Brooklyn’s Arthur Ashin, aka Autre Ne Veut, crafted a song that I literally cannot take off loop. A powerful and painful throbber, “Counting” shows off a brilliant mix of sleek R&B vibes and palpitating electronica. The expert collision of the two genres, alongside a very real sadness and unmistakeable need for something — be it love, attention, reciprocity, etc. — allows the track to have great depth; it eats at you and chills even the marrow inside your bones. After the 2-minute mark, forget it: the chorus seems to spiral and swirl like a tortured heart. Though comparisons to How To Dress Well, the other wonderboy who does this sound without breaking a sweat, is inevitable, Autre can certainly stand out and hold his own, and once you fully absorb “Counting,” you’ll undoubtedly feel its every breaking moment.
Bonus: The remix featuring Mykki Blanco. Autre Ne Veut’s new album, Anxiety, comes out February 12th via Mexican Summer/Software.
