Daughter of One Voice Records founder Jose Garcés, Ileana Garcés makes her debut on the family label. Sporting Patty Cabrera-like vocals and fun, infectious beats, her album Dare to Love is another brick in the wall of Latin-flavored pop that One Voice is building for the English-speaking market. Alvaro López, a fine musician and artist in his own right, produced the disc, and despite some audibly choppy punch-ins and punch-outs, there are shining moments in the production. The most creative track musically is "What's Up?" Cool rhythmic loops and danceable tracks aim for a Janet Jackson feel, although the end result is closer to Angie Alan. As far as dance-pop, Garcés is not bubbly like Tammy Trent, rather she has a down-home Miami party feel. Imagine Renée Garcia's voice with Cindy Morgan's face (there is a slight resemblance) and Gloria Estefan's band.
Garcés has a presence that complements the smooth tunes on Dare to Love. "Worth It (Valdrá la Pena)" is a hit-worthy ballad with stirring lyrics and the best production values on the disc, but Garcés is almost upstaged by the background vocals. The same situation occurs on "Searching," and despite the fact that her vocals are a little generic and she's not a virtuoso, Garcés' husky voice has an interesting sound.
The house rocks on "I Think of You," a juicy, funky, jam, like a barefoot jaunt through a field of jazzy flowers and synthesized grass. The entire album has a youthful energy driven by the 21-year-old singer, but Ileana Garces has some tough competition in the dance-pop arena.
2.5 tocks
