The guitar music on this ECM release by Zsofia Boros is all pretty contemporary; the oldest piece is the Milonga of Alberto Ginastera. The composers are an interesting group; Mathias Duplessy is a largely self-taught French guitarist who traveled in Romany circles and learned flamenco styles, which shaped his music. However, none of them is much known, at least beyond France and Argentina. It is impressive that guitarist Boros shapes the pieces into a coherent whole. The overall mood is reflective, quietly lively, suggestive of improvisation, but within her framework, Boros adds numerous shades. Sample El Abrazo ("The Embrace"), by the Quique Sinesi. The album takes its title from its finale, El ultimo aliento ("The Last Supper"), by Carlos Moscardini, a deeply elegiac piece. Boros is a wonder, but even more spectacular is the engineering from ECM, an absolutely exemplary demonstration of how to record a solo guitar. The listener is put into a profoundly intimate space, but that space is not invaded by extraneous noises. This adds up to an absorbing 40 minutes of music for late nights, accompanied by brandy and perhaps other quiet intoxicants. An unusually fresh and fully realized release from ECM that made classical charts in the spring of 2023, despite the obscurity of its repertory. ~ James Manheim