''Air'' is the sixth studio album by English
contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B) is a popular music Music genre, genre, originating from African Americans, African-American musicians in the 1980s that combines rhythm and blues with elements of Pop music, pop, Soul music, soul, funk, Hip-hop, ...
group
Sault, released on 13 April 2022 to positive reception by critics.
Critical reception
The editorial staff at AnyDecentMusic? scored characterized reviews as a 7.2 out of 10, with five reviews.
The editors of
AllMusic Guide
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...
gave ''Air'' four out of five stars, with reviewer Andy Kellman praising the group's transition to
choral music
A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...
, as well as the vocals on "Luos Higher".
In ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'', Stevie Chick scored this release five out of five stars, calling this "boundary-breaking work for an entirely new and unexpected paradigm" after the group's
funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...
and
hip hop
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
roots.
Shy Thompson of
Pitchfork
A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials.
The term is also applie ...
rated ''Air'' an 83 out of 100, with the site naming it the Best New Music of the week; Thompson's review calls ''Air'' "too manifold to be easily simplified" and noting that it is an important statement about love.
The same publication posted a review of the 39 best albums of 2022 so far on 13 June and included ''Air''.
For
The Quietus
''The Quietus'' is a British online music and pop culture magazine founded by John Doran and Luke Turner. The site is an editorially independent publication led by Doran with a group of freelance journalists and critics.
Content
''The Quietu ...
, Nathan Evans called this album "compositions deserve ''
Fantasia
Fantasia may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Fantasia'' (1940 film), an animated musical film produced by Walt Disney
** '' Fantasia 2000'', a sequel to the 1940 film
* ''Fantasia'' (2004 film), a Hong Kong comedy film
* ''Fantasia'' (201 ...
''-style visuals", that still retain some of the group's R&B roots.
''
Clash''s Robin Murray dissented, with a five out of 10 review that considers this work weak compared the band's back catalogue, calling it "disappointing and listless", but "at times pretty, at others curiously appealing".
''
Mojo
Mojo may refer to:
* Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in Hoodoo
Arts, entertainment and media Film and television
* ''Mojo'' (2017 film), a 2017 Indian Kannada drama film written and directed by Sreesha Belakvaadi
* '' ...
''s Tom Doyle rated ''Air'' three out of five stars, calling it "impressive in its execution", but noting that it "too frequently tends to the bombastic".
In ''
Uncut'', John Lewis assessed this release a seven out of 10 for being "a rather audacious curveball" that is "a little stiff and metronomic in places".
Track listing
#"Reality" – 3:58
#"Air" – 5:54
#"Heart" – 3:52
#"Solar" – 12:34
#"Time Is Precious" – 7:03
#"June 55" – 5:31
#"Luos Higher" – 6:10
Chart performance
References
External links
*
*
Aggregate reviews from Album of the YearReview from Album Reviews blogReview from AlbumismReview from ''Free Style Bristol''
{{Authority control
2022 albums
Albums produced by Inflo
Sault (band) albums
Self-released albums
Classical albums by English artists