There’s something unsettling about Autre Ne Veut, a.k.a. Arthur Ashin, and it’s not his inscrutable French. The formerly anonymous indie rock artist known for distorting 1980s R&B on his 2010 self-titled debut has a way of getting under your skin, his superb sophomore effort undeniably stronger proof of this ability to draw from a variety of influences to create an ethereal and dissonant sound. True to its name, Anxiety is marked by a perpetual state of instability, yet it disturbs in the best possible way.
From the first few seconds of lead track “Play by Play,” there is a palpable sense of being drawn in through curtains of rippling sound as Ashin slowly tightens the synths and builds toward a crashing chorus. This glorious climax comes quickly, though, and the song’s repetitive remainder disappoints in comparison.
The LP’s main single and highlight, “Counting,” however, more than makes up for the first track’s failed potential. Ashin’s strong vocals take center stage here, his signature falsetto deftly carrying lyrics about clinging to someone as she loses grip of life. Random sax honks make unexpected appearances, adding to the sense of dissonance that runs throughout the record.
The standard drops off a little after “Counting,” as Ashin gets a little lost in the instrumentals on “Promises” and “A Lie.” He gets back on track with “Ego Free Sex Free,” however, an uplifting track characterized by a dichotomy of rapidly placed synths and choral sopranos.
“Gonna Die” harks back to Ashin’s ‘80s influences, gradually building a wave of sonic sound as Ashin returns to themes of death, while “World War” vacillates between similar somberness and static electronic energy. This contrast is echoed in the lyrics here, as Ashin takes a different direction from his former disappointment; instead of imploring a former lover not to leave, he stands on his own two feet.
It’s impossible to look at Anxiety as a holistic work of consistent themes, as its natural sense of fracture is so deeply ingrained and every song so deeply divided in both its style and message. All that’s clear is a willingness to reveal such conflicted emotion, the anxiety and madness within.
