Cleo Sol is a healer. The 11 tracks on Rose is the Dark, her first full-length solo effort, are bound together by messages of sisterly guidance and solace. While the British singer-songwriter didn’t plan to release her debut album during a global pandemic—it arrived late in the summer of 2000—the timing proved to be ideal, even divine. Sol’s themes of self-love, spirituality, hope and perseverance became a refuge for fans, cementing the project, and Sol, as genre staples. As with Winter Songs—the 2018 EP that served as most listeners’ introduction to Sol—Rose in the Dark finds the singer working with her partner Inflo, the co-founder of mysterious music collective SAULT. Together, they lean heavily into classic soul sensibilities on cuts like “Rose in the Dark” and “When I’m in Your Arms”, both of which showcase Sol’s Motown influences. Throughout Rose in the Dark, her tone is warm and reassuring, uplifting but never gimmicky, with flecks of grit indicating she’s speaking from experience. The introspective vocalist’s sage advice comes as unsurprising, considering she entered the music industry at just 18, before being quickly picked up by a record label. With her refreshing vulnerability, Sol inspires listeners of all ages to let down their walls.