Bark Cat Bark - Á Lífi

It is 1:47 am and I am sitting here writing this review. I do not know where to start. Maybe I should lead off by highlighting this young man's age - he is 18 years old. That's younger than me. The musical maturity displayed on this record is comparable to that of modern classical composers such as Max Richter or Kashiwa Daisuke - at such atender age this French native has crafted an eclectic record that showcases his relentless ability to combine the rich and engaging history of French folk and European historical stylings with the modern electronic swaray is breathetaking.

The opening track Verona invites the listener to have a taste of everything Josh Todd has to offer - a 10 minute meditation around a simple idea to showcase hiss multi-instrumentalist talents - most notably on the piano and acoustic guitar, but ranging from accordian to violin. Much of this record can be compared to Zach Condon but i find a much more sombre mood in Todd's compositions, as well as a lot more variation between the elctronic and the historical musical citations.

It is his solo piano piece that marks the centre of the album that really drives home the fact that this teenage prodigy is the real deal. Père Lachaise is this centrepiece and if it does not move you i do not know what will. It's contemplative and evocative - just sit there, with the lights down and no distractions please...because this album will take over.