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.
While One of Us has some catchy moments and hints of excitement, the album ends up being a collection of ideas that are over before the listener can become fully enveloped.
It's a frustrating exercise because there are some truly worthwhile moments here.
"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 snippets presented by Mystery Skulls make for an enjoyable half hour of distraction, but there's a distinct lack of satisfaction with such brevity.