Bloc Party went on hiatus at the end of 2009 so their newest album Four, (set to be released in mid- august) is the first we’ve heard from them in a while. Kele Okereke has been busy with his solo career of course, but what we have here is a pretty impressive comeback track. For me, ‘Octopus’ marks the return of their earlier playfulness, and the heavy guitar presence is pretty reminiscent of ‘Helicopter’.
The video opens with a shot of Matt Tong bouncing behind his drums whilst Kele breaths heavily into the mic. The sheepishness does not last long. After an impressive instrumental intro we are met with Kele’s cheeky smile and relaxed vocals. The video is energetic and eclectic and constantly flicks between shots of the band and their instruments, headshots of indie kids, and the four girls dancing in the basement with various circus props.
The lyrics are pretty repetitive, but what does it for me is the sublime conflict between the softer backing vocals and the violence of the drums and guitar riffs. Kele described the album as ‘visceral and confrontational’, and it may well be, but with Kele’s loveable stage presence, it’s hard to be confronted by anything but his irresistible charisma.
By Hatty Farnham
Dance Yrself Clean
