They've only just started coming out in the last week in the UK.
I'd waited until I got LPs before listening on Streaming. Today & Tomorrow is a real surprise. I'd love to know who is singing on this.
― kraudive, Friday, 19 May 2023 20:03 (ten months ago) link
Yeah--I wrote to Forever Living Originals via Bandcamp basically just to make sure they hadn't been sent and lost in the post. Got this response:
"We currently have an issue we are clearing with our couriers before the last of our orders can be shipped."
Which at least means they're still planning to ship. I've bought every album they've issued on CD and a few on LP, but that didn't keep me from being among the last orders heh
― Soundslike, Saturday, 20 May 2023 03:55 (ten months ago) link
Woo! Finally got the CDs for the five new ones. An incredible body of work for an entire career, much less a few years (plus Cleo Sol, Little Simz, and Michael Kiwanuka albums).
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FzquLwmXsAEJmdE?format=jpg&name=large
― Soundslike, Wednesday, 28 June 2023 00:24 (nine months ago) link
I saw that Deep Discount has the last five on CD, in stock, for the not-too-terrible price of $17.99 each (and they have "AIR" on CD and vinyl, too). On their Bandcamp, right now the only thing NOT sold out (except digital downloads of course) is "AIR" on CD.
― ernestp, Saturday, 29 July 2023 20:56 (eight months ago) link
i sort of got tired of all the marketing and had tuned out, but heard "fear no one" on the radio today, not knowing who it was, and got sucked back in.
― budo jeru, Saturday, 29 July 2023 23:31 (eight months ago) link
There was marketing?
― Tsar Bombadil (James Morrison), Sunday, 30 July 2023 06:48 (eight months ago) link
the whole identity of the band is like a giant marketing gimmick?
― budo jeru, Sunday, 30 July 2023 16:09 (eight months ago) link
There's a shtick about it, but it's only effective because of the music. As you say about "Fear No One" e.g.
― a man often referred to in the news media as the Duke of Saxony (tipsy mothra), Sunday, 30 July 2023 16:53 (eight months ago) link
It doesn’t cross over into too much of a gimmick for me. There’s been some fan service — artificial scarcity with Nine or giving away the last five for free by word of mouth, but it mostly seems rooted in Inflo’s preference to stay out of the spotlight and the collective’s desire to do whatever they want.
― Terrycoth Baphomet (bendy), Sunday, 30 July 2023 16:58 (eight months ago) link
it's likely not even the fault of the band (or whatever it is), there's just kind of an aura of obsessive fandom, too many releases, got sort of overwhelmed and tuned out
― budo jeru, Sunday, 30 July 2023 21:00 (eight months ago) link
Nine was good. But the FIVE albums last year were all underwhelming at best, compared to what came before. Suddenly the balance between quality and quantity is all out of whack.
― sctttnnnt (pgwp), Sunday, 30 July 2023 21:45 (eight months ago) link
they are underwhelming if you expect to be overwhelmed by them, I think. I dunno I listened to three of them in a row the other week and really liked them. they don't feel as important as the first several but they were good listening. they felt a bit more like mixtapes or extended jams in some ways but I liked them.
― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Monday, 31 July 2023 00:24 (eight months ago) link
It could work as a schtick but I think there’s more to it. There’s only like one photo of Inflo out there iirc and he was already very active prior to Sault.
I don’t think it’s a marketing schtick, even if it ends up working to their favor in some situations, they miss getting reviewed by not doing any press releases and most importantly getting booked for liveshows by being so willfully reclusive.
My theory is that Inflo just really hates the spotlight, he just really loves doing music in the studio and doesn’t care about the rest.
We’ll see I guess but if it was merely a marketing schtick they’ve let pass the timing - and truckloads of money - by not doing any performances anywhere in the past 5 years
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Monday, 31 July 2023 03:59 (eight months ago) link
Which is to say, if this is a marketing ploy it’s actually making them lose money.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Monday, 31 July 2023 04:01 (eight months ago) link
i'd imagine there's pretty heavy overlap between cleo sol's live band and whoever's played on the sault albums
― ufo, Monday, 31 July 2023 04:57 (eight months ago) link
Iirc excluding strings almost everything you hear on Sault and Cleo Sol’s albums is Inflo.
That’s the other thing though, it’s not really a mystery when everyone knows who is running the show.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Monday, 31 July 2023 05:12 (eight months ago) link
i got the impression there were likely a bunch of session players from the whole scene around inflo involved
― ufo, Monday, 31 July 2023 05:50 (eight months ago) link
I envision Inflo laying laying down the drums and bass himself a lot of the time. They’re so distinctively plain and raw, they have that quality of a multi-instrumentalist songwriter like Prince rather than session player expertise.
― Terrycoth Baphomet (bendy), Monday, 31 July 2023 13:35 (eight months ago) link
The 3 tracks Inflo produced and cowrote with Adele do have credits and Inflo is credited as playing bass, guitar, electric guitar, drums, piano, organ, percussion, wurlitzer, handclaps.
The only additional musicians credited are Chris Dave on drums, bongo, percussion and David Campbell for strings.
So, I think if it’s mostly inflo doing that on a high profile project Cleo and him are pretty much all the permanent Sault team with some guests here and there.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Monday, 31 July 2023 15:54 (eight months ago) link
i can believe that inflo plays a lot of stuff on the sault albums but it's not just him.
the full credits for cleo sol's mother are available and there's more than just inflo on it (he's credited with keys/bass/backing vocals) and it mostly seems to have been recorded as a band.
going through the credits:kadeem clarke (keys) - he has writing credits on a few sault and little simz tracks, has played on michael kiwanuka and little simz albums, and toured with little simzmichael jablonka (guitar) - kiwanuka's live guitaristrosie danver (cello & string arrangements) - she's done the string arrangements for a lot of inflo-produced album as well as kanye, adele and many other big namesnathan allen (drums) - he's played on sault records (https://www.saynathan.com/resume) as well as with little simz and kiwanuka and seems to be an in-demand session drummeralex bonfanti (bass) - kiwanuka's live bassistgraham godfrey (percussion) - kiwanuka's live drummer, played on kiwanuka and little simz albums, also confirmed to have played on sault records (https://www.serendeepity.net/product/pigeon-yagana-ep/)lewis wright (percussion) - has played with little simz and michael kiwanuka
― ufo, Monday, 31 July 2023 22:41 (eight months ago) link
so just by going through that i was able to confirm a few more names involved in sault beyond clarke (who i was already aware of from the writing credits)
and i forgot to list that rosie danvers has done arrangements for sault too - air, aiir, untitled (rise), and one other (probably untitled (black is) but i can't find confirmation)
― ufo, Monday, 31 July 2023 23:02 (eight months ago) link
Yeah you might be on to something. Strings are definitely guests (unless he's using some really good synth patches) - I guess eventually we'll find out.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Tuesday, 1 August 2023 00:03 (eight months ago) link
Nathan Allen's resume is very impressive btw
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Tuesday, 1 August 2023 00:04 (eight months ago) link
the strings would just be danvers' string section, wired strings
― ufo, Tuesday, 1 August 2023 00:45 (eight months ago) link
this reminds me that it's well past time for another michael kiwanuka album; I discovered his last one kind of late but fuck that is an amazing album.
― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Tuesday, 1 August 2023 02:09 (eight months ago) link
yeah i sure hope he has something new soon, i also discovered his last two fairly late but they're fantastic
― ufo, Tuesday, 1 August 2023 02:18 (eight months ago) link
Heaven out next week x— Cleo (@cleosol) August 19, 2023
― ufo, Monday, 21 August 2023 01:38 (seven months ago) link
oooh!!!
― sean gramophone, Monday, 21 August 2023 14:14 (seven months ago) link
It’s that time of the year again!
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Monday, 21 August 2023 16:26 (seven months ago) link
lol what happened there i wonder
― ufo, Friday, 8 September 2023 07:46 (seven months ago) link
where?
― stirmonster, Friday, 8 September 2023 09:46 (seven months ago) link
whatever "heaven" was didn't come out last week
― ufo, Friday, 8 September 2023 09:49 (seven months ago) link
Two years since we released mother into the world, thank you for embracing me, and seeing me, writing my truth is sometimes difficult, but it’s freeing, and having you support me pushes me to be brave 💖 pic.twitter.com/ZC9yE0DX2i— Cleo (@cleosol) August 19, 2023
― willem, Friday, 8 September 2023 09:56 (seven months ago) link
i missed hearing anything about it so was oblivious.
― stirmonster, Friday, 8 September 2023 10:03 (seven months ago) link
It's out today. Feels relatively inessential in comparison to her other albums on first listen, but was pleasant enough.
― monotony, Friday, 15 September 2023 01:00 (seven months ago) link
Honestly, Cleo Sol in lighter-than-air low-key mode is just what I need right now...
― Soundslike, Friday, 15 September 2023 01:07 (seven months ago) link
definitely much lower-key than her previous albums but it's still gorgeous and there's a lot to like here
― ufo, Friday, 15 September 2023 06:19 (seven months ago) link
Idk but this album cured my hangover
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Friday, 15 September 2023 14:00 (seven months ago) link
Yeah, this is absolutely gorgeous
― groovypanda, Friday, 15 September 2023 14:42 (seven months ago) link
what is out?
― budo jeru, Friday, 15 September 2023 15:59 (seven months ago) link
new cleo sol album, heaven
― ufo, Friday, 15 September 2023 16:02 (seven months ago) link
oh ok i see. everything on the sault thread has to be so cryptic!
― budo jeru, Friday, 15 September 2023 16:02 (seven months ago) link
https://x.com/cleosol/status/1704909623340183837?s=46&t=sn6lKgL5fqIUPSTSTL89kQ
― just sayin, Friday, 22 September 2023 11:15 (six months ago) link
(tweet from cleo sol saying gold out on friday)
Cleo Sol getting in on the Sault profusion magic:
https://www.twitter.com/cleosol/status/1705237268045181230
― Soundslike, Friday, 22 September 2023 15:12 (six months ago) link
Wait what
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Friday, 22 September 2023 15:15 (six months ago) link
Heaven is good. Probably too slight but honestly Inflo and her make such a good team. Everything sounds perfect, it’s a breeze.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Friday, 22 September 2023 15:16 (six months ago) link
surprise second cleo sol album out today!
― ufo, Thursday, 28 September 2023 14:29 (six months ago) link
i heard a rumor that all the music on Sault albums is played by Banksy, Damon Albarn, and Emma Bunton in a banana suit. or wait, maybe that was Nicky Wire in an Emma Bunton suit...
― scott seward, Thursday, 28 September 2023 16:41 (six months ago) link
gold is pretty much heaven pt. 2, similarly low-key but it's so lovely
― ufo, Friday, 29 September 2023 06:12 (six months ago) link