- Lean techno with plenty of character.
- For the seasoned clubber or DJ, a track with a squelchy acid lead and a "work!' vocal might seem clichéd. But someone like Lauren Flax can make even that formula feel fresh. Those are the core elements of the standout title track from the Detroit artist's debut for The Bunker New York, a record that feels like a long time coming (though Flax was around before The Bunker New York). One Man's House Is Another Woman's Techno offers a glimpse into the latest phase of Flax's career. Carved from her lean and functional live sets, the EP delivers three ultra-percussive tunes that blur the boundary between house and techno.
Nothing is going to surprise you, but that's OK. Part of the EP's appeal is that even when Flax is dealing with familiar motifs, like on "(You Have To) Work," her tracks are so pared-down that modest ideas have a big impact. That helps the 303 licks on "A Deeper Side Of Jack" stand out against the percussion. It's Jimmy Edgar meets Paul Woolford's "Erotic Discourse." The title track has less to hold onto. Flax lays down drums that move in restless patterns, some elements dropping out just as new ones appear, as if she's trying to complete a Rubik's cube that she can't quite get straight. It takes a special producer to lend something as simple as "One Man's House Is Another Woman's Techno" such personality. Luckily, Flax has that in spades.
TracklistA1 One Man's House Is Another Woman's Techno
B1 (You Have To) Work
B2 A Deeper Side Of Jack