Untitled (Rise)


Untitled is the fourth studio album from British R&B musical group Sault. The album has been met with positive critical reception.

Critical reception

At AnyDecentMusic?, the editorial staff rate the album 8.7 out of 10, with six reviews. Alexis Petridis of The Guardian gave the album five out of five stars, saying that Sault had released the best album of the year again, following Untitled (Black Is) and points out the exceptional musicianship, writing that the album "hardly yields highlights because the quality never wavers: whoever’s involved, it feels like they’ve been galvanised to the top of their game". Jem Aswad of Variety accentuates how timely the work is, with the worldwide response to the George Floyd protests and struggles of black peoples in the United States and United Kingdom, writing, "Sault seduces listeners, drawing them in with beautiful sounds, and then hits them with uncompromisingly direct lyrics and messages that startle them into thinking about things they might not normally think about... is definitively 2020, by, for and about these times". In Clash, Robin Murray gave this album nine out of 10, also noting how the lyrics discuss contemporaneous issues, noting the diverse musical influences, from Brazilian rhythm to 1980s "boogie shimmer". Jeremy Monroe of Beats Per Minute scored this 81 out of 100, calling listening to Untitled a "thrilling experience" with a spiritual dimension. Gordon Rutherford of Louder Than War gave this 4.5 out of five bombs, calling it a "another stab at winning the award for album of the year", following Untitled . Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Andy Kellman felt that it was Sault's "most striking and affecting work yet."
For Pitchfork, Marc Hogan gave a positive review the track "Fearless", calling it a highlight of the album that "pairs impeccably stylish, laid-back R&B with a message that meets the current moment".
IssuerListingRank
AllMusicAllMusic Best of 2020N/A
The GuardianThe 50 Best Albums of 202025
Mercury PrizeAlbum of the YearListed
Mojo75 Best Albums of 202052
Rough TradeAlbums of the Year 20201
StereogumThe 50 Best Albums of 20209

Track listing

  1. "Strong" – 6:18
  2. "Fearless" – 4:09
  3. "Rise" – 1:01
  4. "I Just Want to Dance" – 4:21
  5. "Street Fighter" – 3:09
  6. "Son Shine" – 3:16
  7. "Rise Intently" – 0:50
  8. "The Beginning & The End" – 3:38
  9. "Free" – 5:05
  10. "You Know It Ain't" – 3:26
  11. "Uncomfortable" – 3:16
  12. "No Black Violins in London" – 1:28
  13. "Scary Times" – 3:39
  14. "The Black & Gold" – 3:04
  15. "Little Boy" – 3:52

Personnel

Sault