Albums of The Year # 1 SAULT

 It was always going to take something special to top Sufjan this year. But this, or rather these have. Because this year the award from It Starts With a Birthstone goes to not one but two albums. The fabulous phenomenon that is SAULT. Either Rise or Black is could have won it. The only reason that the former did is because by chance it was the one I listened to.

2020 is drawing to a close and the end of year album charts are beginning to come in. A late opportunity for me to catch up on things I have missed.

I suspect this might be the greatest late gift that this year has to offer me. Gosh, it's a fabulous one from a remarkable, mysterious combo who have put out three further albums over the course of this and last year which are just as good.

I'll just concentrate on this one and leave the others for later, personal discovery. How to describe this? It seems to encapsulate everything you might love about great black Pop Music over the last fifty years. Rhythm and groove generated, something that will make you want to dance, but with the greatest empowerment and enlightenment sensibility you could possibly ask for. It's awe inspiring frankly.

So a few names. Massive Attack, Sugarhill Gang, Soweto Street Music, Sly & the Family Stone, Prince, Michael Jackson, Hip Hop, Chic, Sister Sledge, Funk, Rare Soul, James Brown, Nuyorican Soul, Gil Scott Heron, Black Power, Fela Kuti, Afrobeat; Batucada. This will give you a taste of this records flavours. But still no idea of actually how great this is.

There have been a lot of great records put out this year. But very few that feel quite so right now as this one does. This will be coming back to you in a few week's time on my own album countdown. It may not be quite clear who exactly Sault are, so well have they guarded they identity. It's perfectly clear what they're saying. I'm off to listen to their other records. You could do no worse than start that journey yourself by listening to this one.