In Other News . . . Bloc Party unveil new video for Ratchet

After announcing the release of a new E.P. entitled The Nextwave Sessions, Bloc Party unveil a video for lead single Ratchet. Although being played live on a number of dates up to five month ago the song received its first radio play by Zane Lowe as his Hottest Record in the World on 25^th June where singer and guitarist Kele Okereke confirmed reports of an indefinite hiatus, unfortunately for fans he adds that the band has “no plans as of yet” to follow their announced festival dates.

The video depicts a journey through the bands videos in reverse chronological order beginning with Octopus an ending with Little Thoughts with a slight detour through Helicopter. It also features moments where the band morph into monsters with augmented and replicated limbs with Kele's eyes being replaced by his eruptive mouth. This sort of camera trickery is familiar in director Cyriak Harris' other works who has made a name in the manipulation of creatures.

The song itself is an infectious dancey number and has more in common with Tenderoni, from Kele Okereke's solo effort, 2010's The Boxer, than the more electro influenced tracks of Mercury, Flux and One More Chance. The notable difference is the inclusion of Russell Lissack's guitar which features his often occurring pitch-shifting, this, combined with Gordan Moakes' bounciest bass-line to date, makes for a strong lead single.

The Nextwave Sessions were recorded with producer Dan Carey and will be released via Frenchkiss on August 12^th. Watch Ratchet via Youtube below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3EEaPj-5qs

In Other News . . . Laura Marling teams up with Secret Cinema for a new experience

Laura Marling continues to generate interest with her latest move. Rather than fall into generic promotion rituals on album number four, Once I Was An Eagle, Marling has instead spurred intrigue by collaborating with a collective of Cinema enthusiasts who operate under the moniker Secret Cinema. This group truly know how to create a unique experience for the viewer shying away from stereotypical means of simple cinema projection they attempt to air cinema in a new light instead projecting onto office blocks and presenting cinema in different ways. It is evident that they attempt to bring a new experience to every project they engage in. Which brings us back to Marling, in this collaboration they present to us The Grand Eagle Hotel, a fictitious creation affording the collaborators the perfect setting for their performance. They intend to recreate the environment of 1927 presenting The Grand Eagle Ball, and in attempting to do so request the audience attempt to immerse themselves in the era asking that they wear “vintage black tie”. But this is by no means the full extent that Marling and co. have gone to ensure a unique experience, they have also requested fans bring with them: a photograph of an old lover, flowers for the mistress of the house Lady Undine, a secret gift for a stranger, and a choice of either an old record, a bag of unwanted books or a case of unwanted clothes. Marling is by no means a stranger to new ventures opting to play a series of theatres whilst promoting 2010's I Speak Because I Can, she is used to playing grander settings but with this project she pushes the boundaries even further as to what a Laura Marling show consists of. It seems that in departing England and setting up camp in Los Angeles she has truly embraced life as an English eccentric. Although we can't be sure entirely what to expect from the shows, it seems that through this collaboration she has found a way to make the album cycle a special thing allowing people to once again be excited, truly a stride in the right direction.
The shows take place in London from June 13th - June 30th