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THE REVIEW
The Bloc Party are back in the spotlight, and they do so after just a year of silence in the discography.
They pick up from 'A Weekend in The City' which didn't exactly shake critics and audiences: but let's face it, if your debut has the devastating impact of 'Silent Alarm', doing even better is quite a difficult feat.
Ignoring the musical marketing BEHIND 'Intimacy', it's better to discover what's INSIDE.
It becomes immediately clear that the path is marked by the daring use of electronics: those damn danceable sounds (Chemical Brothers), and the more melancholic and reflective ones (Radiohead).
The comparison with these sacred monsters shouldn't lead to a forced similarity, but it helps focus on the musical purpose of 'Intimacy': to combine rock and electronics; stated like this, it seems simple but in truth, it's a high endeavor where such a mixture is fully achieved only by a few fortunate like the aforementioned giants.
On closer inspection, the musical fabric of 'Intimacy' appears unique in its weaves.
An electronic fabric with wide stitches, so wide that guitars can pass through them, seemingly surprised to find themselves surrounded by hefty samples and driving break-beats, startled by a score of trumpets and a choir of gothic voices.
We find ourselves facing an impressive mountain of sounds.
The peak is held by Okereke, in sensational form, aided by the flawless production.
His voice will flood, rest assured, in a massive way the air of London neighborhoods (bloc) - at parties (party).
There's dancing to be done immersed in a disorienting and melancholic atmosphere.
And this is appealing to the patrons of bloc-parties.
With the lights off, one can still feel the trail of 'Intimacy', its unpredictable trajectory returns the insecurity of the musical future of the four from Manchester, yet the outlining of this parabola earns them well-deserved praise for the audacity shown.
And audacity, even if accompanied by a general sense of incompleteness, is a welcome thing.
So: well done Bloc Party.
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Summary by Bot
Bloc Party's album Intimacy boldly explores the fusion of rock and electronic music, mixing melancholic and danceable elements. The production and Kele Okereke's vocals stand out in a richly layered soundscape. Although the album reflects some incompleteness, its audacity is praised highly as a significant step forward after their past work.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
Bloc Party
Bloc Party are an English indie rock band formed in London, first gaining major attention in the mid-2000s with their debut album “Silent Alarm.” Their catalog is often discussed in terms of a shift from angular, post-punk-influenced guitar rock toward more prominent electronic and pop elements on later releases.17 Reviews
