It's pretty amazing that
Ilya licensed music to several independent films, was nominated for Best New Artist in the San Diego Music Awards, was voted San Diego's Best Indie Band, ended up on the Urban Outfitters in-store play list, had a song on MTV's Sorority Life, and released this stunning debut all without a record deal. The haunting group crosses
Portishead with San Diego's chilling
Black Heart Procession to make for a moody set of trip hop, jazz rhythms, atmospheric rock, and entwined piano melodies. On "Isola," Blanca Rojas gentle, gin-joint vocals are a dead ringer for
Björk torch-singing in a dive. "Blatchford" adds a
Fiona Apple-esque poetry rant, and "Disturbed" is driven by groaning
Sigur Rós-sounding strings. The overall effect is very lulling, and
Ilya has yet to develop
Portishead's flair for crisp, film noir production and grandiose swells, but they're a unique band and Poise Is the Greater Architect is just the start of their self-made journey. ~ Charles Spano