Inventive, lush, weird. The only flaw for me was that 2-3 tracks were just a little too long.

The vocals, delivered in what I believe is Portuguese, bring the music to a higher, lighter level. This wasn't a lean-back-and-chill album for me, it kept my attention all the way through. The music bounces joyfully from anxious to manic to euphoric and moods I know but can't describe at the moment. Some of these tracks are their own ecosystems.

I had heard a few SAULT songs and wasn't really into it but I did my best to go in with an open mind. And I listened. Five times. Elements of it have hallmarks of artistic genius, but overall I found it to be too cold with too many consistency issues to be something I would want to return to. The drums sound organic and retain their prominence without eating the rhythm. And the rhythm section itself has some killer moments, but I found myself bored at some moments. The rhythmic palette of this album is typically bass, guitar, synths, keys, and a few other elements that come and go. The album feels to me like it lacks a core, an internal propelling force despite its strong rhythm section. The drums, while sounding good, suffer from stagnation and off-putting, redundant beats. The vocals seem like they're never fully present, like a character in a play that has dialogue but never appears on stage. Both times the album ended, I had the impression that I didn't listen to a contemporary soul album, but a 55-minute soundtrack for a soul-influenced piece of performance art. I certainly won't begrudge people liking this album more, it's very evidently the product of massive talent and artistic refinement. It's just not my thing.

I mean. Classic for a reason. But some of the Beatles' tendencies that don't resonate with me pop up a little too often for me to give this five, although it comes close.

When it works it's endearingly weird, yet familiar. But there are a few jarring turns that absolutely kill the flow.

This was better with every listen.