Ilya — In Blood
∩ At times ethereal and introspective, while at others, wrapped in a wall of voluminous sound. San Diego locals Ilya perform a unique blend of jazz, trip hop, and noise rock. Fronted by the passionate Blanca Rojas, the group played many gigs in Southern California before working on their first album.
Location: San Diego, California
Genre: Rock, Shoegaze
Album release: April 1, 2014
Record Label: Anakata Music
Duration: 48:11
Tracks:
01. In Blood 2:28
02. Isabel 4:26
03. Another Day 3:42
04. Sanctuary 4:19
05. Their Intent 7:04
06. Storm 6:03
07. The Truth 4:26
08. Gomez 8:09
09. Machine 4:45
10. Alone 2:51
℗ 2014 Ilya
ILYA is: Blanca Fowler, Carrie Gillespie Feller, Matthew Baker, Geoff Hill, Demetrius Antuña, John Mattos
Additional instrumentation: Alia Jyawook (cello), Sal Gallegos & Sam Stothers (percussion on Isabel), Liam Baker (heartbeat on Alone)
∩ Recorded at K St. Recorders | San Diego
∩ Produced/Engineered by Lance LaFave, Matthew Baker & Demetrius Antuña
∩ Mastered by Joe Goodwin/Capricorn Mastering | San Diego
∩ All Photos by Nicola Wilson Photography
∩ Art/Layout by Demetrius Antuña
∩ Special thanks go out to our friends and family for their support.
∩ © All Songs Copyright ILYA 2014
REVIEW
By Jason Heller Apr 16, 2014 11:06 AM
∩ The beautifully brooding San Diego band Ilya took a break for a while, but came roaring back — delicately, that is—earlier this month with a new album, In Blood. The downtime has rejuvenated the group, as well as made room for a couple new members (including Kata guitarist Demetrius Antuña, a veteran of notable post-hardcore bands like The Trans Megetti and Sterling Silver). The proof is in the album’s melancholy pace, introspective darkness, and rich, orchestral atmosphere — not to mention the vocals of frontwoman Blanca Fowler, whose haunting presence recalls Marissa Nadler even as the band’s swells of cello, piano, and distorted guitar echo Godspeed You! Black Emperor at its most accessible. The video for the In Blood track “Another Day” more or less says it all — but why not sample the entire album, which is being streamed in its full, shadowy glory below? (http://www.avclub.com/)
Album Notes, Bart Mendoza
∩ There is a real majesty to the music of ILYA. This is sound that envelopes the soul and sweeps you along with it, full of neo classical impulses and trance inflected rhythms. Its music imbued with a sense of melancholy and epic song structure, it's the ultimate soundtrack to the greatest black and white film you've never seen, a cross between Mancini and Tangerine Dream, rock and trip hop. Their songs are at times ethereal and introspective, while at other moments they're wrapped in a wall of sound, surrounded in voluminous chording. ILYAs sound is the perfect blend of inspired arrangements and dazzling performances, somehow sparse and lush at once. Taking a myriad of influences and transforming them into something unique, ILYAs haunting, heart felt songs will tug at your psyche while inspiring even the most jaded listener. While most other indie groups sound like rock, ILYA sounds like art. As great as ILYAs recordings are, to truly appreciate the group's sound, you should experience them live. ∩ The band has built a loyal following both at home and abroad, with a show that expands on their recorded sound, each performance a unique expression. It's clear that ILYAs music stands out, a true gem amongst current cloned radio dross. Their songs are adventurous, dissonant and cinematic. They're dreamy and tunefully crafted, made to become a part of you from the first listen, with incessant hooks and intertwined melodies. As it's clear from every note ILYA delivers, music matters. When was the last time you discovered a band whose sound you wanted to lose yourself in? 
∩ The lush electronic cabaret-pop of Ilya (known as San Ilya in the U.S.) is the brainchild of songwriter Nick Pullin, singer Joanna Swan, and bassist Dan Brown. Pullin and Swan — who both hail from Bristol, England — began writing and singing songs together, and also performed as a jazz standards duo in their local pubs. Brown saw the pair at one of these gigs, and soon joined the band, adding not just a low end to their sound but a recording space as well. As a trio, they continued to perform at parties and weddings, augmenting standards with their own creative touches borrowed from rock, world, and electronic music. They also recorded in Brown's studio, blending their influences into their own unique sound. By late 2003, Ilya's debut album, They Died for Beauty, was released in Europe. The band made a sizable impact in the States before the release of their album there thanks to the use of their single "Bellisimo" in TV commercials for Revlon's Colorstay makeup. They Died for Beauty arrived on American shores in summer 2004.
Bandcamp: http://ilyamusic.bandcamp.com/album/in-blood
CD Baby: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ilya2
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ILYAsandiego
© Carrie and Blanca performing Guilty Kisses at The Irenic in San Diego on April 5, 2014
Photography by Rebecca Antuna/Pixels Collide
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∩ At times ethereal and introspective, while at others, wrapped in a wall of voluminous sound. San Diego locals Ilya perform a unique blend of jazz, trip hop, and noise rock. Fronted by the passionate Blanca Rojas, the group played many gigs in Southern California before working on their first album.
Location: San Diego, California
Genre: Rock, Shoegaze
Album release: April 1, 2014
Record Label: Anakata Music
Duration: 48:11
Tracks:
01. In Blood 2:28
02. Isabel 4:26
03. Another Day 3:42
04. Sanctuary 4:19
05. Their Intent 7:04
06. Storm 6:03
07. The Truth 4:26
08. Gomez 8:09
09. Machine 4:45
10. Alone 2:51
℗ 2014 Ilya
ILYA is: Blanca Fowler, Carrie Gillespie Feller, Matthew Baker, Geoff Hill, Demetrius Antuña, John Mattos
Additional instrumentation: Alia Jyawook (cello), Sal Gallegos & Sam Stothers (percussion on Isabel), Liam Baker (heartbeat on Alone)
∩ Recorded at K St. Recorders | San Diego
∩ Produced/Engineered by Lance LaFave, Matthew Baker & Demetrius Antuña
∩ Mastered by Joe Goodwin/Capricorn Mastering | San Diego
∩ All Photos by Nicola Wilson Photography
∩ Art/Layout by Demetrius Antuña
∩ Special thanks go out to our friends and family for their support.
∩ © All Songs Copyright ILYA 2014
REVIEW
By Jason Heller Apr 16, 2014 11:06 AM
∩ The beautifully brooding San Diego band Ilya took a break for a while, but came roaring back — delicately, that is—earlier this month with a new album, In Blood. The downtime has rejuvenated the group, as well as made room for a couple new members (including Kata guitarist Demetrius Antuña, a veteran of notable post-hardcore bands like The Trans Megetti and Sterling Silver). The proof is in the album’s melancholy pace, introspective darkness, and rich, orchestral atmosphere — not to mention the vocals of frontwoman Blanca Fowler, whose haunting presence recalls Marissa Nadler even as the band’s swells of cello, piano, and distorted guitar echo Godspeed You! Black Emperor at its most accessible. The video for the In Blood track “Another Day” more or less says it all — but why not sample the entire album, which is being streamed in its full, shadowy glory below? (http://www.avclub.com/)
Album Notes, Bart Mendoza
∩ There is a real majesty to the music of ILYA. This is sound that envelopes the soul and sweeps you along with it, full of neo classical impulses and trance inflected rhythms. Its music imbued with a sense of melancholy and epic song structure, it's the ultimate soundtrack to the greatest black and white film you've never seen, a cross between Mancini and Tangerine Dream, rock and trip hop. Their songs are at times ethereal and introspective, while at other moments they're wrapped in a wall of sound, surrounded in voluminous chording. ILYAs sound is the perfect blend of inspired arrangements and dazzling performances, somehow sparse and lush at once. Taking a myriad of influences and transforming them into something unique, ILYAs haunting, heart felt songs will tug at your psyche while inspiring even the most jaded listener. While most other indie groups sound like rock, ILYA sounds like art. As great as ILYAs recordings are, to truly appreciate the group's sound, you should experience them live. ∩ The band has built a loyal following both at home and abroad, with a show that expands on their recorded sound, each performance a unique expression. It's clear that ILYAs music stands out, a true gem amongst current cloned radio dross. Their songs are adventurous, dissonant and cinematic. They're dreamy and tunefully crafted, made to become a part of you from the first listen, with incessant hooks and intertwined melodies. As it's clear from every note ILYA delivers, music matters. When was the last time you discovered a band whose sound you wanted to lose yourself in?
∩ The lush electronic cabaret-pop of Ilya (known as San Ilya in the U.S.) is the brainchild of songwriter Nick Pullin, singer Joanna Swan, and bassist Dan Brown. Pullin and Swan — who both hail from Bristol, England — began writing and singing songs together, and also performed as a jazz standards duo in their local pubs. Brown saw the pair at one of these gigs, and soon joined the band, adding not just a low end to their sound but a recording space as well. As a trio, they continued to perform at parties and weddings, augmenting standards with their own creative touches borrowed from rock, world, and electronic music. They also recorded in Brown's studio, blending their influences into their own unique sound. By late 2003, Ilya's debut album, They Died for Beauty, was released in Europe. The band made a sizable impact in the States before the release of their album there thanks to the use of their single "Bellisimo" in TV commercials for Revlon's Colorstay makeup. They Died for Beauty arrived on American shores in summer 2004.
Bandcamp: http://ilyamusic.bandcamp.com/album/in-blood
CD Baby: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ilya2
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ILYAsandiego
Photography by Rebecca Antuna/Pixels Collide
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