As the cognate implies, compliqué means complicated, a totally fitting description of the artist still known as Ruben Moreno. The rising zydeco star is of both Latin and Creole heritage—Leroy Thomas is a family friend—and his independently-released debut disc christened in Spanish as Por Ti Volvare sold over 15,000 copies.

His seven-track sophomore effort represents a shift in artistic direction with more sophisticated contemporary R&B-influenced arrangements. Other than the frenetic rendition of Thomas’ “I Can Do Bad,” his accordion playing is not as front-and-center, in-your-face prominent as it was on Volvare, but the arrangements make up for it with other finishing touches. “Trailride” opens with a Brazilian-styled scat intro, “Fantasy” is spiced with conga-rattling salsa and “Intoxicating” glides with gospel chord changes.

There’s an emphasis on vocal creativity, such as the swirling, silky harmonies on “Trust,” as well as a focus on life stories. Overall, this is the type of z-platter that could cross over to the mainstream or some form of it, but a paradigm shift is in order for longtime zydeco listeners to appreciate the inner beauty and complexity of Moreno’s music.