Most of the time, when you come across a new artist, they want you to all about themselves. Anything to pique your interest. When they don’t, most of the time its a sign that it’s a young independent artist who doesn’t have their stuff together. Every so often, though, you come across a group like SAULT, who are making some amazing music that is so intense and well-planned that you are only left to assume their anonymity is on purpose, leaving you to only discuss the music. The music in question is their third album, UNTITLED (Black Is).

With literally the only information being provided that they are from the UK, I can’t tell you how many people are in the group, and who is contributing what, but what I can tell you is that UNTITLED (Black Is) is an incredibly bold and ambitious album that speaks to a wide range of Black experiences. With a very avantgarde approach that is somewhat similar to Mourning a BLK[str], SAULT isn’t giving you songs on this album as much as they are giving you movements, often arriving at a theme, establishing the theme, building upon it for a short while, and then moving on to the next musical idea. Over the course of the album, we’re hitting on a wide range of music that includes hip hop, soul, R&B, gospel, rock, blues, jazz, and electronic music. As you’re moving from style to style and from movement to movement, you’re getting short discussions on a variety of topics, whether it be anything from love and religion to police brutality and protesting and fighting for your rights. As you’re listening to the album, a few things become clear. One is that while the Black experience in the UK is not exactly the same as it is in the US, they aren’t that far apart in terms of what’s being expressed through the music. Another is that while you can pick and pull pieces of the album out, this is really a piece of art that deserves to be digested in one thoughtful and attentive sitting. There’s a lot to take in and absorb, but it’s also so fresh and exciting in it’s presentation, it won’t feel like work the way that other similar projects might. It’s also an album with so much packed in, you’re bound to discover something new each time through.

UNTITLED (Black Is) is a little mysterious in its presentation, but whatever the reason behind their anonymity, the proof is in the pudding with SAULT. This is a challenging and creative album without many peers, but it’s also accessible and keeps rewarding listeners the longer they sit with it.