Intimate success

Following in the footsteps of Radiohead, Bloc Party surprised its fans by digitally releasing their third record Intimacy only three days after announcing its completion. The band chose the online route in an attempt to combat the ever-present issue of the leak, which hampered the sales of the second album, A Weekend in the City. And the release format isn’t the only positive change for the band.
 
Following the disappointingly hit-or-miss A Weekend in the City, Bloc Party’s third album is surprisingly consistent. Intimacy succeeds by mixing the electronic-influenced style from Weekend with the more basic, indie-rock vibe from their hotly loved debut album Silent Alarm.

The album opens with guns blazing, starting with the two most experimental electronic tracks, “Ares” and lead single “Mercury.” “Mercury” is Bloc Party’s deepest descent into the electronica abyss, featuring a full-blown techno club beat, vocalist Kele Okereke’s one-line vocal on repeat, squelching horns and various unidentified sounds squalling throughout.

Yet, to counter the electronic extremes, Bloc Party brings us tracks like “Halo” that recall a much more classic post-punk sound. From that point on, the album presents a sufficient mixture of these two sonic components to create a well-rounded effort.
And although some tracks overuse the drum machine a bit too much, “One Month Off” masterfully mixes it with some zany techno tricks, a jagged guitar and a memorable chorus to make it the record’s biggest highlight.

The title Intimacy may not be fitting for Bloc Party’s electronic exploration, but it sure is for Okereke’s lyrics. Besides the opening track, Intimacy veers away from the social issues that A Weekend in the City touched on and focuses on love and heartbreak. The album is seemingly written all about a breakup, until the closer “Ion Square” reveals some true moments of happiness.

While Intimacy is consistently good, it rarely reaches the level of their fantastic debut Silent Alarm. However, it is a step back on track for a young band that hopefully have tons of great music left in them.