As many of you may know, I am a huge ATINY. I absolutely love all of ATEEZ’s music and think they’re insanely talented. However, I have to admit, it took me a bit longer than usual to warm up to their latest title track, “Work.” Rest assured, I now completely love the song!
To many, “Work” marks a shift from ATEEZ’s usual rock and EDM sound. Listeners should remember that ATEEZ’s lore involves their music too. Simply put, their older, more badass rock sound was tied to the Z world, an evil dimension where ATEEZ overthrew the government. Now, we're shifting back to the A world, reminiscent of their “Wave” era, which is lighter and more present. This explains the genre shift from rock to hip-hop. Moreover, ATEEZ mentioned in an interview how they wanted to show they can excel in different genres after years of releasing similar-sounding tracks. Now, let’s dive into the song itself :)
From the start, you’ll notice a simpler instrumental background, dominated by drums and bass, as “Work” is a hip-hop track after all. HONGJOONG and YUNHO kick off with an extremely catchy chorus. The line “Got a fur coat so I make it pur” is one of the silliest yet iconic lines ATEEZ has ever written, and it has definitely caught fans' attention.
The first verse starts with SEONGHWA, whose unique tone shines. Known for his high notes in ATEEZ’s earlier songs, we finally hear more of his deep tone, similar to what he delivered in MATZ (if you like rap, please give it a listen). Throughout the album, you’ll notice Spanish influences, and in “Work,” WOOYOUNG and SAN deliver smooth, angelic Spanish lines. Why Spanish is appearing in ATEEZ’s music is still unknown to me but hey, I’m not complaining.
The iconic chorus returns, though I wasn’t initially a fan of JONGHO’s high notes during the chorus, which felt like they overshadowed another member’s voice. It felt out of place and somewhat forced in. JONGHO is incredibly talented, but I prefer when his natural voice is highlighted too, as it is in one of his lines in “Work” (finally!!). I think that while JONGHO is undeniably amazing in high notes, his natural voice is beautiful too and deserves to be shown. I highly suggest giving JONGHO’s solo release “Everything” a listen if you want to hear more of his vocals outside of the belting of high notes.
Next up is the rap duo, MINGI and HONGJOONG. While I’m still learning about rap, I noticed that HONGJOONG’s flow in “Work” is similar to his collaboration with CHUNG HA in “Eenie Meenie.”, they carry a similar flow if you listen closely. Both MINGI and HONGJOONG’s raps showcase that good rap is about flow and delivery, not just speed.
Moving on, we have the bridge and dance break. SAN’s line, “Clock tic-tac-toe seodullo,” is one of my highlights. His angelic voice is so satisfying to listen to. JONGHO’s high note is, as usual, amazing. However, I have to admit the dance break is less intense compared to previous ATEEZ songs, which might disappoint some fans.
Overall, “Work” is a silly, catchy, groovy song perfect for summer. While it’s different from their usual style, it’s fun and showcases a new side of ATEEZ as we return to the A world. If you liked “Work,” I highly recommend giving their album a listen. My personal favorites are “Empty Box” and “Blind.” This review is slightly biased since ATEEZ is my ult group, but I’ve done my best to be critical and include different perspectives :,) I hope you enjoy reading this!
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