Kele Okereke - The Flames Pt. 2

With this, his seventh album (and fifth in six years) Kele Okereke, the frontman and main songwriter of Bloc Party edges ahead of his parent band in terms of albums released.

Yet, somewhat ironically, The Flames Pt. 2 is the closest of the septet to the art-rock sounds of the indie darlings.

Kele Okereke’s first album (2010’s The Boxer) gave the impression that he was leaning into another aspect of his musical influences with electronic, cathartic house/pop while follow-up Trick went deeper into the club (it’s worth mentioning that Bloc Party met him in the middle, specifically ‘Ratchet’).

Yet while the songwriter has broadened his palette on recent albums for this project he consciously limited his soundscapes to inspire creativity. Namely, it all came from his electric guitar.

Even with that knowledge in mind The Flames Pt. 2 still has a few surprises, not least opener ‘Never Have I Ever’, the riff of which slices and snarls like a razor-sharp buzzsaw (note to Okereke – Matt Bellamy wants his sound back).

https://www.live4ever.uk.com/2023/03/review-kele-okereke-flames-pt-2/