L’illon – Warrior Angel (CD)

“Love Story” is a catchy bit of Latina pop that takes on equal parts of Shakira and Gloria Estefan; that is to say, both older and newer representations of the style are included. Rather than limiting herself to a smaller subset of fans, the overtures that are made here on this introductory track will ensure that anyone lucky enough to happen onto the album will be sticking with it for the long haul. “Shy Guy”, for example, goes onto the route taken by Linda Perry (4 Non Blondes) and ties in the aforementioned Latina influence with amore classic alternative type of sound, while “I Wonder” has all the magic and wonder of a Sixpence None The Richer.

Taken together, the tracks on “Warrior Angel” truly construct an idea for listeners of whom L’illon truly is, and what musical artists and genres have ultimately shaped her during the recording process for this album. “Tu Solo Tu (Only You)” is a bonefide hit, as L’illon puts forth everything that she can to keep up with a very flashy and intense guitar/drum dynamic. It is the narrative created by these vocals that makes all five minutes of “Tu Solo Tu” slide by like they were nothing, feeding nicely into “Thief of the Night”. “Thief of the Night” continues the Latin influence but is fundamentally different from anything else on the album. This is due to the fact that there seems to be hints of smooth jazz placed at strategic points, coupling with these vocals to appease fans of all ages, be they tuned into the seventies, eighties, or even later music.

“Untouchable” is another track that breaks from the sound approached during the earlier tracks on “Warrior Angel”, using a slower tempo to shine a spotlight on the nuances of L’illon vocals. Where a great number of artists are unable to keep things fresh over the course of an entire album, L’illon is able to keep things spiced up and interesting. The disc’s final (and titular) track, “Warrior Angel”, uses influences as wide as Enya, Disney soundtracks, middle Eastern ambience, and prior-pursued elements to make something that both settles everything brought up during the album while setting things up nicely for L’illon’s next album.

Top Tracks: Tu Solo Tu (Only You), Love Story

Rating: 8.3/10

L’illon – Warrior Angel / 2009 Blye Tower / 10 Tracks / http://www.lillon.com