Photo by Holly Andres
Masonique began in 2015 as a project led by Portland artist Ron Mason Gassaway, whose roots run deep in the creative scene as a co-founder of Party Killer and the mind behind the Coho Theater’s score for The Yellow Wallpaper. Eager to elevate the live experience, Gassaway enlisted the rhythmic precision of Daniel Morris in 2017, pulling from his work with Gang Radio and Masseter. Gerry Hathaway joined the fold in 2018, bringing his deft bass lines straight from Arkham Sunset, only to later pass the torch to Keith Martinez as he ventured solo.
Strays, the haunting lead track from their latest album As The World Burns, speaks to society’s misfits—those forsaken by their kin and community. It’s a rallying cry for the downtrodden who find solace in forming chosen families against all odds.
The lyrics of the song reflect a sense of resilience and unity among society’s outcasts, acknowledging their shared struggle and sense of isolation. Despite feeling like strays, even those on the fringes can find solidarity and strength together. Themes of freedom, breaking from constraints, and embracing one’s place in the world resonate throughout, capturing a spirit of hope and defiance.
With influences darting from Gary Numan’s synth strokes to the radical riffs of Gang of Four, from Fugazi’s ferocity to Kraftwerk’s robotic pulse, Masonique stitches together a genre-defying mosaic. Synth-punk, darkwave, krautrock, and shoegaze echoes in their compositions, evoking the restless spirit of outcasts who’ve found rhythm in their rebellion and harmony in their heartbreak.
Ross Freeman Levin’s bizarre, kaleidoscopic video for Strays shows a gaggle of feline-masked time travelers from the future landing in the primitive world of the 21st century and the chaos that they ensue. Ben Hollenbaugh (Party Killer, Banimal) makes a cameo as The Red Wolf.
Watch below:
Produced with the assistance of Ross Freeman and his fellow students at PCC Multimedia. “Strays” was shot on a soundstage at PCC in North Portland under the direction of Ross Freeman, with exterior shoots in Oregon City and Green Anchors in St. Johns co-directed by Ron Mason Gassaway.
Listen to Strays below, and order As The World Burns here.
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