Arrows
While Mas Ysa –the solo creation of musician Thomas Arsenault- has been a music project with whom this humble writer has been enamored, we unfortunately haven’t covered his eclectic catalog nearly enough. The Canadian bred producer and vocalist embraces cutting-edge electronic music, from house & techno to neo-wave and synth-pop, but carries a songwriting sensibility to dabble in both dancefloor gems and harrowing ballads; oftentimes blurring the line between the two. After a recent chain of emotive, downtempo pop singles including “Look Up” and the Nicole Miglis (of Hundred Waters acclaim) featuring “Gun”; Mas Ysa’s latest release foray gleams more uplifting and dance directed than most of an already sterling library. “Arrows” tumbles through a wide spectrum of of sounds and feelings, with Arsenault claiming: “’Arrows’ is sort of a Euro club banger, but also a very personal love song. It comes out of me wanting to make a universal, club-ready track but unwittingly giving into emotion.”
This one’s landed beautifully between club ready romp and heart-wrenching ballad; further signalling Mas Ysa’s unique ability to toy with a lofty range of worldly musical influence. “Arrows” is the latest single to crop up off of a debut long-player, Seraph, due out July 24th on Downtown Records, and if Mas Ysa’s latest body of work, the Worth EP is any indication, we might have another contender to this year’s best album battle.
Check out Mas Ysa’s impending U.S. tour dates with another pair of TMN darlings Tanlines, and stream “Arrows” above.
6/30 Covington, KY – Madison Live *
7/01 St. Louis, MO – Firebird *
7/02 Lincoln, NE – Vega *
7/03 Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge *
7/05 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge *
7/07 Vancouver, BC – Electric Owl *
7/08 Seattle, WA – Neumos *
7/09 Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios *
7/11 San Francisco, CA – Phono Del Sol *
7/13 Los Angeles, CA – Bardot
7/14 Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory *
7/15 Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar *
7/17 Austin, TX – Red 7 *
7/18 Dallas, TX – Club Dada *
7/19 Houston, TX – Fitzgerald’s *
7/21 Atlanta, GA – The Earl *
7/22 Ashville, NC – The Mothlight *
7/23 Washington, DC – U Street Music Hall *
7/24 Philadelphia, PA – Voyeur *
7/25 Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair *
7/27 Brooklyn, NY – Baby’s All Right^
* w/ Tanlines
^ w/ Wish, Michael Baharie & Kelsey Lu
