5 if I could.
Black, bla, bla, bla
Loved the old-timey gospel and choir numbers. Did not like the voice overs that presented truths like the singer had just newly discovered them for the world. Very off putting.
While I didn’t love any single track this was an enjoyable listen at the album level. Some varied styles and low key grooves.
Untitled (black is) - Sault 678 albums in I only have the time for 2 and a half listens today, and this strikes me as an album that constantly gets better. I think I'll keep this one in my library. Chilled out, easy to listen to A very high 3/5 but with room to get better.
++: Stop Dem, Don't Shoot Guns Down, Bow, Monsters +: Out the Lies, Hard Lies, Wildfires, X, This Generation, Why We Cry We Die, Only Synth in Church, June Child, Pray Up Stay Up +-: Sorry Ain't Enough, Black Is, US, Eternal Life, Miracles, Hold Me -: Black 5,1/10
Respect for the message but hyper not my type of beats.
Pretty good
Not something I would normally listen to but I enjoyed it.
Interesting!
good beats, no substance. gimme something to sink my teeth into. this is mall store music.
Not even sure how to describe this. Every song is different. It’s a collage of styles and ideas. So I kinda liked it. 3/5
This was wild, session with lots of synth and great beats
An OK album love the song wildfires for that I gave it a - 2.5/5
La música no está mal, es una problemática extranjera y medio meh.
I didn’t expect a 2020 album to pop up from this generator — I assumed it’d lean toward older ones, so this was a surprise. I’m a big fan of SAULT, and Cleo Sol in particular. It’s interesting how the group is made up of individual artists with careers of their own who came together, since usually it’s the other way around — bands go solo. The album is full of gospel influences and is unapologetically political, which can be heavy at times. Music is usually an escape for me, and this one brings me right back to reality — especially with the weight of 2020 in mind. It reflects the pain and power of the Black experience, particularly around the time of George Floyd and the aftermath. It’s empowering and necessary, even if it’s not always easy to listen to. The production is fantastic, and hearing Michael Kiwanuka on a track was a highlight. There’s a lot of soul, a lot of truth, and it’s deeply rooted in Black creativity. I respect the message, even if it’s not a project I’d return to often. I tend to lean toward their less political R&B, though I know even that isn’t completely apolitical. Even as someone who isn’t Christian, I found the gospel and spiritual elements moving. SAULT always opens my eyes to perspectives I may not fully live, but deeply care about. Listening to this album also made me reflect on global struggles — like what’s happening in Palestine — and how music like this connects different fights for justice. It’s an important album, and I’m glad it made the list. The Black struggle is ongoing, and albums like this are a necessary reminder of how far we still have to go. Favourite tracks included: “Miracles”, “Wildfires”, “Hard Life”, “Sorry Ain’t Enough”, “Bow”, “Black” and “Eternal Life”
Not my style, but really enjoyed listening to it.
Call me cynical but this oddly hollow and soulless album seems to have attached itself to an issue without much of substance to say.. If you told me it was AI generated I'd believe you.
Magical.
Damn, this is a haunting, powerful and also strongly optimistic album. The power of the albums words lie in the relative simplicity and monolithic power of the messaging. Rating: 4.5
It sounds good but treading familiar tropes and sounds
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