Meet Masino

Multi-instrumentalists and songwriter Masino delivers sounds of the ’60s and ’70s under a modern lens. Inspired by funk, soul, and good ol’ rock ’n’ roll, Masino whips up some delicious new concoctions. Below, we chat about dinosaurs, his musical upbringing, and the balance between collaboration and going solo. 

“VIDEO GAMES” A fill in the blank with Masino

I love to STROLL.video games. I can play them day and CANOPY! My mom and HORESE-SHOE are not too happy with my SUGGESTING so much time in front of the television RADIANT HOSE. Although Dad believes that these CLAMMY games help children develop hand-BUNION coordination and improve their learning MATCHBOOKS, he also seems to think they have SUSPICIOUS side effects on one's LEFT NOSTRIL. Both of my INVISALIGNS think this is due to a DANDY.use of violence in the majority of the SCISSORS. Finally, we all arrived at a SPASMODIC compromise: After dinner, I can play 4.hours of video games, provided I help clear the TRACTOR WHEELS.and wash the FINGERNAILS.

Would You Rather

have a perfect photographic memory, or be able to see up to one day into the future?

To be honest these both sound pretty bad, I guess they are both a blessing-and-a-curse type situation. Being able to remember everything perfectly would make it hard to let things go, or forget about obviously, but great moments would be so vivid to relive. And when it comes to the future, well same boat, good/bad. I guess I’d rather have a photographic memory, seeing into the future would make me live anxiously when bad is coming, and I’d rather let good things come as a surprise.

Some Questions with Mirror Gazer

What is your favorite dinosaur? Why is it your favorite?

The Triceratops because of that scene in Jurassic Park when they find a sick one, that shit got to me when I was a kid.

What is your go-to Karaoke song?

“I’m Blue” - Eiffel 65

What music was playing in your house when you grew up? Did it shape the music you are making today?

I grew up around a lot of different music growing up. My mom played a lot of old Motown and R&B radio stations and my dad loves rock and roll, he turned me on to a lot of music that were early interests for me like The Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin, etc. But I had older siblings who showed me a lot of music too, my brother listened to a lot of punk and hip-hop and my sister listened to a lot of Top 40 so I was exposed to a lot. Eventually, I got into tons of other stuff as I grew up but a lot of that classic 60’s rock is deep-rooted in my music somewhere.

What was the creative drive behind your release “The Leftovers Vol. II”?

The creative drive for that particular release was one more of words and content than sound or groove. I was pretty unhappy with all I had released before because I didn’t really feel like it meant anything so I just sat around with an acoustic and wrote tons of songs about what was truly happening in my own life. Just strange little glimpses, nothing huge, like little journal entries. It was an old-school approach for me because that’s how I used to write songs before I got recording equipment, and having recording equipment so easily accessible took away from my songwriting process, so I’m trying to get back to that and “The Leftovers Vol. II” was kinda the foot in the door, or maybe the hand on the knob. ?

Android or I-phone?

To be honest I’m undecided. In a strange way I think iPhones suck though I have one. Strange complex.

Your music incorporates elements from 60’s soul and rock. What draws you to this sound?

Well, I was raised heavily on that music but also it’s very prevalent today too. Most kids I know or meet love music from the ’60s. Maybe it’s ‘cause a lot of us were raised on it but it also took a strange turn where I feel like kids are finding such low key music from those days that, honestly, we are listening to some stuff that our parents never heard from the era of music they showed us. Kinda funny. So anyway, to answer your question, it’s widely accepted that there’s something honest and charming about a lot of that era’s music and I think that’s what draws most of us to it.

Being a mostly solo project how important is a collaboration to your creative process?

For me, I’m trying to find the perfect balance between collaboration and going solo. Just recently I have been working on some other people’s music and in a lot of ways, I feel effective being on the outside looking in. Sometimes it’s easier to get excited working on someone else’s music. But as for my solo work, it’s very therapeutic for me to be alone in a room and piece together all the instruments so it’s give and take between the two. I do believe that truly great music comes from people working as a team on it.

Any final comments? (This is your electronic soapbox for one last answer.)

Look for the new release coming out on November 13. Some sad-stoner basement demos I made during a week of April in the early zombie days of Coronavirus. There’s going to be a music video for one of the tracks too so find me on social media and follow along. Much love everyone.