The debut album from Montreal-born composer Thomas Arsenault, aka Mas Ysa, is difficult to categorize, as varied as the places he’s called home, which include Brazil and Brooklyn. It pulls inspiration from everywhere into songs that sound like the sharpest of sound collages yet adhere to pop mores that lend them glorious accessibility. It’s like the sonic equivalent of a drug-induced hallucination that bestows more clarity than it washes away.
The title track is jolting, waking you up with a sort of military alarm, and maintains that energy until its merciful end. Margarita creeps out slowly, allowing Arsenault to ease into big vocal moments that give way to a full-fledged heart-wrenching song with flute and saxophone hooks. The album’s middle is less exciting than its bookends, the last 20 minutes especially solid thanks to Arrows and Running, which pump out an endless supply of adrenaline.
Emotional, stunning and one of the strongest debuts of the year so far.
Top track: Margarita
Win a pair of tickets to see Mas Ysa on October 7th at The Drake Hotel here!