Mas Ysa
Gritty, high-stakes synth-pop that pairs raw vocal desperation with massive electronic builds. It is music for the moment you finally stop holding it all in.
Gritty, high-stakes synth-pop that pairs raw vocal desperation with massive electronic builds. It is music for the moment you finally stop holding it all in.
Mas Ysa sounds like a folk singer who accidentally wandered into a warehouse rave and decided to stay. The music is defined by a striking contrast between Thomas Arsenault's gravelly, unvarnished voice and the sophisticated, often overwhelming electronic architecture he builds around it. It is pop music that feels like it is constantly on the verge of a breakdown, surging with an intensity that is both physical and deeply emotional.
What makes the project distinctive is the sheer scale of the sound. While many electronic artists lean into cool detachment, Mas Ysa leans into heat. He uses modular synths and aggressive percussion not just for rhythm, but as tools for catharsis. The songs often start with a simple, vulnerable core before erupting into massive walls of sound that mirror the internal chaos of his lyrics. It is a rare blend of academic composition and raw, bleeding-heart performance.
Start with the 'Worth' EP to hear the project at its most urgent. The track 'Why' serves as the perfect entry point, showcasing how he can turn a desperate question into a propulsive, danceable anthem. It is the ideal soundtrack for anyone who wants their electronic music to have a pulse, a voice, and a little bit of dirt under its fingernails.
Mas Ysa MAHS EE-sə is the stage name of Thomas Arsenault, an artist. A native of Montreal, Mas Ysa began writing electronic music in high school while living in São Paulo, Brazil and later attended the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where he studied Modern Composition. Mas Ysa is managed by Rich Zerbo, founder of the NYC-based record label The Social Registry.
Shares cathartic, vulnerable, intense (moods); layered dense, maximalist, bedroom production (production style)
Shares cathartic, vulnerable, intense (moods); indie pop, art pop (subgenres)
Shares synth-pop, indie pop, art pop (subgenres); solitude, urban night, basement show (atmosphere)
Shares synth-pop, art pop, indie pop (subgenres); analog warmth, layered dense (production style)
Shares synth-pop, art pop, indie pop (subgenres); keys/synth, drum machine, percussion (instrumentation)
Shares synth-pop, art pop, indie pop (subgenres); layered dense, analog warmth, maximalist (production style)
Shares synth-pop, indie pop (subgenres); layered dense, analog warmth, noise textured (production style)
Shares art pop, synth-pop, indie pop (subgenres); keys/synth, drum machine, percussion (instrumentation)
Shares art pop, bedroom production, synth-pop, indie pop (subgenre)
Cassette uses generative AI to enrich its catalog. How we use AI →
