Masqued Emotions (Deluxe), the new album by Hawaiian artist Masque, is a mix of emotions, high and low, and musical styles, rock, pop, metal and combinations of those.
The featured single, “Sunhat,” is a bopping, rocking summertime/beach song.
In the emotional mix of the album, says Masque, others share the same happy mood as “Sunhat.”
But, he said, “I chose this one, first of all, because it’s summer, and it’s time for sunhat days.”
Not every day can be a downer
Sometimes you’ve gotta smell the flowers
Yeah, there’s a lot of crap goin’ on,
But your mind will crash if you don’t have fun
It’s a sunhat day
“And second, it’s also one of the favorites of my fans. I’ve released most of the songs as singles and that one seems to be on the more popular side.”
The emotional mix is evident in the song titles: “Overwhelmed”; “Shame”; “Microtrauma (Every Day)”; “Afraid”; and others, but Masque does not wallow in the negative emotions. The lyrics and music are philosophical, sardonic, whimsical or defiant. Or all four at once.
“This album is a mix of emotions, obviously. That’s why it’s called Masqued Emotions, but it includes a lot of highs and a number of lows. It’s primarily based on my life, the ups and downs of mental health and my experiences as a gay man.”
Masque came to his love of music “when I became obsessed with the rock music of Queen,” he says in his official bio.
His childhood included training in classical piano performance and writing. In high school he began singing in musicals. After an initial attempt at life in the corporate world, he says in his official short bio, “I found a bubbling desire to break out into the music industry and focus on my art.”
He went full time into music when covid hit in 2020 and has since written numerous songs and an album.
“I am finding new validation in my life.”
Queen’s influence is obvious in a couple of songs, especially “No More You,” he said.
“It has that bridge with the overlapping choruses, and yes, that was absolutely pulled directly from ‘A Night at the Opera.’ And, of course, all the rock elements, especially that you would see in the standard version for ‘Perfect for You.’ A little bit in ‘Burn the Cards,’ that sort of thing.”
The influence is plain, and he is not shy about admitting it, but nothing he does is a copy. His music is full of innovative mixes of electronic, rock and pop.
“I don’t want to be doing exactly the same thing as what everyone else is doing,” he said. “I’m sure we all — everyone who’s making music now — has the same body of music to draw from. So, I am trying to merge several sounds, but I’m also trying to experiment. There’s the electronica, the more standard pop and the more standard rock, and I’m exploring what bits and pieces I can put together.”
He did two versions of “Perfect for You,” a standard pop rock rendition and a metal version that will have heads banging.
Another is also present in two versions.
“‘Take It Off’ was originally inspired by Queen, but we ended up, my producer and I, going a different direction to make it sound a little more pop.”
Then he did a remix with Chris Walker that has a distinct techno vibe.
“The album does have quite a bit of variety, so if one song doesn’t do it for you, there’s a good chance another song will,” he said.
He is working on his next album.
“Musically, I want to focus more on rock and see specifically what I can do within that genre. I also have a specific story to tell. I’m going to focus more on mental health struggles and the journey of overcoming depression.”
He wants to keep his music relatable. “I think there’s a lot of struggles that people relate to and a lot of emotions that people will understand. I think it also has a good message for keeping hope alive within yourself.”
Follow Masque on his exploration and stay connected on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts.
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