Arthur Ashin, the man behind Autre Ne Veut, embodies a personality that vastly differs from the sounds his moniker produces. He holds a master’s degree in psychology, writes an occasional jingle for Estée Lauder, and suffers from cyclical depression. Surely Ashin didn’t compose the exceedingly bombastic and utterly captivating “Play by Play,” did he? Someone so reclusive couldn’t possibly create an impeccably fresh and tantalizing R&B track amid today’s lofty standards set forth by the likes of Frank Ocean. Yet, Ashin has effectively transcended the boundaries of this already expansive genre with a single track.
Anxiety, Autre ne Veut’s new and aptly named LP, examines a myriad of demons haunting the falsetto singer’s inner subconscious. “Play by Play,” the album’s opening track, is no exception. Ashin drowns the listener in his cathartic lyrics as he belts out “I just called you up to get that play by play” at the song’s climax. Shrouded in mystery, the line repeats itself until a female voice woefully yells, “Don’t leave me alone.” By itself, these lyrics depict Ashin an overly dark and hopelessly defeated soul confounded by the meaning of love.
Much like his personality, however, “Play by Play” twists first impressions. The dancing synthesizers forever build in complexity with the booming drum patterns that ultimately toy with the morose lyrical themes. Your mind wants to cry out in anguish, but your body forces you to sway with the dreamy melodies that sprout from Ashin’s genius mind. If nothing else, this provides a forceful message as to why Anxiety will change 2013.