Spring Begins is Part 2 of the Elements Trilogy by Muses9 (formerly 9Muses). The first album was originally titled Feel to Heal (2008), but was retitled Fynrien’s Dream and re-released in 2013. I can find very little information about Muses9, but the music on Spring Begins is much more pop than new age, and all of the nine tracks are vocals with a variety of instrumentation. The lyrics are very poetic and are of a more mature nature than most pop ballads. The vocals sound like they were all sung by one woman, and her voice is earthy and very expressive. Most of the music, lyrics and production are by Muses9 and the beautiful cover artwork is by Jonathon E. Bowser. Five of the nine songs were produced with Byron Shakespeare and the production quality of the whole album is top-notch. One description I read of the music is: “Dance, romance, rhythm, trance: enjoy this newest exploration into music you can feel!” That just about sums it up!

Spring Begins opens with “Angel,” a compelling love song with a strong, almost hypnotic beat. Dark and somewhat mysterious, this is one of my favorite tracks. “Easy to Love” is quite a bit more pop with a driving, danceable beat. “How About” becomes more seductive and intense with powerful bass and percussion. “Lonely” goes in the other direction with beautiful guitar and subtle background strings as well as poignant lyrics about the emptiness of being alone. The upbeat and exhilarating music on “Cat and Mouse” is by Igor Pogosyan and almost dances out of the CD player. The catchy lyrics by Muses9 are sung in a call and response style that bounces from one speaker to the other - really a fun piece and another favorite! “Maybe” features powerful drums and percussion by Koorosh Daryaie and lyrics that express the idea that “less is more.” The vocals on “More” are layered and backed by electronic instrumentation. “Prelude” begins with a long instrumental intro that is more classically-styled than the other pieces with strings, keyboard and a quieter mood. The second half of the piece is a beautiful love song with a cinematic/soundtrack feeling. The title track closes the album with a wistful, dreamy song with lyrics by Algernon Charles Swinburne.

So, if you enjoy vocals with strong, poetic lyrics and upbeat, danceable rhythms, check out Spring Begins! It is available from Amazon, iTunes and CD Baby.