BY HALEY WISE
Photo Courtesy of Maple Music Recordings
Montreal native, nomadic traveler, and bona fide creator Mas Ysa (MAAs EEE-sah) exhibits the contrasting cultures of the world through the personality of his intricate and ever-changing compositions. Having spent his high school years in São Paulo, Brazil and moving on to diverse places such as Oberlin, San Francisco and Brooklyn, Thomas Arsenault has created this new project as a collage of sounds that transition drastically and unapologetically.
His songs may begin or transition into melancholy rhythms with heart-wrenching vocals, but then sure enough they ricochet into a more fast-pace synth-pop feel that truly encompasses the multi-faceted nature of emotions.
Despite his world travels, he has clearly held on tight to his Canadian roots, as his first music video for his debut single “Why” (watch below) features him as a rugged mountain man clashing and battling a girl in a game of hockey. We like to think this was his way of metaphorically displaying love as a ruthless and cold game.
Mas Ysa has rose to popularity through performing with artists such as Deerhunter, Purity Ring, and Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA. He will be performing this weekend at the SXSW showcase with Real Estate, Mark Kozelek, and Forest Swords.
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