Bloc Party - Intimacy

Artist: Bloc Party
Album: Intimacy
Label: Atlantic
Released: October 2008
Genre: Indie Rock
Rating: 4.5 of 5


Before I start, let me just say that Bloc Party has been one of my favourite bands since Silent Alarm. They have continued to develop a unique sound that is quite complex when you try and break it down. Their material is always a joy to listen to and I'm looking forward to the next album.

Let's start with what's new. I found that there was a little more emphasis on some deep beats and maybe something from the dance club; a good example of this can be heard in "Mercury". Of course this new style permeates the album and would play great on a big sub woofer. The band has always created great music in the studio but they continue to grow with tunes like "Zephyrus" leading the way.

Not everything is new and we wouldn't want Bloc Party to deny us what we want. I must say that the tempo on this album is much closer to Silent Alarm than A Weekend In The City was and this will be a welcome return for many. Songs such as "Halo" and "Trojan Horse" follow in Silent Alarm's footsteps with punchy guitars and soaring vocals. Of course, my favourite tune on each Bloc Party album seems to be the epic play that they do so well; "Biko" is not quite as strong as "Positive Tension" but it fills the template rather well. And of course the xylophone makes a great appearance in "Signs".

In all, I was extremely happy with the latest entry in the Bloc Party catalogue and I hope that their recent break is exactly that and not the end of Bloc Party.