11

Sault’s 11 arrived not with a whisper, nor a bang—but as a divine offering. One of five albums released for free for just five days on 1 November 2022, 11 is perhaps the most direct spiritual successor to 2021’s Nine, picking up the thread of genre-blending soul with renewed reverence and restraint.

Where previous Sault records felt like coded transmissions from the underground, 11 moves with clarity. It draws from Afrobeats, blues, gospel, and classic soul, threading each influence with quiet confidence. The opener, “Glory”, lives up to its name—a swelling, slow-burning praise song built on rich harmonies and righteous intent. “Fear No One” cuts sharper, its minimal groove feeling both timeless and urgent.

Across its 11 tracks, the album shifts moods with grace. “Morning Sun” and “Together” radiate warmth, while “Jack’s Gift” and “Fight for Love” pulse with quiet resistance. “River”, the longest track on the album, flows with meditative purpose, a reminder of Sault’s mastery of dynamics: sometimes hushed, sometimes soaring, always intentional.

Despite being released in a flood of 56 songs, 11 doesn’t drown. Critics noted its focus—Ali Shutler of The Telegraph called it a clear follow-up to Nine, while The Observer’s Damien Morris found five-star brilliance in the entire collection. Even Gigwise, in a more measured review, acknowledged the sheer ambition behind the release.

11 went on to win Best Album at the 2023 Ivor Novello Awards—a fitting recognition for a project that balances sonic generosity with spiritual clarity. It’s not just another album; it’s part of a body of work that challenges the very idea of how and why music is released. With 11, Sault don’t just gift us more music—they gift us space, and time, to sit with it.