Reviews (page 5 of 7)
Alright ig? I don’t like this style of music and some of the lyrics just seemed rushed.
Powerful and important album. Dig the creativity and sound, but not something I would listen to regularly
Mellow and seems like some good messaging that could use another listen.
Refreshing, minimalistic, refined, confident. I hardly found anything to criticize musically, even if it doesn't directly correspond to my musical taste and the album is a bit long. However, I'm struggling with the content. Sure, can be considered to be a concept album and is therefore monothematic. Maybe it's even a concept group with just this one theme. But I find being so hyperfocused on race problematic in general and not very enjoyable in the context of music. For some, this may be exactly the art form in which to deal with topics such as racial identity, conflicts, and culture, but I would actually prefer to take an hour reading articles or watching discussions on the topic, rather than listening to this. This feeling is reinforced for me by the fact that it is even explicitly limited to black people and pretty on the nose lyrically. A pleasant breath of fresh air for this list, but I won't be coming back to it.
Nice background music.
Some solid contemporary music. There's a whole vibe going on here.
Reminds me of the breakbeat stuff of the 1990s but better. Yet I'm not blown away by it.
I get that expressions change with language and culture but some songs of this album are too boring. Others are enjoyable.
I liked this, it was an interesting mix of styles, had a theme, was competently executed, and so on. That said, I generally prefer things that have a bit more oomph.
I really appreciate the themes and messages in this album, I just feel like the music surrounding it could be a lot more interesting. It does have a few cool moments, but also spends a lot of time just not really doing a whole lot.
the spoken word interludes really slam the brakes on this as a start to finish album listening experience but the rest of it is so good
Bei Gott keine Ahnung was das überhaupt für ein Genre sein soll, aber blyat hier und da kommt es echt sehr böse ;)
Abwechslungsreiches R&B Slbum, dass durch seine Variation mit Gospel Elementen positiv auffällt. Die Songs sind stimmlich solide, sodass das durchspielen des Albums keine Zeitverschwendung war.
some good parts
Chill sounding, but non-chill lyrically.
Not my thing, ok but nothing special
Okay not my thing but at least I could stand it. The production was kind of fun and nothing really irritated me.
Encapsulates the 2020 movement pretty well tbh. Coming from the right place but totally lacking in teeth and substance.
S wichtigste zerst: Isch es Album oder es Kunstwerk wo de Titel "untitled" het wükli untitled oder ned? So Frage lönd mich ned Schlafe! Ich find das unbetitelte Album sehr stimmig ufbaut. Mer merkt d Naration wo sii mit de Zwüschesequänze hend welle erzüüge woni amigs schöni zwüschestück finde, mängisch hetti aber au lieber meh Bangers wie Wildfires. Viel meh so Bangers! Will Wildfires findi scho es ultra wilds fire vo song! Und nebe dem brodlige Füür vo song gits au no paar wiiteri recht hitzigi lieder. S füür findi het sich aber ned gliich dur s ganz Album durezoge. Darum jetzt wider die schwirigi Frag; verdient es schön ufbauts Album wo ein Superbanger, 2 - 3 gueti bangers und no paar rest-bangers mit biz 'zviel' zwüschesequänze het 4 Azündwürfel? Eher 3 Azündwürfel miteme gutsch Brennspritt.
looking for a chill and groovy album? better call sault nice record but it‘s a bit bland, add a pinch of sault next time
I understand it’s a statement piece and that’s totally cool but I’m rating this as a piece of music. When they did the music, it was often great, the beat on Bow with Michael Kiwanuka was brilliant. Far too often the talking bits just took me out of it, let the music do it, don’t force it. 3 stars
Oh, un album de notre décennie, c’est pas courant! Malheureusement, j’ai l’impression que ça restera pas dans les esprit comme étant un Éternel Banger, les tracks sont tellement dépouillés que j’ai l’impression d’écouter les démos. Les chœurs sont jolies je l’avoue, mais genre, m’en côlisse
Fav: Eternal Life Least Fav: Bow Second half was better imo
Musical, yeah it is an interesting modern R&B listen. Not sure if I think there is anything groundbreaking in the musical context. Is it socio/politically essential, don’t think I’m the intended demographic to be qualified to have an informed view on that.
Released in 2020, Sault's mediation on Black Identity is timely to say the least. The message is palpable and positive. The mood is a focused, heavy one. Make no mistake, this is a protest album, but it's also a black empowerment album. Though, I suppose one could make the argument that these are one and the same. "Don't Shoot Guns Down", and "Wildfires" are the highlights.
Cool mix of sounds on here. I’ll have to check out more of their stuff (3.5/5)
Not bad. Decent beats. Some songs were way too repetitive. Just didn’t grab me at all. I was really hoping it would.
An interesting album, especially for the time that it came out.
(In)appropriately timed album given the state of the union. The act of writing protest songs or albums was a badge of honor back in the 60s/70s, and so it’s interesting to see this being done on this effort as recent as four years ago. I think the voice over parts really just acted as unnecessary filler to the songs themselves that still deliver the intended message. In the end it was just too long, but still a decent listen.
Interesting record to get the day after we (re)elect a racist POS as our President. But I digress… I enjoyed this album. Close to 4* but not quite. Very strong 3. 3.5/5
I 100% support what this album stands for, but sonically it just doesn't do it for me
Super heavy handed with the message here, but the songs where they actually do music are good. The talking bits and repetitive beats made this a slog though. 2.5
🎧Undeniably important album about blackness and racial injustice, released in the summer of 2020 at the height of the BLM movement. A rich R&B/soup tapestry—some of these songs landed for me, some are pretty meandering. Favorite track: Wildfires
I really liked the latter half! The vocals are amazing throughout, but it’s r&b after all :-) Favorite track: Monsters
Good background vibe
Chill, not bad. Prob won't give it another spin b/c it's not my genre, but not bad.
I appreciate the intent, but at face value the music is not substantial enough to retain attention. The message is clear, but not powerful. I enjoy some of the compositions and overall enjoyed the album.
This got better as it went along IMO. It’s a little early to say this but it feels like a period piece for 2020, the crazy and emotional year that it was.
I was happy to finally see an album from this decade on the list, and for the most part enjoyed it. The lyrics were a bit too churchy for my taste in places, but all around worthy of making the cut.
It's fine. Not really my thing.
I don't think I'm the target audience for this album.
I guess I can understand why it’s on the list. There are a couple tracks that come together but much of this feels like it needed a few more iterations of editing or something to tighten up. Not unhappy to have listened but won’t return to it.
An important political commentary on what it means to be black in the 21st century. Interesting lyrics and nice vocals, with plenty of variety in style across the tracks. Influences of soul, funk, r&B and gospel The songs themselves don't really grab me but it belongs on the list
3.2 1x
What an interesting album. Not normally my thing but I found it intriguing - a great one to include.
story
I don't think I am the target audience for this one but it sounds great.
This was interesting, and the production value was high. I didn't love it, but I'm glad to have heard it. 3.3
A delightful one off album for me. I'm glad to hear it.
Thoughts before listening: I know this made a lot of best of lists when it came out. I also know that its gotten some pretty harsh criticism from this project's Reddit channel. I feel like I listened when it came out and it wasn't really for me. Review: This is pretty good. Sure its too long and the spoken word bits are somewhat distracting, but the actual songs on here are enjoyable. Lots of good beats, a nice variety of sounds, and some really catchy tunes. My favorite tracks are "Stop Dem" and "Bow". 3-stars
A dreamy RnB Hip Hop sound punctuated by the Black Lives Matter movement in the US particularly. SAULT highlight the plight of the black person in a more modern context than some others I have previously listened to throughout my 1001 Albums journey. Not quite what I'd normally reach for in terms of music, however it's hard not to appreciate what they have done to highlight their plight. Best: Wildfires Worst: Bow
This was a good surprise. It felt like it was made by real musicians and real artists. A bit 'Kanye-derivative' sometimes I guess. Monsters was probably my favourite track but it was also kind of out of place with the rest of the record. Overall very good though.
I don't like soul, nor Disco, yet I found I grooved to some of these songs. It wore on me as it went along, but the few that I vibed with added a star to my rating.
This was an interesting album. It's a little hard to describe or categorize. Definitely feels like a powerful message, and the vocals and music were good, but I am not sure they are necessarily songs at times. Still, a worthwhile listen.
I think I could have gone my life without hearing this.
Very simple music but powerful messages.
This was very clearly not for me, a white man in his 30s, but I can see it’s important to the zeitgeist of summer 2020. The music itself isn’t bad, but not what I’d seek out independently.
Definitely worth listening to.
Clearly a strong piece of black cultural sound and withstanding from 2020.
Conceptually interesting but not compelling.
I felt too Caucasian to be listening to this. Like i was listening to something i shouldn't have been. Rating for the melodies & music.
Kinda digging it.
I enjoyed this.
This is a nice album, I enjoyed some songs more than others. However I would likely never listen to the entire project again.
Die Botschaft ist ETWAS plakativ. Der Sound ok. 2,7
Interesting as part of the wider output, not sure it stands up enough on its own to justify it's inclusion here
I liked this but definitely could have been trimmed down it’s too long
The sound is very fresh, if not the lyrics a bit unpoetic, but very likely that was intentional.
started out really interesting, and then kind of faded into background noise.
Meh!
The folks that give this 1 star and say this album tried to make me feel bad for being white are the reason albums with this type of messaging are still being made. That being said, at 20 tracks it's at least 10 songs to long. I really dig the bass playing. Lyrically there's only one message and it can be heavy handed and repetitive. Musically it's very lofi and groovy and the vocals are well done. Layered and harmonized nicely. It's too long though, I checked out after 35 minutes. Maybe the Mystery Unfolds by Mutabaruka would be a good addition to this list. Heavy metal and reggae seem to be under represented in this endeavor.
Good mixing and tracking,generally not entertaining though
The style grew on me over time. Can see it as soundtrack to certain shows or films. But sounds a bit like a gospel choir mixtape.
While I haven't lived a life that relates to the message of this album, it was still well made, a good message, with a great sounds, soul and poetry used well
Album has a vibe that works well in the background. Fine for once.
I appreciate the message more than the music, and the music is mostly fine in my opinion. I know I'm probably not the target audience for this album, but I was enjoying the affirmation and validation that the album provides and I hope it reaches the ears of those that need to hear it. 6/10
Muusikaliselt väga hea. Imelik jutt vahepeal ainult, mis natuke creepy.
Enjoyable album, really liked the overall vibe. I wasn't aware this artist existed, so kudos to this webpage for that.
I was completely unaware of Sault, and this album. When I saw the brief Wikipedia description, I wasn't expecting a strong album. However...for the most part this is a good album, though I do wonder if it's possible to consider the impact and influence of a 2020 release in 2024.
Although I find the messages of this album important, this album felt a bit long and lackluster to me. I enjoyed the production of some songs, but I'm not sure I'd re-listen to the album as a whole.
Only listened to half and I like it
Great message. Not really my music style, but good to listen to anyways.
Well, well. What do we have here? An album from the current decade? Who would've thought?! I've finally reached an album from the 2020s! There are a very small amount of albums from the past few years on this list, mainly because we just don't know how culturally significant many albums from the recent years will go on to be. That brings us to an important question regarding this album in particular. Why is this album on the list? It's not particularly well-known. Well, my theory is that this has less to do with music culture and more with the world's culture in 2020. 2020 was a year of many shocking things that still impact us today. Obviously the COVID-19 pandemic was the biggest of these, but not far behind were the Black Lives Matter protests brought upon by the deaths of individuals like George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Let's not beat around the bush any further. This is a protest album. That's why this album is on here. It represents the cultural attitude of the time. In particular, the black cultural attitude of the time. You see, I'm white. This means that I am not the target demographic for this album. However, that does not mean that I'm unable to appreciate this album and what it stands for. This album has some great messages about police brutality, self-love, and faith. Do I personally relate to any of it? No. But if this album was able to relate to its target demographic during the time it came out, then I would say that this album was a success in that regard. The features are solid. I find it interesting that every album I've gotten so far from 2019 or later has involved Michael Kiwanuka in some capacity. Is he just that great of an artist? Yes. The musical contents of this album could admittedly be better though. As much as I respect what this album's saying, it is a bit too blunt with it at times, making the album feel less like an actual album and more like affirmations or preaching at times. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it just isn't for me personally. The vocals are serviceable. The album does go on for a bit too long. The album is fairly repetitive. However, this album is an overall positive experience, just not one made for me specifically. High 3/5.
It was perfectly listenable, even enjoyable. Nice mix of musical styles.
A lot to like in this, but a lot that is just filler. Too long by about 20 minutes
Exactly the same review as Chris.
Interesting and sounded good but I dont think I'm gonna revisit. Probably many more albums more deserving of the spot even from the 2020s
KILL WHITEY!
An interesting R&B album. Powerful subject matter speaking to police brutality in the wake of George Floyd. At times the album had more of an electronica vibe than an R&B one. Good lyrics but lacking in powerful delivery. 3/5.
I knew nothing about this album or group going in. It was definitely out of leftfield compared to what I normally listen to. Getting someone like me to listen to an album like this is specifically what the one album a day generator was created for. I loved this album and would've never discovered it otherwise. I will certainly give it another listen.
This turned out to be a very pleasant combination of r&b and gospel; I like the minimalist instrumentals. The lyrics let me down a bit but not because of the topic, rather they felt a bit too… on the nose? Then again, sometimes too much poetry runs the risk of diluting what turned out to be a powerful, enjoyable record.
Not bad. Had some Lauryn Hill/Common vibes, but not better than either of those artists, and not necessarily original either. Still, pretty good.
Some okay songs, but not my style.
Liked it, the whispering was a little too much
Cantan muy bien, vale, y? Nada más
it's fine, similar sounds throughout album.
3 - Some parts were really nice, but some parts felt a bit repetitive.
Interesting comparison having this a couple of days after STAND! Everything that album does well, this one lacks. “Black Is” isn’t bloated so to speak, but lacks punch. To me the first few tracks were interesting and then Wildfires was the only other with strong redeeming qualities. That being said the album on the whole js a very nice mellow listen, there isn’t much bad on any specific track apart from being a bit boring. “Free” from the other SAULT album of this year was one of my absolute favourite tracks of 2020 - it’s a shame nothing on this record gets close despite a very similar sound palette. 3.1/5
Or for my demographic, but some very good songs regardless.
Unremarkable. Not a lot of rapping. The black is beautiful stuff veers a little corny in this presentation vs 70s stuff or solange. Like the singing, kids choirs etc.
Quite good album, the production was great. Overall it was a tad too long.
I liked this for the most part, but I don't like spoken word stuff, and it was about a third of it.
2020?! Damn, how recent’s this list?
Not something I would buy, but I enjoyed listening to it.
I’ll say it quietly, I’m not black and I’m not proud. Especially after listening to this album. But damn, what an unexpected, eclectic trip. There’s so much experimentation going on here, but the record still manages to stay grounded in what it is. I just wish it POPPED a bit more. There’s an inherent disconnect between the carefree and chill feelings of lofi hip job/soul music and the message being sent in the lyrics here. All that said, SAULT paints a picture of what our society was like at that moment in time, and it’s hard to hear this without realizing that nothing’s really changed. This is a meaningful and impactful love letter to the black community, even if the music in it doesn’t leave the mark I hoped it would.
Een soort empowering triphop voor de BLM-generatie? Benieuwd wat het achtergrondverhaal is van deze groep / dit project, maar heb me daar tot nu toe (bewust) nog niet in verdiept. Wilde eerst even 'blanco' luisteren.
Ok, but not really feeling it.
It’s ok
Super interesting album - I loved the style and the overall sound, but I dont think there were enough compelling songs to capitalize off of it
We are outside the (large) splash zone of the summer of 2020, it's been almost four years, and I have no urgent, self-preserving need to rate this the #1 album of 2020, as NPR supposedly did. Then again, what else was getting released in 2020? Weird year. And I must say, this album had a sense of perfect timing that Bruce Springsteen could have only dreamed of with his post-911 album. "We need you, Bruce." I still think about that album and chuckle. This encapsulates, if nothing else, the aesthetic of this kind of politics, and generally politics today– it is very polished, it is glossy, it is full of affirmations, it is ready for a media rollout with multiple cover stories, and it's kind of inoffensive. I hate to give it the treatment, and compare it to the amazing political protest albums we've heard over the years. One thing many of those has that this lack is the feeling of it being a *personal* story. I'm getting a lot of slogan, a lot of affirmation, a lot of positive psychology, a LOT of Instagram. And not a lot of storytelling, which is harder, but infinitely more powerful. I love the musicians involved, I am becoming a mega Inflo fan from this list. I know these musicians can do better because I've followed and loved their other projects. So this is a weird one because it's so surface-level, I've come to expect complexity. I will check out their other projects and just chalk this up to, yup, 2020 was weird. 3/5
Not my jam, but has some jams.
Es un disco onda Portishead, pero mucho más aburrido. Se hace realmente eterno, aunque saqué varios temitas buenos.
I think they might be black. At times soulful, at times repetitive, at times motivational speech. When it was music it was ok and when it wasn’t I didn’t really get why this was on this list. A bit too long, 20 tracks that pretty much do the same thing over and over is just not needed. 5/10
Did not enjoy listening to this… feel like the idea and execution were fine, good even but I just didn’t wanna be hearing this, feel like this album is not what I want to hear if I’m listening to music Like 3/10 enjoyment 8/10 quality ig overall 5/10
Some good songs, some not good songs, but overall an enjoyable listen. Liked the weird trip hop shit they did on monsters, almost sounded like a Portishead song. Wasn't really paying attention to the lyrical content, which I'm sure was a selling point of the album, so can't really speak on that. 7/10
The mixing and production are bad the vibes are here. Lyrically unimpressive, but a pretty good jam throughout. Energy is up and appreciated, although an hour was unnecessary and repetitive. Pretty mid, honestly. 3/5
3,4
I don't think this album was made for me, per se. It's above average though and somewhat enjoyable. I do think sometimes the music may have been compromised for the sake of making a message, but maybe that's more important. 6/10 (3/5)
Important one 3
Cool enough
Was kinda nice, tunes were pleasant, a lot of it passed me by.
Not my tyope of music
2.5/5
A decent album and not in a genre I generally find myself. A good find.
Starts off really slow and I don’t feel like the concept was explored as much as it could have been (the minimalism is likely intentional), would have to listen more closely to be sure though. It ends pleasantly enough Best song: Bow (we meet again Michael!) Worst song: N/A
I'd rather listen to Tank and the Bangas, but this is some interesting work nonetheless.
J'ai bien aimé Wildfires.
I don't know how I feel about this. I don't feel qualified nor comfortable talking about the lyrics as I come from a completely different part of the world with its own problems. Racism is bad obviously, but this is clearly an album for Americans by Americans. Musically very interesting though. There's enough variety in this that it kept my attention for most of the runtime. I could have gone without all the whispery interludes though. One or two is fine, but there was a point in the middle where every other song was just a woman uncomfortably whispering in my ear. I'm immune to ASMR instantly-shit-yourself hypnosis. I eat sauerkraut for breakfast. Fuck.
As Jackson would say, this was good but not my favorite. I’ll admit I was more distracted while listening today. The tracks were hit and miss for me. I don’t love songs that sound more like spoken word poetry. Loved the last track!
Good but didn't really hold my attention
Bra album. Bra låtar.
The production quality and the beats are very solid on this album, especially during Only Synth in Church and Monsters. Feels good to listen with headphones on. It does get a bit repetitive though and the lyrics aren't doing much for me.
Relaxing music, but not my field of interest.
Fine. I bet they would draw a crowd at The Fox.
Great production but it was too mellow for me, couldn't hear any emotion.
2.5
Nice to hear an album I have zero preconceptions about.
This was unexpected. On paper I should hate this album - 21st century R&B really is not my bag at all and I was not looking forward to this, but it's actually OK. It's not something I'm likely to revisit, but it was perfectly listenable. Plus, the drum sound on the first few tracks is incredible.
3.25
De thematiek en de boodschap zijn relevant en duidelijk. Deze zijn ook prachtig in de lyrics verweven. De muziek/stijl vind ik dan wat minder
Not really my thing but a fine album. Very confused by some of the most liked reviews though, especially one that stated people didn’t even think of race 15 years ago. What an ignorant thing to say
Un mic mac sans grand intérêt, mais je comprends pourquoi Robert a mis cet album c'est vrai que le nom SAULT était sur toutes les lèvres ces dernières années.
Very good album
Decent 3/5
Soulful and moody, but I prefer my activism louder. Bow was a fun song, when it was listing out african countries. Stand-out: Eternal Life
Chipotle background music
Wildfires is beautiful, bow was great. Black was an interesting song I feel like it wakes up sleeper agents. Eternal is chefs kiss and monsters was fantastic easily my favorite song i added it to my playlist. With this album the songs I liked I really liked but everything in between I didn’t really care for not that it sounded bad it just sounded like it was filling space I think I’ll have to give this another listen to really appreciate it for what it is. -B (not gonna do what you think I was)
Loving how the musical themes and production tell the story also. In “Stop Dem” when the vocal singing melody tries to come in but gets cut off showing how they thought it was over but it wasn’t. Synth on eternal life was crazy good. Saved that one. Rhythm on monsters was sweet. Also saved that one Very versatile and different, some songs were great some were eh
Energetic and empowering. Sound collage. Sonically resemble to Kawanuka, Alfa Mist,
This is like someone took all the rapping off a Kendrick album
Erg lastig album Begin heel sterk maar naar het einde een tikkie te chaotisch voor mij, gaaf dat het zo genreblend is maar dat maakt het ook erg lastig om naar te luisteren.
Suadente
Interrresting! One really strong track, rest is not that interresting to me
seems decent, not my vibe tbh
BLM/10 I don't want to rate this. Musically, I don't think it's very good. It is however an album very much in the spirit of BLM, which I personally agree with but don't identify with. Rating this album from my perspective does not do it the justice it deserves in the context it requires. The only thing I really want to say about this is that RTJ4 does a (imo) better job talking about specific issues in many of their songs and are sonically more in tune with how it can be expressed powerfully.
swingado, agradável escuta apesar das primeiras serem meio ruins
I enjoyed this album for the most part. Wildfires was the standout track with Eternal Life being an another good one.
Repetitive but nice
3.7 - Solange and Blood Orange each did this type of R&B meditation on blackness more successfully but this is also a good record within that vein. There's tons of atmosphere, built from the jump, with re-dubbed double-dutch chants and monologues reminiscing about black elders. It takes a few quiet detours that detract from the energy, particularly the boring "Black." But it ends on a high with "Miracles", "Hold Me", "Pray up Stay Up" that reinforce affirmations of blackness and black identity.
Good. Felt that I wasn’t the right audience for this, though.
Overall pretty good. The theme is prevalent throughout the album and although there are a few songs that could stand as singles, this is better as a whole. 3/5 May listen again
Felt a lot longer than it is. More a series of sketches than an album. Didn’t hate it.
Cantan muy bien, vale, y? Nada más.
Another album I’m familiar with from its recent release. Good blend of different styles and soil beats throughout deserves to have its place on the list.
3.5
This was good but nothing really grabbed me.
Solid
Appreciated the sound of this one, as it was unlike anything else in the list, but it sounded a little too radio 4-morning-podcast-y for me to get truly into it.
Good, not great. Great beats - odd lyrics. Nothing stands out. 3/5
Starkes Album mit einer Wichtigen Message, aber doch sehr lang
Veldig politisk. Veldig groovy, eller kanskje funky er et bedre ord? Jeg likte det godt, men det ble nok med en gang for meg.
Solid. Good music. 3.5/5
слышала его в год выпуска. он приятный но не увлекает меня
A political album. The interludes are too much for me. I do not have any problem with BLM. I am all for it. But instead of actually saying something, they are just repeating the same few points. Music wise, I get it that it’s trying to mix in different black elements. It doesn’t sound bad, but most of the tracks do not interest me a lot. 5/9/14/16
I lose track of all the SAULT albums, they're that prolific. But I remember how Black Is dropped at just the right time in 2020. It could already sound a little dated, but sadly the issues are still there. The DIY beats add an urgency. The vocals are lush. It drifts a little towards the end. An important document of 2020 though.
Very interesting and diverse album 6,5/10 Fave: wildfires
there's some nice really tunes in here but i'm not in to the lecturing nature of the lyrical content.
6 stars out of 5 for Scott Kelly, as he continues his quest for a free pass for use of the the N word.
3.5/5. Pretty good, relatively easy listening, modern soul/RnB, with a fair amount of emphasis on black culture. I would not mind listening to this again.
From what I could tell there was an important and positive message in the lyrics. The musical presentation was boring and repetitive. I like longer albums, but that wasn’t a strength for this one. I may give it another listen in the future.
Good music but why are they talking the whole time
Disco liso, le hace falta condimentación y argumentos para tratarse de conceptual. En los títulos lo es, en el nombre lo es, en lo visual lo es, pero en lo mas importante que es la musica no lo es. Es un poco largo para la cantidad de arreglos que tiene y por mas de que pongas audios soniditos raros y te hagas el quirky no vas a hacer un album conceptual. Un album que se lo considera como tal pero que no cuenta nada, las escalas y reversiones de piques, mas lo ritmico aporta a sonidos interesantes 5/10.
6/10. Had its ups and downs. The songs seemed to be going for an understated but powerful aesthetic, which sometimes worked and sometimes felt a little sleepy. But overall a good album, if not an especially memorable one.
Had potential but ended up being boring. Plus I'm always a bit annoyed at modern inclusions on this list since I'm so familiar with excluded albums that I enjoy much more. 6/10
Listened Before? N This is a pretty good album. When I saw that it was described as "hip hop" I thought I was getting rap. Nope, it's just beat-heavy synth music with lots of different vocalists. I quite enjoyed it. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Wildfires
Wildfires is very good, but the rest is okay.
I think I wanted to like this more than it was. I am not black and maybe this is what parts of that community want, but as an outside felt a bit patronising towards them. Like yeah of course you are beautiful but there is more to people than that. It makes black people feel very 1 dimensional.
i really liked it the first time i listened but paying more attention a lot of the songs follow the exact same formula so it gets boring quickly
Good message, but there was a surprising sense of sameness to it. More important, that sameness was one of mood, an almost lifelessness which betrayed the supposed passion for pride in her black identity. Held my interest for a couple of tracks, but I kept waiting for more, for it to go somewhere unique, challenging, ins[piring. For me, that didn't come.
I can see why this is an important album... but nope. Not for me.
12
Ça fait du bien de changer du rock, y a des sonorités cools mais rien de chamboulant
Enjoyed this, promising opening and continued at the same level, would have been better if they dropped a bunch of the ‘talking tracks’ though. Black was a great track.
Undoubtedly a remarkable reckoning with the issues facing the community and especially with its timing in 2020. The themes are unfortunately timeless. However, for all its political genius and genius, I cannot help but think that it exaggerates just how unlistenable this album is and how little replay value it has. For all its authenticity, it’s just not an album I was musically captivated by.
Decent but quickly forgotten album
Less preachey than I had feared (apart from the interludes), and more enjoyable than I had anticipated
14th March 2023 Listened on the drive to Rita rehearsals and finished the day after. Busy day with rehearsals, IWD call with NYC and house organising. A tour of black history through music, expertly produced and such a range of sound. Really liked it, 3.5 if I could.
I really wanted to enjoy this more than I did, has some really great songs bit alot of annoying "skits" and some very poor songs
Var skeptisk till en början men den var ganska okej.
C'est correct, une bonne petite ambiance, très smooth, parfait pour une soirée relax. Par contre vers la fin ça commençait à s'étirer
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yeah, was very distinctive as a project listen Favourite song: didn’t have one
Soulful, melancholic. Released soon after the George Floyd murder and the ensuing protests, which gives it additional emotional power.
BLM
Black
Interesting and eclectic but it tries too hard at times and not at all at others.
I liked a decent chunk of this but disliked a bunch as well. It’s pretty cool sounding but I was ready for it to be over.
It's kind of all over the place for me. But some decent music mixed in.
Though this was very message heavy, the delivery was varied and interesting to keep me engaged for longer than expected. It gets a bit tired by the end, but there are several tracks that are quite enjoyable.
Musically, I generally like what they are doing here and the message is really important right now. Nice mix of musical styles. I think this would have a tighter album had they cut it back by about 10 minutes or so. Fave Songs: Bow, Miracles, Sorry Ain't Enough, Hold Me, Pray Up Stay Up
Bold, imaginative and provocative but ultimately is too repetitive and defeats its own message.
Not a genre that I listen to much, but there were some decent songs on this. Appreciated the message of the album.
Nice album
I went into this one expecting not to like the music at all, since I usually dislike R&B. It wasn't quite what I expected. Definitely very high quality, with an accomplished mix of styles. The jazzier parts or more trip-hop leaning songs were my favorites on the album and really pretty enjoyable to me. Still, as a whole, it's simply not my style of music and I have no desire to revisit. I do strongly support the messages though, and tip my hat to accomplished musicians - just not my style.
Downtempo and chill. Decent overall, but it’s fades into the background a bit too easily.
It was interesting. Modern R&B is still something I just have a hard time getting into. 3/5
interesting, thought it was metal by the name of the band, 3.5 stars
Genre-wise it does suit my taste more. But, it's still repetitive. Lyrically, it's blunt and it unapologetically speaks for Black pride. I'm one for being proud for your identity and overcoming past atrocities, it's just extremely repetitive. Almost everything I hear about today is progressive in this way and plasters Black all over it. It also has too many songs. Highlights: -
good vibe
I've listened to this album a few times now but I don't really get the hype. The production is fantastic and I support the overall message, but I find it lacking lyricly and vocally in places. Some of the songs are so repetitive that they are basically just chanted slogans that break up the flow of the album. Most of the songs with more traditional structures (like Wildfires) are great however.
Ish.
At times fun, at times soulful - but it gets in the way of itself with the self affirmations throughout the album. I get it maybe I’m not the target audience, but there are plenty of similar racial themes in hip hop and sometimes even more militant - yet hold your attention and are not exclusionary. It’s not the subject - it’s the delivery - pity because the music is quite a nice example of modern soul.
Important message but musically a bit dissonant for my liking.
Like the music, minimal jazzy soul. Very much an album of its time - June 2020 - as reflected in the lyrics. The accent on positivity and self-esteem is good, but some of the lyrics are a bit too simplistic and repetitive. If anything the love songs are the best
there is a word that sums up this album: power. SAULT speaks to a lot of important topics facing our world today, and they deal with heavy subject matter. it is not lost on me that this album was released during the summer of 2020. i am sure that's the same for most listeners; if you aren't paying attention to the lyrics, then the album cover will force you to understand. but "stop dem" literally has vocals shouting, "stop dem" and "don't shoot us"--how could it be any clearer their intent? but on this album there is still joy; it's a celebration about being black while fighting. with twenty tracks at 56 minutes, SAULT created untitled (black is) with a heck of a lot of genres. wikipedia has this album listed as soul, r&b, and funk--all of which are true, but there are world music, techno, and pop fifties sounds as well. a well rounded album.
This was an incredibly modern and powerful take on the current landscape that Black people face. The lyrics are thought-provoking, and the music is fresh and diverse, spanning across multiple genres and setting a high bar for what those genres can sound like in the 21st Century. The spoken interludes are incredibly empowering and poetic, as well. While this type of music might not typically be my cup of tea, I found myself in constant intrigue over this album.
A bit of style variation, not a bad album.
Good beats and cool grooves but I occasionally wondered if the album was a little too loose and formless. There are a lot of musical ideas but there aren’t a lot of full-fledged songs. A track like “Black,” for example, has a great hip-hop beat and a catchy hook but feels like it’s missing a rap feature. Other tracks loop a vocal hook over an instrumental for a few minutes but don’t ever develop into a song with verses and choruses. It’s not bad exactly but feels incomplete. There are some strong standout moments though. The singing on “Wildfires” is beautiful, the African funk of “Bow” was a highlight and the closing track “Pray Up Stay Up” has a great vibe.
Interesting album, definitely trying to convey one overarching message across the release. I kind of feel like this genre should be called something like "music-to-be-sampled". Each track gives me a vibe like it's meant to have something else on top, like a lead vocal line or even some rapping. The tracks that do have some lead vocals in them come across as pretty repetitive. "Wildfires" was a cool track, with more typical structure of a pop song. I liked the album more as it went on. I think the earlier songs having a more background-music type of sound led me to get off on the wrong foot. It felt long but it wasn't, it just had a ton of very short tracks which kind of validated my idea of music-for-sampling. I think a high 2/5 and close enough to a 3 to warrant it.
I had never heard of this band before and was really happy to hear something new. For the first 9 songs (barring Sorry ain’t enough) I thought I’d found a new favourite to stick on repeat. But this is an album of two halves. The second half just sounded like dull, ‘ooh ooh baby’ music - uninspirational R&B which I could frankly do without. But 8/20 songs that grabbed me by the throat is quite good odds. I would definitely listen to those again.
Album had a few bangers, very unique. My previous notes had fav tracks but got deleted. The backside started to feel repetitive (loops) and kinda annoying which was difficult to vibe with, was on the bus.
Very cool, very bluesy, religious.
I enjoyed this but not a lot stuck out in my mind. Speaking with Jen about this 1001 endeavor, it’s like the timing of the listen combined with current state of mind mixed with some kind of random aural simpatico all contribute to the rating for albums I’m not familiar with.
I cannot say wht but I don't dislike it
like the message more than the music
Good
The aesthetic of cover and title suggests a detached-but-not-really attitude, and Untitled sound like a mixtape before its music pulls a similar turn. At first, the sound is rather light against the themes gestured at. But as the record unfolds, it takes a kind of chronological track through build and release. I looked at SAULT (unfairly) as a novelty band. This has convinced me to listen to its twin and take the group more seriously, even if it didn't blow me away. I guess gospel music isn't meant to, most of the time.
I really enjoy SAULT, and I have to say that musically this is far from their best. Best approached as an art piece and social commentary, it's not a casual listen.
Great production
I am definitely not the audience for this. Obviously can appreciate it, but there you go.
Interesting experience. I mostly prefer rock-ish music, but I really like to adventure in other generes. That is why I'm here. And this was pleasing.
I have never heard of Sault, but the album cover is excellent, and I see the rest of their album covers are all of a piece. The music grabbed my attention and didn't let go, at least for the first bunch of tracks. As overtly political as the cover implies but not angry. I don't really know what to make of the first track, "Stop Dem" is fun and a little funky, "Hard Life" is just beautiful, "Don't Shoot Guns Down" is a percussive gem, Wildfires is lovely and inspiring, X is a short sip of chill beat poetry, but from there it starts to bog down. Some of the tracks, like Black Is and Eternal Life, overshoot the mark. But overall I enjoyed this album quite a bit. Favorites: Don't Shoot Guns Down, Wildfires, Monsters
Good, interesting, too soon to be in the list in my opinion
Sault, wat een toppers
It's a nice album, but it's not a crush for me.
Samaan aikaan sillai raikas ja vihanen! Toki tällai vähemmistöön kuulumattomana tällasii poliittisii levyjä lähestyy eri tavalla. Kiva kuulla generaattorista taas jotain hieman uudempaa. 3/5
Kiinnostava ja oikein miellyttävä. Pitää kuunnella joskus vielä. 3.5/5.
Wildfires lienee levyn kovin hitti, ja se on kyllä jees. Muuten tykkäisin enemmän, mutta pari raitaa ei oo kovin mielenkiintoisia niin jätetään nyt 3/5
One more that I had no idea about going in. It was OK, not my thing, but well produced and with good vocals. Too heavy on the race politics for me lyrically. Passed by without causing any discomfort but without catching my attention either. Stripped down R&B, with what I think of as typically British minimalism.
Cool concept. Very rhythmic.
This was great, poignant messaging wrapped up in a well-paced and catchy lil parcel. My favorite track was Monsters.
Really good - but not sure it will hold up over time.
Cool vibe but just didn't grab me.
Hip hop trance r and b soul type music. Pretty good mellow music.
Interesting, loved the message.
This was fun!
I went back and forth on how I would rate this album. One minute I'm really digging it, and the next I can't wait for it to end. I think ultimately this album suffers for being too long and too boring. The beats on every song are SO good, but the vocals come off as minimalistic and uninspiring and way too repetitive. Standout tracks include Wildfires and Monsters.
Sonido contemporáneo. Hago de electrónica con consciencia "black". Está bien la radio que desencadena para ambientar.
Above average, but too new to call a 'classic' or anything that should be on a list like this. 3/5
My first album of the 2020’s shame there’s only 5 albums for this decade at the moment I could name a good few modern albums that deserve to be on this list… The album opens with out the lies which is half a little chant then it’s this little important statement. I really don’t like the happy screaming vocals of stop dem again it’s important but not good. I think one of my problems of hard life is that instead of being interesting the song just keeps on layering extra seconds and repeating the exact same lyrics again and again. Don’t shoot the guns down is a shortie and other than whatever was put over the vocals this is awesome the lyrics are surprisingly powerful and the drumming work is excellent. Wildfires is apparently the group’s biggest song and it’s a great song, none of this music is my kinda thing but it’s a song that I completely understand the appeal for ( same for the whole album really). X is a good little interlude. Sorry ain’t enough is a very powerful song again like wildfires this genre as a whole doesn’t appeal to me much but I get it. Black is, is a shortie and a bit of a reprise of the first track and yeah it works after all these songs even if i’am not a fan of interludes. Bow has a great rhythm and good lyrics but some of the elements layered on i’am sceptical about. This generation is just a little interlude. Why we cry why we die is too repetitive for me to be honest. Black starts off too repetitive but then it gets interesting when the female vocalist arrives. There are too many interludes us is one of them. Eternal life comes out of that previous interlude though and it’s great the synths really make this track. Only synth in church is nice but it feels like filler. Monsters is a very good song I might just be in the groove of the album but I really enjoyed this tune. June child is ANOTHER interlude. Miracle’s has some great bass work in it i’am still not sold on the style but it’s good music. The penultimate track hold me is a bit too electronic for me really but I cam see the appeal. The album closes with pray up stay up and I really don’t like this song the piano is the best part. I mean I get it I really do but not for me 3/5.
I liked the vibe, but got about 3/4 through before I stopped listening.
Not what I was expecting but an important album which caught the mood
Overall, it's too woke for its own good. I liked, if not loved, a lot of it. But it comes across ultimately as over stuffed if not over long. I have a sneaky suspicion this will be remembered as a product of its time more than anything else.
I couldn’t imagine a more appropriate Juneteenth release. Filled with anger, sorrow, power and a demand for change. The production is so raw and in your face (especially the drums) that at times it almost hurts. Absolutely brilliant! Unfortunately I also knew what to expect when I saw the 20 song tracklist… And this album doesn’t change my mind regarding the overflow of interludes. The lyrics in general are strong enough to get Sault’s message across. There really is no need to keep hammering the same nail; even when delivered via whispering poetry. Best: Stop Dem / Bow / Why We Cry Why We Die / Monsters Worst: Don’t Shoot Guns Out / Black / Pray Up Stay Up / almost every interlude (but especially June Child)
Fully convinced that the guy who made this list decided to put this album in instead of posting that black square on social media. Monster and Black are bangers, lotta cool sounds on this album but as a whole it's just not for me. (obviously?)
I’ll give this a 3, but I know Sean would have given it a 1
Always feels like an amalgamation of music with sault
Powerful black voices, would not be a typical choice but I enjoyed it.
There's some interesting tracks on this. Not really my bag though
Listened to on 7/21/22 3.5/5 Favorite song: wildfires This album was SO powerful and the best social commentary on race in 2020
I had never heard of this and the fact it's so recent, I'm surprised this made the list. I'm not sure what i think of this? It has a good beat, the lyrics are okay and I don't hate it, so it was fine. Not a fan of this style of music, so I can't say I'll listen again, but I can appreciate the effort.
This was good, some nice stuff here and a few saves.
love noise.. love instrument
There's a lot of 'lazy' two word reviews for this album floating around - "its great" or "it sucks". In my view - it's OK, not amazing, but certainly not rubbish. I'll attempt to give a bit more justification for my rating. Firstly - it's an electic mix of lo-fi chill soul/rnb and funk, with live drums mixed together. it works, it's easy to listen to and interesting enough Secondly, it's a mix of actual 'songs' and then short poetry based skits. It's unusual, so I see why it's highly rated. The songs themselves are mostly well written and produced, the lyrics are a current topic, and though the overarching theme is clever, the actual music and lyrics aren't particularly ground-breaking. It's a chill out with a glass of red wine at 11PM whilst thoughtfully overlooking the city lights with this in the background kind of album. It's a innovative idea for an album, and executed reasonably well. 7/10
An interesting and powerful album. Ultimately, the music wasn't anything super special to write home about, but the message made up for it in a lot of ways. A little repetitive after a while, though.
-This is already opening up VERY cinematic. -Drum production on Stop Dem is crisp. Using kids vocals is eerie, but fitting. It's like Sesame Street meets Apocalypse Now. -Hard Life again, good production. Sorrowful gospel. -Solid basswork throughout this album. I dig the bongos on Sorry AIn't Enough. -LOVE the talkbox effect on Bow.
Very interesting concept, politically charged album with dialogue about black culture. Not all the songs were great musically. But very interesting message overall. This band is strange in a good way.
wasnt a fan..
A valuable, but pretty uneven listening experience
These guys came up as a recommended similar artist after listening to Kiwanuka. Not as good, but still decent. Bow (with Kiwanuka) had a great beat. A couple others started with strong beats and then fizzled. I might've taken Don't Shoot Guns Down more seriously if it didn't have a weird quasi-robotic voice. Wildfires is waaay better - I'd recommend it to anyone. Undeniable messages here but too many throwaway or half-baked tracks. Felt like a chore to get through and it shouldn't have.
3/5
Putting the dominant message aside for a moment: I like this album's music, especially some of the bass riffs; on the other hand, I find it inconsistent, quality wise, with some great tracks (Wildfires, Monsters) mixed in with a lot of -alsos. Then there is the matter of the artists' remaining anonymous. On one hand, it feels pretentious; on the other hand, given that message again, I can see why they'd want that extra layer of personal protection. Overall, I like this album, not as much as for its music (I prefer Sault's later albums for a start) as for the artists standing up for a good cause.
Musically I’m not there with this album but I appreciate its political importance
Cantan muy bien, vale, y? Nada más
Seems decent, again didn't engage me too much on the first listen.
pretty cool
Pretty cool album. 6-7/10
Liked this. Never heard of it before. Reckon it would improve on a second listen but yeah it was good
Not objectionable, one stand-out track that I remember (Bow) but mostly I'm left feeling a little bit underwhelmed. I prefer more whelm in my music.
Interesting. 2020 album in the top 1001. I’d like to know the history. Was good.
The album has a great message, obviously, but musically it isn't very interesting. Most tracks are just a beat with some voice samples.
I like what they are going for, but musically it doesn't hit as hard as I want it to.
I really liked the vibe of this one and would love to know a bit more about it
-Hwatever vocal effect (duplicates?) On the lyrics "We are the original people / And we don't believe in evil" in "Stop Dem" is pretty cool. Also a chill drum-based backseat and bass line -"Bow" has been the stand out song so far. Cool afro-beat vibe, but also mixing in electronic music and like a rock and roll guitar -There were a few okay tracks, with "Bow" really standing out, but much of the rest was pretty weak
Modern soul with a slight electronic/dance vibe. I'm usually not much into that kind of music, but I somehow liked this. 3/5
It has character, but I don't need to listen to it again
Best Song: Wildfires. The best straight song that I could imagine listening outside of the context of the rest of the album. Worst Song: Don't Shoot Guns Down. The lyrics were a bit too on-the-nose to be poetic. Overall: An intensely political album that feels at time like spoken word poetry. This isn't music that can (or probably was intended) to be listened to in the background. It demands your attention. At many points it feels closer to theatre than music.
alright
Good, and fine production, but it didn't do much for me (though again I don't think I'm the audience)
More fun than I expected, but not my cup of tea.
I thought this album was cool, but it didn't ultimately keep my interest all that well