Bloc Party - The Prayer Single Review

Bloc Party
The Prayer
Single Review

It's 2007, and in 2007 we like nothing more than a good old indie-dance band. Three thousand years from now, when archaeologists uncover how we lived at the beginning of the 21st century, they're probably going to say, "Jeez, they really really liked indie-dance bands back in 2007. And Botox. Shame they didn't realise it turned your face purple until it was too late, but oh well."
I suppose what I'm trying to say is, indie-dance is big, really big, but in the fast-moving and treacherous world of musical trends, it's getting bit stale isn't it? For every Klaxons and Pull Tiger Tail, there's an Orson and Boy Kill Boy just waiting to restore the balance, for every great album that has emerged from the scene, there are two duff ones. Well then, I believe we all owe Bloc Party a round of applause for cranking it up a notch with their latest single "The Prayer."
Utilising big analogue beats in an indie track the way no-one has managed asince "Idioteque", the lead-off single from their sophomore effort, A Weekend in the City is a celebratory mash-up of thunderous electro, ferocious live drumming and spiralling synths, that really owes more to Timblaland than it does to Mr Yorke et al. That said, Russell Lissack does weigh in with a super kick-ass techno solo that has more than a whiff of Jonny Greenwood about it.
Lyrically it's brave, and falls just on the right side of wordy (unlike this review) with Kele Okereke pondering the very essence of the indie purist belief system that has pervaded music, "Is it so wrong/To crave recognition?" he sings, over a hypnotic, pulsing backing that gives his sentiments jitter and swagger in equal measure.
One of the most exciting singles of the year so far then, can't wait for the album.