Sweet, self-soothing vignettes are framed by rolling Shuggie Otis style grooves and sultry Badu inspired backing vocals.

‘Rose in the Dark’ is mostly pared back and organic in feel, with orchestral flourishes weaving in and out at just the right moments. Her debut album has proved to be a perfectly timed blessing - one that contains a collection of tender musings on love, faith and finding strength in moments of darkness. Thankfully, London based singer-songwriter Cleo Sol has created a sonic antidote for our pervasive lockdown induced malaise. In a transparent post, she admits, 'I've been going back and forth with whether there will be a right time to release music this year, as I always go with trusting my heart and it hasn't felt quite right.' She continues, 'But this is bigger than me, and I always have to remind myself I'm simply a vessel.so my album is here for u to listen to, to uplift you, move you or be your backing track vibes whilst we are all moving through this moment.' STAFF COMMENTSĮmily says: Finding peace of mind amidst the constantly shifting background of apocalyptic news and mounting uncertainty has been quite the challenge this year. It's hard to believe Cleo had doubts about releasing the project. The vintage jazz-soul vibes of closing track 'Her Light' deliver a cinematic finale to this incredible selection of authentic soul music.

'Butterfly' passes the acoustic baton to the album's next two tracks – 'Sure of Myself,' a down-tempo ballad with lush harmonies, and 'I Love You,' an aching, Rhodes-driven tune that seamlessly segues from sparse to layered composition. Cleo then proceeds to hypnotize the listener in two different ways – with the seductive sultriness of 'When I'm in Your Arms' and the heartfelt devotion of 'Sideways.' Meanwhile, 'Rewind' and title track 'Rose In The Dark' are steeped in nostalgic overtones. With dulcet horns and doo-wop vocals, the reggae-tinged 'Young Love' is a whole mood. Rose In The Dark opens with the harmonic mantra 'One Love' before the jazzy bass line and drum knocks of 'Why Don't You' entice us to settle in for a cozy listen. Comprised of 11 tracks stitched with threads of '70s jazz and '90s neo-soul, Cleo offers the soothing calm that we need in these chaotic times. Back in January, Cleo Sol emerged from her winter cocoon with a stirring acoustic ballad entitled 'Butterfly.' We suspected that a new project would follow, and the London singer-songwriter has delivered exactly what we were hoping for with her new album Rose In The Dark.

Rose in the dark