Sault (band)
Sault (frequently stylised as SAULT) are a British music collective that make a mixture of R&B, house and disco. The project is helmed by songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Inflo, best known for his work with Little Simz, Michael Kiwanuka, Cleo Sol, Jungle and Adele. Despite critical acclaim, Sault eschew interaction with the media and feature an array of unnamed collaborators. They have never played a live show, given an interview or released a music video in support of their music.[1] They frequently foreground Black-centric issues.[2]
Sault | |
|---|---|
| Origin | United Kingdom |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2019–present |
| Labels | Forever Living Originals |
| Members |
|
| Website | sault |
Since their emergence in 2019, the collective has released eleven studio albums, with 5 (2019), 7 (2019), Untitled (Black Is) (2020), Untitled (Rise) (2020), and Nine (2021), being released between 2019 and 2021. After releasing the orchestral instrumental album, AIR, in April 2022, the collective surprise-released five studio albums simultaneously on their website on 1 November that same year.
History
2019: 5 and 7
On 15 February 2019, Sault released their debut track "We Are the Sun" via their record label Forever Living Originals; this was followed up by the collective on 15 March 2019 with "Don't Waste My Time".
On 5 May of the same year, Sault released their debut album titled 5. The album cover art is a black background with matchsticks used to denote the number five. This design with the matchsticks and black background can be seen in all of their numerically titled releases, except for 11.
Sault returned with their second album four months later called 7 on 27 September, which, like 5, was again met with widespread acclaim.
2020–2021: Untitled albums, Mercury Prize nomination and Nine
Sault's albums in 2020, Untitled (Black Is), released in June, and Untitled (Rise), released in September, both received universal critical acclaim,[3][4] including a nomination for the Mercury Prize in 2021 for the latter.[5]
On 25 June 2021, the band released their fifth studio album, Nine,[6] which was available for 99 days from its release until 2 October 2021.[7] In the same year, the band were nominated at the MOBO Awards for Best R&B/Soul Act alongside vocalist and eventual winner Cleo Sol.
2022–present: Air, 10 and five surprise albums
On 13 April 2022 Sault released their sixth studio album, Air. The Guardian described it as a "total volte-face"[8] and Pitchfork described it as "a sharp pivot to lush contemporary classical".[9] In October that same year, the collective released a reggae-influenced EP, 10 (styled X), consisting of one ten-minute-long song called "Angel".
On 11 November 2022, the collective surprise-released five albums simultaneously as a free download via WeTransfer, writing: "Here are 5 albums released as an offering to God. Available for free download for five days. The password to unlock all 5 albums is in the message. Love SAULT X."[10] The five individual albums—11, AIIR, Earth, Today & Tomorrow, and Untitled (God)—feature 56 tracks in total. According to Variety, "It's possible that this is the largest amount of newly recorded music released by a relatively major artist at once."[11]
On 18 May 2023, 11 won the Ivor Novello Award for "Best Album", with producer Inflo, vocalists Cleo Sol and Chronixx and musician Jack Peñate named recipients of the award for their contributions to the record.[12]
Members
The line-up of Sault remains a mystery, with unconfirmed members cited as below.
- Inflo – piano, keyboards, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, vocals, production, engineering
- Cleo Sol – lead vocals[13]
- Kid Sister – lead vocals
- Kadeem Clarke – piano, keyboards
- Chronixx – lead vocals[12]
- Jack Peñate – instrumentation[12]
Discography
| Sault discography | |
|---|---|
| Studio albums | 11 |
| EPs | 1 |
| Singles | 3 |
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [14] |
UK Indie [15] |
US Class. Cross. [16] |
US Curr. [17] | ||
| 5 |
|
– | – | – | – |
| 7 |
|
– | – | – | – |
| Untitled (Black Is) |
|
–[upper-alpha 1] | 24 | – | 93 |
| Untitled (Rise) |
|
–[upper-alpha 2] | 48 | – | – |
| Nine |
|
99 | 12 | – | – |
| Air |
|
–[upper-alpha 3] | 4 | 2 | – |
| 11 |
|
– | – | – | – |
| AIIR |
|
– | – | 10 | – |
| Earth |
|
– | – | – | – |
| Today & Tomorrow |
|
– | – | – | – |
| Untitled (God) |
|
– | – | – | – |
Extended plays
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| UK DL [21] | ||
| X |
|
59 |
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX Air. [22] | |||
| "We Are the Sun" | 2019 | – | 5 |
| "Don't Waste My Time" | – | ||
| "Let Me Go" | 49 | ||
Notes
- Untitled (Black Is) did not enter the UK Albums Chart but peaked at number 13 on the UK Album Downloads Chart.[18]
- Untitled (Rise) did not enter the UK Albums Chart but peaked at number 20 on the UK Album Downloads Chart.[19]
- Air did not enter the UK Albums Chart but peaked at number two on the UK Album Downloads Chart.[20]
Awards and nominations
| Organization | Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ivor Novello Awards | 2022 | Best Album | Nine | Nominated | [23] |
| 2023 | 11 | Won | [24][25] | ||
| Best Song, Musically and Lyrically | "Stronger" | Nominated | |||
| Mercury Prize | 2021 | Album of the Year | Untitled (Rise) | Nominated | [26] |
| MOBO Awards | 2021 | Best R&B/Soul Act | Sault | Nominated | [27] |
References
- Petridis, Alexis (17 September 2020). "Sault: Untitled (Rise) Review – Mystery Collective Make Best Album of 2020, Again". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- Aswad, Jem (18 September 2020). "Sault's Untitled (Rise) Seduces Listeners with Sumptuous R&B, Then Startles with Powerful Messaging". Variety. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- "Untitled (Black Is) by Sault", Metacritic, retrieved 7 April 2021
- "Untitled (Rise) by Sault", Metacritic, retrieved 7 April 2021
- "2021 Hyundai Mercury Prize 'Albums of the Year' revealed..." mercuryprize.com. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
- Tallieu, Tallieu &. "Sault Nine by Sault". Music Mania Records – Rock & Grooves since 1969. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
- Kelly, Amelia (26 May 2021). "SAULT Have Released Their New Album 'NINE'". mxdwnuk. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
- Chick, Stevie (19 April 2022). "Sault: Air review – a daring act of creative rebirth pays off" (19 April 2022). The Guardian. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
- Thompson, Shy (21 April 2022). "SAULT: Air Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
- Kenneally, Cerys (1 November 2022). "Sault release five new albums available as a free download for five days". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- Aswad, Jem (1 November 2022). "British R&B Group Sault Releases Five Albums Simultaneously for Free Download 'as an Offering to God'". Variety. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
- Bugel, Safi (18 May 2023). "Wet Leg named songwriters of the year at Ivor Novello awards". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- Empire, Kitty (22 August 2021). "Cleo Sol: Mother review – intimate, spacious soul-jazz". The Observer. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
- "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- Peak positions:
- For Untitled (Black Is): "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- For Untitled (Rise): "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- For Nine: "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- For Air: "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- "Sault Chart History (Classical Crossover Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- "Sault Chart History (Current Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- "Sault Chart History (Mexico Ingles Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- Smith, Carl (7 April 2022). "Ivor Novello Awards 2022: Adele, Ed Sheeran, Dave and Inflo lead list of nominations". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
- Dunworth, Liberty (19 April 2023). "Arctic Monkeys, Florence + The Machine, Harry Styles lead 2023 Ivor Novello nominations". NME. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
- Garcia, Thania (18 May 2023). "Ivor Novello Awards 2023 Winners List: Wet Leg Named Songwriters of the Year, Raye's 'Escapism' Takes Center Stage". Variety. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- "Arlo Parks, Sault, Wolf Alice, More Shortlisted for 2021 Mercury Prize". Variety. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
- "THE MOBO AWARDS ANNOUNCE THEIR 2021 NOMINEES | MOBO Organisation".
External links
- Official website
- Pass the Sault by Elías Villoro for BoingBoing (2022-12-01)