Lotofire

Mexican singer/songwriter Ely Guerra describes this, her third album, as a "color" disc, in contrast to her previous effort, which she dubbed "black and white." But if Lotofire is color, it's of the impressionistic kind, a wash of shades that blend into a haze. Guerra, who's currently on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart (thanks to a collaboration with Chile's La Ley), presents a radically different persona here, blending electronica with drum'n'bass beats and trip-hop, her voice hovering atop with an almost ethereal feel. The result is closer to a lush sensory experience than a collection of easily identifiable songs—lovely and sensual, but not altogether fulfilling. Still, Lotofire, with its hypnotic quality and unabashed use of multiple elements, invites listening, as much for the daring displayed here as for the new direction given to Latin alternative music.—LC