Back catalogue: Classical

Review: You might not have a fixed image of who or what Sault are, given their skill in maintaining a degree of anonymity, but as they notch up their sixth album it's hard to ignore the imposing presence they cut on the experimental fringe of modern UK soul. They started out in 2019 with raw funk and Afrobeat inspired excursions, reflecting on varying perspectives of the Black experience. On Air, the group shake off their previous groove orientation to offer something more orchestrally-inclined, and to their credit they pull it off in remarkable fashion. Lyrically they're focusing on self care and individuality within the Black community, injecting a sense of uplift into their message where they previously reflected on inherited pain and tribulations. Their rapid output doesn't come at the expense of the quality and depth of their expression, making this another essential step forward for one of the most intriguing crews out there right now.

Review: SAULT's body of work is almost untouchable. The mysterious collective has turned out plenty of it in the last couple of years with no fewer than four fantastic albums. This one is a complete left turn, though, which ditches the edgy alt-rock, sou land jazz for an altogether more subbed and symphonic sound. It is a soaring astral soundtrack with plenty of wide open spaces, grand arrangements and plenty of uplifting and celebratory sounds drawn from hugely spiritual choral music and contemporary classical.

Review: British collective, Sault, have made quite the name for themselves since their emergence in 2019. Headed up by producer, Inflo (known for his work with Little Simz, Michael Kiwanuka, Cleo Sol, Jungle and Adele), the collective boast an amorphous sound that encircles r&b, house and disco, and now combined with classical and choral elements too. With an impressive eleven studio albums to their name, the latest edition to the collection, Aiir, is a gloriously stripped-back sequel for their more sumptuous classical companion piece, Air. Nestled somewhere between a sense of paranoia and nostalgia, billowing choral vocals and rising oscillating orchestration give this release an unsettling yet alluringly transportive quality. Despite impressive critical success, Sault is largely a media enigma, featuring an array of mysteriously unnamed collaborators who, as one can imagine, are most likely highly acclaimed artists in their own right.