Gold

In the past, the sage singer-songwriter, born Cleopatra Zvezdana Nikolic, perfected her sense of timing by consistently releasing music when it was ready, before disappearing from the public eye and leaving fans ample time to create bonds with her bodies of work. This time, however, Sol released two projects within two weeks of one another that both lean into the irresistible elements of her nostalgic sound while offering diverse narratives and emotions, allowing the sister albums to stand tall on their own. Coming two weeks after *Heaven* in September 2023, *Gold* elevates listeners towards the single source of all things—a spiritual offering from the British singer, who has become a voice of big-picture optimism and reassurance in the R&B and soul genre space. The album’s production, spearheaded by fellow Sault member Inflo, exudes the very warmth embodied by Sol’s velvety tone and serene storytelling, with glimmerings of gospel, funk, and reggae styles heard throughout the 10-track set. “Please Don’t End It All” calls for an emotional release, while elsewhere, tracks like “Desire” capture the euphoric feelings associated with finding one’s true match. *Gold* is an unapologetic display of what matters most to Sol, reaffirming the artist\'s ability to remain both consistent and innovative with each album.