- Zero Value is an electro 12-inch with some unusual tricks. Several delays are applied to "Four Io"'s drums, which sometimes gallop like two misaligned records. "U Can Tell" samples Redman. A Sonic The Hedgehog-style sound effect on "Shove" does a good impression of a snare. Some details are more effective than others, but Privacy's grip on the basics is usually strong. His electro tends to be smooth and melodic, layered with rich bass and acid. But his best tracks have gently disrupted that formula, as on last year's "Query A" and 2015's excellent "Dimensional Separation."
Zero Value's standout track, the irritable "Shove," has the same spirit. A sense of urgency is summoned by drilling bass and convulsing squeals, while choral synth harmonies give the track a dramatic charge. That aggression survives on "Ncsc," an acid- and bleep-loaded track with a gassy countermelody, and "U Can Tell," where Redman's to-the-point phrase—"You can tell I don't give a fuck"—gives it a punch. These asides help make Zero Value an enjoyable collection, even if its careful competence rarely feels magical.
TracklistA1 Four Io
A2 U Can Tell
B1 Ncsc
B2 Shove