British soul collective Sault have broken almost every rule of album-making during their brief career. Debuting in 2019, they’ve already released 12 studio albums. Yet they’ve only played live once and have never given an interview. Their already sizeable catalogue has taken in everything from smooth R&B to raw post-punk, gospel-tinged soul to classical works.
The collective is centered around Inflo, a drummer and producer who’s been compared to a young Quincy Jones. Inflo’s also worked on acclaimed albums with Adele, Little Simz, and Michael Kiwanuka, but his main focus is clearly Sault. He’s joined by vocalists Cleo Sol and Kid Sister, as well as an array of guests.
On the first of November, 2022, Sault dropped five new albums, almost doubling the size of their catalogue. How do these new releases stack up against their earlier records?
Sault Albums Ranked
#13 Today & Tomorrow
2022
Sault’s most rock-oriented album is also their slightest. Most of the songs sound like they’re worked up from studio jams, with guitar, drums, and bass laid down first, and vocals fitted over the top.
It’s exhilarating when it works – the opener ‘In The Beginning’ is vibrant and exciting. It’s fun to hear Sault with dirty guitars, but Today & Tomorrow is lighter on great songs than the rest of Sault’s catalogue.
#12 7
2019
Sault’s second album features reliably excellent grooves, but it’s light on memorable songs compared to their debut. You’d think the absence of instrumentals would result in a more substantial album, but Sault’s instrumental tracks are usually strong.
Cleo Sol’s lush ‘Friends’ is my favourite song, while Kid Sister is in fine form on ‘Living in America’ and ‘No Bullshit’.
#11 Air
2021
Inflo could have rested on his laurels after a series of terrific Sault albums, as well as producing acclaimed records for Little Simz and Michael Kiwanuka.
Instead, he turned his attention to classical music, creating the classical album Air. It’s not purely classical – Inflo’s background in R&B is evident in his composing style. There are world music elements in the closer ‘Luos Higher’, named for the Luo people of Kenya.
#10 Nine
2021
If you haven’t heard Nine already, it’s difficult to do so – Sault only kept it on streaming services for 99 days, although it’s still floating around YouTube. As the title implies, it’s in the same vein as their other numbered albums, like 5, 7, and XI – rhythm-focused and minimalist.
It’s more autobiographical than usual, referencing the group members’ experiences growing up on London streets as a minority. Cleo Sol’s vocal on ‘Light’s In Your Hand’ is gorgeous, but generally, the strongest material is the rhythm-heavy songs like ‘Trap Life’ and ‘Bitter Streets’.
#9 AIIR
2022
Inflo’s second classical album shows growth from his first. It’s brief, with its five pieces all clocking in under six minutes – due to this format, they feel more like songs than before.
The opening pair of pieces – ‘4am’ and ‘Hiding Moon’ – are memorable and propulsive. The closing soul section of ‘5am’ provides a bridge to the group’s song-based work.
#8 11
2022
Sault dropped five albums on 1 November 2022, free for download with the password “godislove”. 11 continues the tradition of the numbered Sault albums – taut and minimalist funk grooves.
The use of guest vocalists like Chronixx on ‘Fear No One’ and (I think?) Jack Peñate duetting with Cleo Sol on ‘Envious’ helps to keep things fresh. The strident vocal on ‘Higher’ is unusually direct for Sault.
#7 Acts of Faith
2024
The song ‘Acts of Faith’ was first played in a one-off show in December 2023 – Sault’s first live performance. The half-hour track makes up the entirety of their 2024 EP. It dips into the R&B and gospel flavours of their previous releases.
The record’s first half is more mellow and gospel-focused, dominated by keyboards and vocals. The second half has more guitar and bass grooves.
#6 Untitled (Rise)
2020
Sault’s second album of 2020 followed Untitled (Black Is) by a mere three months. Like its predecessor, it’s fuelled by a desire for change in a world beset by racial tensions. Untitled (Rise) is the lesser of the band’s 2020 albums, but it has its share of great moments.
The acerbic ‘You Know It Ain’t’ is striking, with Kid Sister delivering lines like “Yeah I see your little post, talking ’bout “BLM is my motto”/But you know it ain’t”. The group’s knack for lovely material continues unabated – ‘Son Shine’ and ‘Fearless’ are highlights.
#5 10
10 is the most conventional Sault album for a while. It returns to their core sound, with organic grooves and sumptuous Cleo Sol vocals. Veteran session player Pino Palladino guests on bass. There’s a great concoction of sounds on tracks like ‘R.L.’, with funky Palladino bass, a horn section, and Sol’s crystalline vocals.
The song titles are all acronyms – confusing when ‘S.I.T.L.’ (Sorry It’s Too Late) closely tails ‘I.L.T.S.’ (I Love To Sing) on the tracklist.
#4 Untitled (God)
2022
Faith has always been an important part of Sault’s music, and it’s at the forefront of Untitled (God). A smorgasbord of guest stars drop by to share their thoughts on God on this eclectic record.
Little Simz’s verse on ‘Free’ (the second Sault song with that name) is a high point. The spoken tracks interrupt the flow, but Sault’s forays into 1980s-flavoured synth-pop on tracks like ‘Faith’ and ‘God in Disguise’ are some of their best moments.
#3 Earth
2022
Earth is the most eclectic of Sault’s 2022 albums – the gospel-infused R&B of Untitled (God), the rhythm-focused XI, and the post-punk of Today & Tomorrow are all represented here. There’s also a strong African influence that seeps into the closing tracks.
The gorgeous piano balladry of ‘Valley of the Ocean’, the elegant simplicity of ‘Stronger’, and the beautifully sung ‘God Is In Control’ are all highlights.
#2 5
2019
Arriving anonymously, Sault needed a strong first record to announce themselves to the world. The funky ‘Up All Night’ is a great opening gambit for the band, and 5 remains one of their best records. The collective blends 1970s funk and soul with a modern production sheen.
‘We Are The Sun’ is a lovely anthem, while ‘Why Why Why Why Why’ recalls the smooth sophistication of Michael Jackson’s Thriller. The trippy instrumentals like ‘Pink Sand’ and ‘Wild Hundreds’ also add a lot to the record.
#1 Untitled (Black Is)
2020
Sault’s third album is charged with emotion. In the year of the George Floyd murder, Sault accompanied the album with a press release. “We present our first ‘Untitled’ album to mark a moment in time where we as Black People, and of Black Origin are fighting for our lives. RIP George Floyd and all those who have suffered from police brutality and systemic racism. Change is happening…We are focused.”
Running almost an hour, Untitled (Black Is) is a smorgasbord of riches – Michael Kiwanuka sings over the psychedelic guitars of ‘Bow’, while ‘Eternal Life’ is gorgeous. ‘Wildfires’ combines a gentle funk groove with a gorgeous vocal, and remains Sault’s definitive song.
What’s your favourite Sault album?
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I had never heard of Sault. There certainly is enormous versatility in their music. Releasing 11 albums in less than three years also points to remarkable productivity, though I’m not sure they’re necessarily doing themselves a favor. With that kind of pace, it’s almost seems to be impossible to keep up with them. Their decisions not to give concerts or interviews, assuming both are deliberate, doesn’t help either to raise their profile. On the other hand, obviously, none of that “prevented” you from discovering and exploring them anyway. I guess this shows they’re doing something right!
I searched for “Dean Josiah Cover interview” yesterday and your site was the first thing that came up. You mentioned him in an Adele article a while back.
Wow, now I suppose I really don’t look particularly smart! 🙂
All good, you cover a lot of new music and it’s hard to remember sometime – he’s the producer there, not the main artist.
I’ve heard of these guys but where? Have you featured them on a Monday when you reviewed albums?
I’m listening to them now…some of it seems familiar and I like it.
Yeah, they’ve popped up a few times on my New Music Reviews because they keep releasing albums at a frenetic pace.
I’ll catch up with you Graham… I’ve had the flu and have been knocked out mostly.
Was not familiar with their music, but I like their lush, dynamic and soulful sound.
Their catalogue is large already – they’ve made more albums than lots of beloved acts. As many as The Police and Dire Straits put together.
Their output is astonishing!
I assume it will slow down a bit – Inflo is probably in demand as a producer.
Don’t know Sault, but thanks to you if I ever check them out, I now know where to begin.
But is Inflo on track to become more prolific than Jeff Scott Soto?
Can anyone catch him? Probably everyone in Guided by Voices and King Gizzard & the Lizard wizard. Those are the only two that release way more stuff.
Inflo since 2019 has released 11 Sault albums, two albums written and produced with Cleo Sol, done some production for Adele, two Little Simz albums, and a Michael Kiwanuka record. If he keeps going at that rate…
We might have a winner!!