Anxiety, Autre Ne Veut’s latest LP is full of desire and disappointment, cloaked in weirdness in its best form.
The next taste of Arthur Ashin’s solo project at times sounds much more like a group collaboration of layered vocals and alternating pitches of the many anonymous featured voices on the record.
As a more upfront and internal record, Anxiety depicts the inner struggles and ecstasies that Ashin has experienced, with each song portraying a cloudy meaning that is open for interpretation.
Record favourite “Play By Play” for example, pleads “don’t ever leave me alone” – a desperate plea to a lover perhaps? Or something more internal such as track “Counting” which is known to be about the loss of a grandmother.
Shimmering organs introduce the track in a fashion reminiscent of Active Child, slow-building into a strong chorus of impressive layered vocals, where different pitches are towering over one another.
‘Ego Free Sex Free’ has the overly typical sexual RnB vibe, however the track manages to sound fresh and not as exhausted as it should be considering.
Building a climax with electric guitars and synthesizers, the track feels good in a sad, desirable way as Ashin continues to expose his deep emotional roots.
The remainder of the record does not stand out as much as the initial tracks, delving into the real minimalistic and therapeutic beats, which tend to blend together and become less memorable than the beginning of the record.
Anxiety is a unique collection of slow grooving RnB, incorporating the best of How To Dress Well’s yearning hyper-emotions, Grimes’ quirky electronics, and a hint of Purity Ring’s dance vibes. When push comes to shove, a highly strange and revealing record never felt so damn groovy.
