Having become famous being the charismatic frontman of indie band Bloc Party, you'd be forgiven if you didn't expect Kele Okereke to posses much knowledge in regard to dance and electro music. However Kele - whom often could be found DJ'ing in a nearby club after a Bloc Party gig, seems to have developed quite the repertoire of impressive dance tracks with his new album 'The Boxer'. The same does not apply to the album's producer XXXChange however, who previously worked with electronic and R&B artists Kid Sister and Amanda Blank.
Admittedly this album will not come as much of a shock to many, given the trend that the Bloc Party albums were following: from the alternative guitar anthems of 'Silent Alarm' to the more electronic songs such as 'Flux' and 'Mercury', it seemed inevitable that Kele's announced album would follow suit.
To some extent the album doesn't scream originality, kicking off with 'Walk Tall' - Kele's take on the "I don't know but I've been told" military 'Sound Off' chant. In addition to this, the first single 'Tenderoni' has gained some criticism for the synthesiser riff used throughout the song being undeniably similar to that of Wiley's hit 'Wearing My Rolex'.
However, if you are prepared to look past these apparent lapses in creativity, you are left with songs which simply work: the call and response used in 'Walk Tall' will undoubtedly have the entire crowd replying with vigour at a live gig, and it is impossible to listen to the pulsating chorus of 'Tenderoni' without the desire to run somewhere. Fast.
It mustn't be conceived that if you were to listen to this album you would be constantly pounded with electro beats - there are several lower pace, more emotional pieces such as the moving break-up song 'Everything You Wanted' in which the synth is replaced with piano, the uplifting 'Yesterday's Gone' and 'All The Things I Could Never Say' which sees someone in an unhealthy relationship stand up and confront the other's immaturity, making the accusation "You're making me older, you're making me ill". One of the album's treasures is the initially tranquil "Rise", in which the tension is built up to the extent where it can't help but explode into the pumping synthesiser laden final chorus.
With the release of 'The Boxer', we see Kele come into his own - his love for electro as prominent as ever in the third single 'On the Lam', and a hint of Kele's Nigerian roots making an appearance with the African feel of the percussion section in "The Other Side'. It is clear that after the release of the last Bloc Party album Kele still had certain things he needed to get out of his system, and that "The Boxer" is more self-discovery than commercial venture.
Stereoboard Rating: 8/10
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To some extent the album doesn't scream originality, kicking off with 'Walk Tall' - Kele's take on the "I don't know but I've been told" military 'Sound Off' chant. In addition to this, the first single 'Tenderoni' has gained some criticism for the synthesiser riff used throughout the song being undeniably similar to that of Wiley's hit 'Wearing My Rolex'.
