Japanese-Brazilian trans artist Yasu released her debut album, “Spacetime Machine” on December 29th, a progressive rock opera about emotions, going through depression, happiness, prejudice and a journey of self-discovery.
The album began to be composed in 2016 and recorded in 2018, but was only finished at the end of 2023. It goes through different phases of the singer’s life, from the moment she decided to pursue her dreams and become a composer, until she discovered herself as a transsexual, and having faced long years of depression, all told through metaphors in a space rock album.
This is our first album review of 2024, and I sat down to take in six songs running in at just under 47 minutes. It’s 47 minutes of cool techno pop with an eighties feel. I will now take you through this particular rocket ride.
The album is out on all platforms now. The Spotify link is here.
“Spacetime Machine” gets the album off to a breezy start, it is a catchy, upbeat piece that reflects on memories and it is a happy piece on the whole. Lorraine previously reviewed this single for us and said of it,
“I have to say that the song is not only about being lost somehow in space; reading my information sheet, the track is a rock opera about an astronaut who finds his ship adrift in space, with death imminent. It’s a song full of metaphors about depression and mental health. This one certainly delivers that feel of being adrift, yet all readers should remember the tale of `Pandora’s Box, there is always hope remaining in the box.
Yasu.
“My Spaceship Lost Control” has a far more melancholic and rocky feel to it. With clear nods to Bowie, the emptiness of space, loneliness and the sense of being adrift are all present lyrically. The track showed me why the rock opera description came into the press release, the guitar work in the song introduces this reflective piece well. Of course the lyrics are metaphorical, and I guess when you read the backstory you begin as a listener to join the dots. I do see it as a mature and interesting track, and the guitar break around the 6.00 mark really nails the feel.
“Dance With Me” returns to an upbeat eurovision style of song. Again, the musical orchestration is very well done and it has a clap along rhythm going. The music is really joyous, and the whole chorus does make you want to dance! I liked it!
“Words and Pictures” – when this one started I felt I was listening to a spot of Southern style country rock. The vocals on the track are the best on the album. The whole piece is multi layered and the production is spot on. It’s the standout track on the album for me, the whole feeling on it shifts moods (interesting keyboard break around 5.30 is quite spacy) and I was able to connect to the lyrics.
“Post Truth.” In a postmodern reading of life there is no truth, only perspectives. I can go along with that! The track begins with President Trump giving a few words on the march on congress (I’m sometimes glad that I’m not American). It’s musically a darker piece, some dirty guitar and the lyrics are more biting, touching on politics of the pandemic. I’m not as sure about this one, as I tend not to like being preached to. But it does what it does.
“Dreams” runs to twelve minutes and it is an interesting melody. I think it closes the album on a music high, but I probably have cropped the length as it does wander a little and might have too much in the pot. Great vocals again though.
Overall, an album that speaks well of what will come! It’s a solid debut, mixing techno pop with rock. Yasu’s vocals are really good and the production is slick. Occasionally the tracks are a little on the long side and Yasu is best at flights of introspection and blending the metaphors with some strong musical melodies. It’s definitely worth a listen through and I would happily climb aboard this particular rocket ride in 2024.
Standout track: “Words and Pictures.”
By Stevie Ritson
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