Sault - What's the story?

Sounding so good. I wonder if this will be their breakout album? It's long, around 55 minutes so hope all the tracks make it on to vinyl.

Also, Gilles Peterson repeatedly mentions it being Inflo and Cleo.

This sounds a bit more like a mixtape to me, with less structured songs, flowing into each other. Much more moody, which suits the subject matter, but ends up being less exuberant than the other 2.

I wonder if Peterson went off-piste by repeatedly mentioning who was involved? Or didn't think it through. There's nothing in the social media presence to suggest that they were ready to change tack at this point.

I mean at this point it was pretty much confirmed Inflo and Cleo Sol were involved. There's several articles linked upthread which shared this same info. One article upthread describes them as a trio which includes Kid Sister as well. Inflo plays bass, drums and piano on Cleo Sol's albums so he might as well be behind the whole instrumentation.

They might not confirm it themselves in social media but their affiliation (and Inflo's ownership) of the label Forever Living Originals is a sort of confirmation in itself.

I've had the impression they're not trying to necessary be truly anonymous, but more that they wanted the focus to be on the music than the personalities? But yes, it's hardly difficult to connect the dots at this point...

Hadn’t heard of Cleo Sol prior to the last few posts, listening to her album now and it’s splendid so thanks ilx

They might not confirm it themselves in social media but their affiliation (and Inflo's ownership) of the label Forever Living Originals is a sort of confirmation in itself.

― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Tuesday, June 16, 2020 1:33 PM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

the LPs say PRODUCED BY INFLO on the back

Are there two singers (besides Inflo popping in) in Sault?

Listening to Cleo Sol's new album now, and this was certainly produced by Inflo, right?

according to dicogs, yes
https://www.discogs.com/Cleo-Sol-Rose-In-The-Dark/release/15475027

Holy shit, that Cleo Sol record is fantastic.

Yeah this is great.

omg @ "Her Light" on the Cleo Sol album (and the rest)

Live now on bandcamp: https://saultglobal.bandcamp.com/album/untitled-black-is

This sounds a bit more like a mixtape to me, with less structured songs, flowing into each other. Much more moody, which suits the subject matter, but ends up being less exuberant than the other 2.

― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles),

Love this aspect of it, 5 was like this too, to an extent though? 7 wasn't.

I Have only listened on laptop speakers but i love it. Looking forward to blasting it tomorrow. Fucking psyched to have this and the Cleo album in such quick succession. *Feeling blessed* :)

YES!!!

loving this a lot. "Monsters" is so funky in an Air or Beta Band kinda way

wasn't too into their albums last year but this one's sounding good to me. maybe i'll have to give 5 and 7 another try

I can't fathom not liking '5' and especially '7' if you like this album (or, not liking them, period, but that's me)

they weren't bad or anything i just didn't get the hype?

I didn't know there had been hype. They are fairly unknown broadly, no?

Asides the love from 3 or 4 members of ilm I haven’t seen them being hyped virtually anywhere else.

Gorillavsbear released his “best of the year so far” list placing this album and “wildfires” as his respective best song and best album of the year so far and Gilles Peterson playing the full album is the closest I’ve seen to hype for them. They deserve every bit of hype in my opinion. If you add the Cleo Sol album they’ve been incredibly prolific in the past year. There’s enough in there for a best of compilation.

Sorry for the terrible english up there. I posted without double-checking.

there was a lot of enthusiasm for them here and i thought there'd been a bit of love for them in the uk music press at least, but nothing huge. still, enthusiasm here is enough to count as 'hype' to me

so it is a double vinyl. on repeat this morning.

xp Andrew Jervis on the Bandcamp Weekly pod was the first person I heard really hyping them up

Honestly, given at first nobody really knew who they were, they dud no press, and the label they're on exists so far just to put their music out, I feel like the degree to which they're loved is because of the music itself.

I know I've played them for lots of musician/producer friends and so far everyone has become a big fan. Their just doing something that *feels* immediately familiar (in a good way) but doesn't *really* sound like anything else (including ESG). I can fairly guarantee they're not being propped up in secret by some massive corporate advertising campaign...

I wouldn't let fear of hype cut you off from it. If they were the most popular group in the world, I'd love them no less...

They were Bandcamp's #1 on some year-end list last year (which I think was a critical list, not sales or anything). But I haven't encountered anyone irl who already knew them.

Did I hear them in an Apple ad in the last year? That may not have the kind of impact it would have had ten years ago.

Loving the new one. It brought to mind Metal Box-era PiL. And it’s just as good. (There you go, my contribution to the hype.)

I broke down & bought all 3 on vinyl from their bandcamp. Expensive AF but I’m gonna be glad I have them.

i did the same on friday.

Only bought the new one on vinyl, but I'm very tempted by '7' too...

So I'm enjoying the new one, but not as much as the other two. I guess it comes down to how much you like a more thematic approach with lots of spoken word interludes. There's plenty of good moments on here, but the first two were more concise, more energetic, and had sharper songwriting.

"Wildfires" is an incredible song

I've only heard the first and third records so far but the basslines on these are terrific. Everyone involved plays a blinder - but I've had a vague sense for a while that a lot of musicians have forgotten the extent to which a really great bassline can make a song fly rather than just slam and these records are absolutely full of them.

I agree with Moodles. The double album length on this one means there's too much fat I'd have trimmed compared to 5 and 7, I don't think I'll be listening as much to this one for this reason. It's harder to swallow in one listen, both by length and subject matter. If it was up to me I'd actually cut 8 or 10 of the tracks in here. Too many interludes and ideas that feel like they need more work and would have been better left as future sketches for a future album.

That said, there's plenty to like in here and 'Wildfires' might be a contender for song of the year for me and is one of the best songs they've released imho.

I just don't get that at all. I think that's a big part of what makes it great. Aside from the fact that many of the interludes would work fantastically in a mix, it actually makes it seem like a very good mix in itself.

I've only heard the first and third records so far but the basslines on these are terrific. Everyone involved plays a blinder - but I've had a vague sense for a while that a lot of musicians have forgotten the extent to which a really great bassline can make a song fly rather than just slam and these records are absolutely full of them.

― Matt DC, Monday, June 22, 2020 4:25 AM (one week ago) bookmarkflaglink

see, 'eternal life'

i get why this is a double-album, and the interludes are good for some ambience and a few of them are really resonant. but it's a little frustrating that most/all of my favorite tracks show up on record #2 (incl. 'black,' 'eternal life,' 'monsters')

It looks like the Bandcamp page was updated with CD releases for all three albums - available for pre-order now, shipping July 20.

Damn, already have those all digitally (and have bought them several times for other folks), and splurged on the vinyl for 'Untitled'... But CD is the format I actually actively buy, so probably going to have to plunk down the $63 it's going to cost to get all three shipped to the US...

Friend just tipped me to the new one, which then sent me back to the earlier albums. Great stuff all around. Have not yet delved into the Cleo Sol album, obviously I should. The new one sits comfortably alongside Moses Boyd's album, both on my best-of-year shortlist.

So I've now been bingeing all the Sault albums and the Cleo Sol album for two weeks, and this is a pretty great body of work to all be churned out in under a year. Seems weird that it's still a little under the radar.

All their albums have been virtually ignored by US media. In the UK only the Guardian and Q magazine picked it up. I don’t know how getting your album reviewed works, is sending a copy enough? Is there payola involved?

Do you need to represent a big label to be considered at all? They would have slayed in scores, their sounnd ticks too many critics-darlings boxes. I don’t see how any of their albums would get a score lower than B-.

I managed to get a serious metalhead excited about their new one.

I don’t know how getting your album reviewed works

As far as I know (which isn't very far), you need some way to get editorial/writers to actually notice your email promo from the millions they receive. Maybe that's because they've already heard of you or something catches their eye, but more likely because it's coming from a PR or label person that they know and trust (or who sends promos for other notable artists, and who they want to keep having a good relationship with).

As topical as it is, I think the new one would get a lot more attention in the States if it was by an American artist.

But some kind of breakthrough feels sort of inevitable. They're too good to ignore.

Xpost: I mean Inflo is connected, he’s not an artist that gets lost in your spam... if he really wanted their albums to be reviewed by Pitchfork or Rolling Stone, he has worked and probably has the direct contact number of artists like Michael Kiwanuka, Danger Mouse, Belle & Sebastian, Little Simz, The Kooks, Portugal the Man, Jungle... I don’t think knocking on Pitchfork’s or RS’s doors and getting someone to answer is the problem here. Maybe it is, idk.

or maybe it's the new iteration of punk rock and the "major players" can fuck off?