Music Review//Woodkid - The Golden Age

We recently heard this album from France's Woodkid and were open mouthed in enjoyment. In fact, the words poured from our heart as we listened to this very unique album. Read on and discover what could become your favorite album of 2013...

When piano concerto's are playing I admit to feeling somewhat apprehensive. The piano has a power that few instruments possess and it's that power that informs the opening chords of Woodkid's latest album The Golden Age. Listening to the album is something akin to switching on a Bjork record and finding it isn't one at all. But it's still just as impressive and well made.

when the opening, pensive piano weaves it's way into the listening experience there's a chill down your spine, the crisp production ensuring you get the full resonance of the chords. Opener The Golden age is an infusion of classical music and vocals that strike the minds eye in their succinct yet beautiful delivery but the full impact of the record doesn;t hit until second track Run Boy Run, where hard hitting beats join the lush orchestration to make the experience all the more filmic in it's beauty.

Widescreen is perhaps the key word for The Golden Age album as a whole. The imagination, musicianship, orchestration and impact are all just as shey should be for a record that needs no second listen to make an impact. Clattering drums and filmic music scores are the order of the day here and if you're looking for an album that is truly unexpected then this is it. True beauty is found all colours of the spectrum as sweeping epics such as the desolate Boat Song or the beat driven Ghost Lights make an impression that doesn't fade from the mind soon after. 

There are echos of Anthony and the Johnsons on occasion in the grand scale and majestic intimacy of the songs, most certainly on Stabat Mater, and it's easy to suggest this as a must listen because it's superb. A bit like a well known brand of snack, once you pop you really can't stop this intimate and ethreal piece of art invading your conciousness.

Reviewed by Sebastian Gahan. 


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