- Though Hotflush claim Auden is a fresh face in UK techno, considering the production sheen that coats this debut and the scene's penchant for nom de plumes, it would be naive to assume that he or she hasn't released under another name. In fact, the EP straddles the imprint's varied discography so aptly that it might be a Hotflush mainstay dabbling in new sounds.
Though Auden sticks mostly to the label's current techno formula—all thumping kicks and room-filling synths—closer "Tension" looks back a few years with a loping two-step beat and chest-rattling subs that could come from a Triangulation offcut. The track showcases Auden's knack for dread-laced atmospheres, similarly deployed on beatless opener "Trip To Fade" in a miasma of pitch-shifted vocals and descending chords. But for all its tension, this is an oddly sketch-like way to open a debut release. It's begging for a kick and another four minutes to unfurl.
Though Auden excels at texture, he/she lacks some pizazz when working a floor. The stronger of the 4/4 pair, "Whispers," wiggles a muted 303 through equally dampened piano chords, but "Flux" is stabs-and-kicks fodder that feels like it's been built from a template. Whoever Auden is, they should embrace the opportunity to be more adventurous that comes with being an anonymous artist.
TracklistA1 Trip To Fade
A2 Flux
B1 Whispers
B2 Tension