Albums
Bloc Party - 7/10
Hymns
Bloc Party's fifth album is a rebirth for the British band which formed 16 years ago and now features a re-energised line-up with bassist Justin Harris and drummer Louise Bartle.
'Hymns' has clear electronic influences: synth-heavy comeback single 'The Love Within' will have you sprinting to the nearest dance-floor. It focuses on themes of faith and devotion, but Kele Okereke insists the album's "not a religious epiphany"; nevertheless, 'Only He Can Heal Me' is confessional and prayer-like, while 'The Good News' connects mundane reality with faith.
A total contrast to 'Banquet' and 'Two More Years', die-hard fans may need to give it a few spins, but in daring to reinvent themselves, Bloc Party show an impressive evolution.