Artist

SAULT

London, United Kingdom • Formed 2019

SAULT is a music group from London, United Kingdom, active since 2019. Their discography on Gatefold includes 14 records.

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Albums tracked

153

In collections

2019

Since

Biography

Sault are an anonymous British music collective that make a mixture of rhythm and blues, house and disco. Despite critical acclaim, they eschew interaction with the media. They frequently foreground black-centric issues. The band's lineup is officially unknown. Inflo leads the group; the producer won Ivor Novello awards for his work on Little Simz' Grey Area and as co-writer of Michael Kiwanuka's "Black Man in a White World". Singer-songwriter Cleo Sol and rapper Kid Sister have been members of Sault since their debut album 5[/abum] in 2019.

The Arc of SAULT

The pivots — what forced SAULT to reinvent.

The Funk and Post-Punk Foundations
In 2019, SAULT emerged with '5' and '7', records built entirely on razor-sharp rhythm section chemistry. Inflo played almost all the instruments himself or guided Cleo Sol and Kid Sister through tight, locked-in grooves. The sound was dominated by a dead-toned, finger-plucked Fender Precision bass and dry snare hits that felt indebted to ESG and Pigbag. There were no synths or modern pop production tricks, just a raw, basement-party energy that relied on human timing and sharp vocal chants.
The Protest Duology
The global uprising of 2020 forced a massive shift in their lyrical focus and musical weight, resulting in 'UNTITLED (Black Is)' and 'UNTITLED (Rise)'. Recorded in the middle of a pandemic, these records swapped the dance-punk cheekiness for heavy, spiritual urgency. Inflo brought in collaborators like Michael Kiwanuka, layering Afrobeat rhythms, spoken-word poetry, and massive, multi-tracked church choirs over the funk grooves. The bass got heavier, the drums slower, and the message took absolute center stage.
The Symphonic Shift
In 2022, SAULT completely abandoned the dancefloor to record 'AIR' and 'AIIR', pivoting to modern classical and choral arrangements. Recorded with a full orchestra and choir at Abbey Road, these sessions featured almost no traditional drum kits or funk basslines. The records were built on sweeping strings, operatic vocals, and minimalist brass swells. It was a massive curveball that alienated fans who wanted another 'Wildfires', but it proved Inflo was bored with his own formula.
The Five-Album Dump
In November 2022, the group pulled a stunt by releasing five distinct albums simultaneously via a password-protected zip file. Each record explored a radically different genre, from the heavy fuzz-rock of 'Today & Tomorrow' to the straight-ahead gospel of 'UNTITLED (God)'. This era proved their home studio had become a factory of rapid-fire ideas, even if the sheer volume of music meant some tracks felt like sketches rather than fully realized songs.

Influences

ESG — The Scroggins sisters' minimalist dance-punk is the exact DNA of SAULT's early basslines. You hear this direct influence in the stripped-back, percussion-and-bass groove of 'Don't Waste My Time.' It is the same sparse, no-nonsense attitude that defined early 1980s New York.
Rotary Connection — Charles Stepney's psychedelic soul arrangements are the blueprint for SAULT's orchestral moments. The dramatic string swells and soaring, operatic vocal blend on 'AIR' are a direct nod to Stepney's work with Minnie Riperton. It is the same mix of grit and symphonic grandeur.
The Slits — The raw, unpolished punk-funk energy of British post-punk heavily shapes SAULT's vocal delivery. You can hear this in Kid Sister's rhythmic, semi-spoken chants on tracks like 'Bow.' It is that specific, sharp London attitude that refuses to sound pretty for the microphone.
Fela Kuti — Inflo has openly channeled the hypnotic, interlocking guitar scratches and driving polyrhythms of Afrobeat. You can hear this influence anchoring the rhythm section of 'Bow' and across the 'UNTITLED (Black Is)' LP. It is the foundation for their longest, most groove-heavy jams.
The Staple Singers — The intersection of civil rights protest, deep Southern soul, and massive family-style gospel harmonies is SAULT's spiritual guide. You hear this in the call-and-response vocal arrangements on 'Wildfires.' It is music meant to heal and fight at the same time.