Album Review
ILONA V – GOOD MORNING
Folk music has been having a steady revival for a few years now with acts such as Tunng, King Creosote and James Yorkston leading the UK charge to bring back the subtle beauty of a well crafted song. Now Glasgow based Bracken Records once again provide a marvellous musical moment by introducing the UK to New Yorker Ilona V (Ilona Virostek) and the single ‘Good Morning’.
Recalling the gorgeous sounds of Nick Drake, Ilona V possess a voice so superb it has an overwhelming feeling of harmony on your inner soul the moment your ears are formally introduced. She plays a gentle guitar on all three tracks on this release, all of which display a fragile tenderness that compels the emotions. Ilona is the very essence of a private artist according to reports, recording her material in isolation to a tape machine in her apartment. This ethereal quality is something you can almost taste in every chord of ‘Good Morning’, grabbing your attention from the first moment you hear her voice the track holds your ears for over four minutes before you feel compelled to reach up and press the repeat button. In a musical world saturated with nothing but preening and posing this level of heartfelt authentic honesty brings tears to the eyes. The release is backed by two gorgeous demos, ‘Universe Arms’ and ‘Who Can Tell’ which thankfully will simply make you want to go and search for more from this very special songstress.
Currently living in New York she sadly has no live dates scheduled at the moment. ‘Good Morning’ is now to be included on a film soundtrack which will hopefully bring Ilona V to as wide an audience as possible. Very few singers have the ability to play with such authentic beauty as this recording thus making it something to be cherished beyond words.