Watch: Mas Ysa Unveils ‘Why’ Video

Thomas Arsenault’s music as Mas Ysa plays out like a giddy, explosive musical bonfire night. Out bursts the synth-enhanced energy of Passion Pit, on the other side there’s the ’80s nodding basslines of Twin Shadow, all backed by vocoder vocals that beyond anything else are linked to Bon Iver.

It’s a crazed collision that best reflects Arsenault’s own background. Initially based out of Brazil, he’s travelled around, eventually ending up in a studio in New York where he’s recorded a debut EP, set for release on Downtown Records (White Denim, Gnarls Barkley).

Debut EP (it’s called and EP but it spans 9 tracks so who’s kidding who) ‘Worth’ is released on 4th February 2014. It’s headed up by ‘Why’, a song Neu’s September Bulletin called a clashing of ‘maddening techno’ and ‘wistful croons’. The accompanying video is an ice hockey-filled frenzy, directed by Arsenault and Natalia Leite.



‘Worth’ tracklist:

01 Vanya
02 Why
03 David Wessels
04 Life Way Up From
05 Worth
06 Shame
07 Ktidal
08 Yes
09 Years