Lycanthropy by Patrick Wolf (FAI003CD)

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There's no mistake about it - 'Lycanthropy' is a manifest of a true genius, in this case Patrick Wolf, exposing his works from 1994-2003. An unlikely boy, Patrick started to make music at eleven. An unlikely star, he marries his charm with talent and musical independence. His music, in turns rustic, acoustic, folk-ish, naïve, dnb, electronica and breakbeat, is the ultimate showcase of all this. Simultaneously personal and contemporary, it's a journey through the territory only one man has mapped before, and that would be le auteur himself. Comparisons pop into mind, though. David Sylvian, for instance, would be a valid reference both artistically and to some extent even musically. Times have changed since, and Patrick uses a whole new musical language and technology, but the acoustic tracks here come quite close to some of Sylvian's.

There's some unbelievably good fast homebrew electronics here too – 'To The Lighthouse' and 'A Boy Like Me' - topped with outstanding vocal abilities and impeccable singing. On such an ever so rare a sight in electronic music, one's left to wonder over the sheer talent we are dealing here with. Meanwhile with tracks like 'Wolf Song', 'London' and 'Pigeon Song' his 'rustic' side's intact too. Plus he can play violin! As for the boy's future, I think he should be rightfully heralded as an original star of the alternative/electronic or whatever you name it scene ever since - or till the next album comes out - which, let's hope, doesn’t take us another 9 years of wait.