Back in August, we were introduced to the politically charged post-punk of Worker & Parasite through their debut single, ‘Crisis’. Written, recorded and produced remotely over lockdown by the redacted members, it felt like an anthem for the catastrophe that is 2020. Its bombastic arrangement is driven by communal anxieties also satirised the empty promises of current political players trying to assuage said emotional instability. Today we have the absolute pleasure given to us by ‘The Party’s Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development & Communications to disseminate their latest single ‘Realpolitik’ to the huddled masses.
As the Ministry’s media release states, ‘Realpolitik’ “will undoubtedly promote boosts to productivity and morale within the populace” and it’s through the brooding basslines and lean lead guitars that this bopper proves to do exactly that. Just like the band’s debut, this a fully fleshed arrangement that elevates itself to ethereal moments on par with the B-52’s thanks to backing female vocals and colourful use of synthetic circuity.
There’s another urgent political invocation here too. The redacted lead vocalist waxes lyrical throughout, with the intent and purpose of revealing the overarching machinations of media and antiquated political systems that engender faux democracy. In retaliation to this alienating of the individual within political discourse, we’re told to first “Settle down and look around” before bearing witness to “systematic sound of static to eradicate the democratic diplomatic hindrance of the state”.
Where ‘Crisis’ offered a spark to fuel our fire, ‘Realpolitik’ tells us where to burn.