Unmet Potential

Age of Transparency–the latest record by Autre Ne Veut, aka Arthur Ashin—begins by taking a look back. “On and On Reprise” blends a sputtering, jazzy, warbled remix of 2013’s “Play by Play,” with a off-kilter version of “On and On”—and it doesn’t quite work. Unfortunately, this intro sets the tone for the rest of the album. While its clear Ashin attempted to create something spectacular with his latest effort, the result feels incredibly confused; it never fully reaches the potential occasionally hinted at.

Almost all of the songs feel unfinished. On “Switch Hitter,” the poppy melodies are more scary and grating than catchy, while “Get Out,” features what sounds like a classical church choir, and sees Ashin repeating a simple, minimalist melody that goes absolutely nowhere (though the track seems to go on forever). Strangely, the addition of the choir is an excellent complement to Ashin’s palette, highlighting his vocal acrobatics while breaking up the monotony of electronics, synths and heavy beats. Had he utilized it on more than two tracks, it may have saved the record.

That isn’t to say Age of Transparency is entirely lackluster; some songs—particularly the title track and “Cold Winds”—sparkle with musical brilliance. However, the album simply does not provide enough of these moments to make it a worthwhile listen. The album’s many improvisational flourishes and tweaks to traditional musical tropes feel a little contrived, and it’s disappointing to hear Ashin try so hard yet achieve so little.

Ashin swings between cluttered bombast and underwhelming minimalism—all build with no release. Songs either lack structure, are overwhelmed by textures or quickly become repetitive (See: the chipmunk-y I-I-I-I that winds through “World War Pt2”). The fleeting moments of excellence make Age of Transparency‘s deficiencies that much more pronounced—further demonstrating the degree of potential that was squandered.