Bellissimo
E. A Solinas | MD USA | 09/12/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Ilya's "They Died For Beauty" is a seductively languorous listen, filled with a sense of sadness and some sweet, husky vocals. Imagine Portishead on heavy tranquilizers, and you have San Ilya's debut LP. While at times the sleepy tone can make you drift off, blend of jazz, trip-hop and occasionally funk are ingenious and entrancing.
It starts off with the wistfully romantic "Bellissimo," followed by the sultry (and retro) "Quattra Neon" and piano-led ballad "Bliss." A dark, funky feel permeates "Heavenly," while a trip-hop wispiness fills "Soleil Soleil." "Pretty Baby" takes San Ilya into darker, menacing territory with the uncertain-sounding vocals and clashing light-and-dark melodies. But a lighter tone comes back into the last two tracks, rounding off with the dreamy, spacey "Happy and Weak" and powerful title track.
While "They Died for Beauty" is a short listen -- only nine songs long -- Ilya make their mark by constantly tinkering with their styles. There are moments that are reminiscent of bands like Air and Goldfrapp, but the jazzy and Euro-pop moments keep it fresh-sounding and original.
Piano is the core of many of these songs, backed up by guitar, trumpets, faded percussion and stretches of electronic twizzling. The resulting sound is alternately heavy and sensuous, and light and sweet, and it has a retro flavor that recalls jazz, torch songs, James Bond and the best of 90s trip-hop.
Joanna Swan's deep vocals add to the smoky club atmosphere of the jazzier numbers, but she can sound gentler and sweeter for songs like "Soleil Soleil." Occasionally her vocals get a little melodramatic, her trembly delivery in the title track. But the feeling her voice gives is one of muted sensuality and romanticism. "And I believe in love/I believe in love/Bellisimo - mon amour," she sings wistfully in the first song.
Lush trip-hop, Europop and lounge jazz are mixed together in the beautiful, eclectic debut by Ilya. Like a more exotic version of Portishead, "They Died For Beauty" is a unique experience."
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1