Mystery Skulls' sophomore album,
One of Us, is a quick burst of R&B-influenced electronic pop. More streamlined and sparkling than their harder-hitting 2014 debut,
One of Us finds main man Luis Dubuc leaning into late-era
Daft Punk atop his fusion of '70s R&B and '90s house flavors. Fans of the grooves of
Justice and
Disclosure, as well as the vocals of
Prince,
Michael Jackson, or
the Weeknd, will appreciate Dubuc's musical blend. One main draw is Dubuc's vocal range, which can rocket from an Auto-Tuned croon to a sensual falsetto at a moment's notice. He melds the robotic with the soulful with pleasing results, like on "Music," which could be an outtake from
Human After All, and "Live Forever," which comes off as a smokier
Sam Smith/
Disclosure number.
One of Us contains some catchy moments and hints of excitement with some truly worthwhile moments. "Losing My Mind" is a propulsive jam, while "One of Us" and "Told Ya" resurrect the spirits of '90s club music to addictive ends. Elsewhere, "Endlessly" shoots through a neon dreamscape while "Find a Way" does its best imitation of an
Avicii anthem. Overall, these tracks presented by
Mystery Skulls make for an enjoyable half hour of distraction. ~ Neil Z. Yeung