It's like a gritty London documentary set to the coolest, most skeletal basslines you've ever heard.
A tense but deeply soulful exploration of urban life that balances cold reality with warm communal resilience.
Released in June 2021, NINE is the fifth studio album by the enigmatic British collective SAULT. It became a cultural flashpoint due to its unique release strategy: it was made available on streaming and digital platforms for exactly 99 days before being deleted, emphasizing the ephemeral nature of digital art. Sonically, the album marks a shift from the lush, orchestral soul of their 2020 releases toward a more skeletal, post-punk, and dub-influenced sound. Produced by Inflo, the record features prominent contributions from Jack Peñate and Cleo Sol, though the group maintains its signature anonymity. The album is deeply rooted in the Black British experience, utilizing spoken-word sections (notably 'Mike's Story') to bridge the gap between musical expression and lived reality. Critics widely praised its 'anger and balm' duality, noting its ability to address systemic trauma while maintaining a sense of rhythmic joy. It stands as a pivotal moment in the SAULT discography, proving their ability to innovate both in musical form and industry subversion.
Put this on for
Rain streaking the bus window during a late commute through East LondonHeadphones on in a crowded station when you need to feel invisibleDim kitchen light and the heavy silence of a city at 2amThat specific tension of a walk home when the streetlights are flickeringProcessing a hard truth while the tea goes cold on the tableBackseat of a cab watching the neon blur of urban sprawlSunday morning reflection on the weight of the week just passed
Moments worth waiting for
The jarring transition from the unsettling laughter of Haha into the driving, jagged post-punk bass of London Gangs.
The raw, unadorned spoken-word testimony in Mike's Story that grounds the album's abstract soul in devastating reality.
The way the percussion in Trap Life mimics the frantic, ticking energy of its namesake while remaining elegantly sparse.
Sounds like
2021s production with a 2020s soul
Sits beside
Sometimes I Might Be Introvert - Little Simz, To Believe - The Cinematic Orchestra, Black Terry Cat - Xenia Rubinos, A Quiet Farwell, 2016–2018 (Crater Speak) - Slauson Malone
Lyrical territory
social_commentary, identity, storytelling
03Deviation
NINE · vs · SAULT
Artist
This Album
Spoken_word
Vocals · ↓ −11% less than usual
On this album, spoken_word sits about 11% less prominent than across the rest of the artist's catalogue.
