"Work" is the third single from Partys Over Earth (sic), the debut album from Tiga and Zombie Nation's collaborative project ZZT. It's the most grating of the three: where "Vulkan Alarm!" squirmed inside a cocoon of distortion and "Partys Over Los Angeles" offset squealing riffs with hypnotic sample play, the screaming lead on "Work" is as subtle as nails on a chalkboard, clearly inspired by electro-techno anthems like "Rocker" and "Geht's Noch." It's actually quite clever, from a sound-design perspective. Instead of a continuous sound wave, the melody derives from a series of clicks that turn into a kind of nasal whine when sped up; as they dive in pitch, you can hear them spreading into a slow, staccato grind. Perhaps only production geeks will really notice it, but the effect lends the track an unusual feel, like a cackling, gurgling robot. Annoying? Sure. But who said dance music always needs to be demure?
Remixers Nautiluss (Graham Bertie and Grahm Zilla, who released an EP last year on Hemlock) focus their attentions on the song's powerful percussive foundations, reworking the booming syn-toms and overdriven hi-hats into a sleek, syncopated roller, with guttural bass squelch and a tribal frug reminiscent of Blawan's lurching basement techno. It's a banger, all right, but its muddled mood and spongy low end are the opposite of the original's brittle intensity.
Buy ZZT - Work at
Tracklist: ZZT - Work
 A Work
B Work (Nautiluss remix)
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