On
Divina Lluz (Divine Light),
Mus searches for something more organic in origin, leaving behind the soothing combination of
trip-hop and
ambient pop that created a dreamy atmosphere on its debut,
Fai. The Spanish duo (
Fran Gayo and
Monica Vacas) instead drape their somber pieces in piano, guitar, and bass. With
Vacas' soft vocals (sung in Asturian, a language spoken in northwest Spain) remaining as the one constant for
Mus, the shift in instrumentation doesn't effect the mood too much.
Vacas gives
Divina Lluz a sensual appeal, like she's singing in a darkly lit lounge in a
David Lynch film. The lyrics, however, reveal that the songs are actually quite dreary. "I began to walk with a shard of glass wedged in my soul," she sings in
"Escuela Cruda" ("Crude School") and "always alone, I always find myself bored/crying my entire life under a green olive tree" in
"Sola" ("Alone"). It's depressing, yes, but fortunately few listeners will understand the language and just be comforted by her voice. ~ Kenyon Hopkin
