Last year, in the midst of, and in response to, a seemingly never-ending deluge of horror and tragedy, ingenious UK R&B/soul/jazz collective SAULT rose up to give us two of the year’s defining releases, Untitled (Black Is) and Untitled (Rise). Comprising 35 tracks between them, they were both monumental releases and yet, they’re already back with a new project, NINE, and it’s cautiously being held up by fans and critics alike as a worthy successor.

Clocking in at just 10 tracks this time, it’s a snip compared to its predecessors, but there’s plenty in there to enjoy, not least in the typically adventurous and invigorating instrumentals. Themes of Black liberation, anti-authoritarianism and political protest are still central tenets, and they’ve also drafted in Little Simz for “You From London” and Michael Ofo for “Mike’s Story”.