Fully appreciating Age of Transparency requires more than a surface-level listen.

BS – “Douchebag Aviators” (Tommy Boy) What separates a pair of “douchebag aviator” sunglasses from the standard ones? Doesn’t matter. Instead, what’s important is that Tommy Boy Entertainment is back to putting out rap music and leading the way is Brooklyn’s BS with “Douchebag Aviators.” While the song’s title and video do point to a sense of humor, what makes …

After his show at Portland’s Bunk Bar, Autre Ne Veut’s Arthur Ashin admitted to me that he would love to tour with a six-piece band. We stood outside the venue, Ashin smoking a cigarette on a warm March night, the densely packed crowd already dispersed into the darkness. It makes sense, the six-piece, for Ashin’s songs to reach full realization …

[xrr rating=3.0/5]Brooklyn’s Arthur Ashin, better known as Autre Ne Veut, is a tough nut to crack. His music is rooted in a certain traditionalism, but screams toward the future. While his sound wholly embraces the modern era, his visual aesthetic remains shrouded in an aura of mystery. Thematically his songs reflect a personal resonance, but the presence of humanity plays …