[Listen] RAC Brings Kele Okereke and MNDR in for "Let Go

Leave it to RAC to deliver an incredibly infectious pop song perfectly fit for the summer. Even though the summer months are soon to be over, that doesn't matter. His new single "Let Go" will be on repeat for months to come. Featuring vocals from both MNDR and Bloc Party's Kele Okereke, the song is just so damn catchy with its groovy bassline and upbeat chorus.

Things are sounding good for RAC's upcoming Don't Talk To EP—it's out on October 1st. Check out "Let Go" below.

[Sasquatch! Interview] Bloc Party's Kele Okereke Chats About the Band's Latest LP 'Four', Their Upcoming EP and Future Projects

Keeping the Sasquatch! festivities going is Kele Okereke of Bloc Party. During my time at The Gorge, I sat down with Kele before the band's great set on day two of the festival. The sun was shining through the sliding glass door of the backstage trailer we sat in. The couch had a simple design and was surprisingly comfortable. At ease with this setting, we talked. It was a brief chat, only fifteen minutes, but during that time we delved into Bloc Party's latest LP Four. I'm interested in how the band is now, after four albums and over a decade together. Beyond that, we discussed the future: the band plans to release a new EP this summer and are also working on their next full-length album. Check out that and more below.

[News] Bloc Party Supposedly Looking For New Singer? Maybe not...

I'm going to call bull shit on this one and throw it into the corner to never be mentioned again. If I am wrong then I'll eat a hat or something to that effect. In an interview with NME, Bloc Party's guitarist Russell Lissack confirmed that the band were making music again and are indeed doing so without Kele and have even gone so far as to think about looking for a new singer. Russell said:

"It's not really a secret because Kele's been pretty busy doing solo stuff and it looks like he's going to be doing that a bit longer. The other three of us wanted to meet up and make music. We were talking about just doing an instrumental thing, but now we might get a singer as well, to properly put some music out and play some shows..Because it's the three of us, I guess there'd be some degree of expectation from people to at least play the songs we wrote. I don't think any of us (including Kele) would object to that....We've still got the same management and stuff, so he might have known, he might not. He's doing his own thing and we wanted to play together, so it wasn't like we were going behind his back. I haven't spoken to Kele for a couple of months, I guess since the festivals when I was doing stuff with Ash. But there's no bad vibes."

All well and good but as we know, don't believe everything you read. I saw Zane Lowe take to Twitter and said:

"And as for this rumour that Bloc Party are going to continue without Kele...they're having a laugh right? Its a hoax...gotta be.Yeah, i saw that 'photo' that Kele took of them in NYC. I thought it was some staged joke...never gave it a second thought. And now this? Yeaaaahhhhh...its a joke. Bet you."

Shortly after this, I saw Young Legionnaire AKA the Bloc Party bassists Gordan Moakes' side project tweet Zane back saying:

"Have the NME ever got it wrong? First time for everything...". Tongue in cheek much?

Now to add supposed fuel to the fire Kele has taken to his blog and posted a link to the NME article and wrote the following:

"hmm, i dont know what to make of this. a big part of me is laughing HARD at all of this but another part of me is all like WTF?im quite curious as to what a bloc party audition would be like? i wonder if they would let me sit on the panel so i could be a judge tyra banks style?"

Now if you purely don't think it's all bull shit and hype for Kele's new releases and pure hype for the return of Bloc Party check out THIS TWEET from Young Legionnaire:

"Live 'auditions' will take place tomorrow night at the Borderline, London, 9pm. Get there early to ensure a shot at the big time!"

..note the inverted comma use on 'auditions'. Also after a little dig a fan tweeted Russ saying: "proof the NME reads your twits or time to get worried?" I'd say proof they don't read them..." The man supposedly quoted in NME calling their bluff? I'm going to leave this post at this and end my claim to this all being pure hype. Don't believe everything you read in NME or anywhere for that matter. If I'm wrong then so be it but all signs point to bull shit and a band using the press to get exactly what they want, press. Kudos to them.

[Watch] Kele - "What Did I Do" Feat. Lucy Taylor (Official Video)

Amongst all of this talk of Kele being kicked out of Bloc Party, which to me seems to have come at a perfect time to get his name back out there in time for release of his upcoming EP The Hunter. Whatever the reason for all the talk recently, Kele's back to business and has let loose his video for the Lucy Taylor featuring EP opener, "What Did I Do". Fitting huh?!

The Hunter is in stores November 7th in the UK via Wichita Recordings.

[Album Review] Hercules and Love Affair - Blue Songs

Back in 2008, New York DJ Andy Butler came together with Kim-Ann Foxman and Antony Hegarty to form the instantly distinct group Hercules and Love Affair. Their self-titled debut album was released in March of that year, blending together the sounds of the iconic 80s house genre with sweeping vocals, modern techniques and a unique presence. Once again, Andy Butler is back, and this time, along with Foxman and minus Hegarty, the group has found new members. Newcomers fan-turned-band-member Shaun Wright and singer Aerea Negrot provide vocals throughout Hercules and Love Affair's sophomore album Blue Songs, adding a new dimension to the already unique style of the band. The return to the iconic house style was what made their debut album stand out, and that presence continues in Blue Songs. With a few big guest appearances and a ton of new flavour, their sophomore outing shows the increasing development of an already amazing band.

Right from the get go Blue Songs brings you into the hypnotic, flowing world of Hercules and Love Affair with the song "Painted Eyes." The subtle bass lines, striking violin notes, and synth work all come together to make on of the most memorable songs on the album. Following "Painted Eyes" is "My House," which brings the house influence to the forefront. The synth work, the vocals, the simple-yet-catchy-as-hell bass; all of it takes that house background and infiltrates your eardrums.

The song "Answers Come In Dreams" is the perfect example of how the group has taken their house foundation and built upon it. Just by adding elements of funk, they turned this song into an upbeat, and simply kick ass song. "Boy Blue" and "Blue Song," with their slow pace and diverse instrumentation, also show off the increasing breadth of the band's abilities. Even the album's last track, "It's Alright," shows how the band has grown in terms of pacing, with each song being very well placed in comparison to those that came before and after. On the other hand, the only song on the entire album that felt a little disjointed was "Visitor," which felt like it was thrown in at the last minute and feels altogether uninspired compared to the rest.

Perhaps the best song on the album, in my opinion, is "Step Up," also features the most notable guest appearance. Kele Okereke (of Bloc Party fame), steps in to provide lead vocals on the track, which is also the most house-centric on the entire album. The simplicity of every synth key, every transition from verse chorus and back to verse, every hit from the drum machine; it all comes together perfectly. Kele is especially amazing on vocals, adding his style to the track that sets it apart from the rest on the album.

It's fantastic to see when a band develops so significantly from one album to the next, and Hercules and Love Affair stuck to what they did best and kept getting better. Blue Songs is a step in the right direction for the band, who are taking the house genre and giving it a fresh new face. By blending new genres in with a rather simplistic electronic genre, the sounds and styles produced by Andy Butler and his group are something entirely their own, and that is something they should continue to strive for.

SCORE: 4.5

[Download] Kele - "On The Lam" (Stanton Warriors Remix)

Kele (who I don't want to say was previously in Bloc Party, but he was so i've made that reference now. Too late) released his solo debut The Boxer earlier this year and it was a pretty big step away from the sounds he'd previously been making with his bandmates. The electronic dancey feel to his tracks might have upset a few of his loyal indie fans but I found it refreshing to see someone in a successful band take a step back and say he wanted to do something completely fresh and different.

In follow up to his debut he is about to release a follow up EP on which there are a few remixes and today we have "On The Lam" Stanton Warriors Remix for you to get a dance on to. Grab it for yourself below and let the weekend vibes start to get into your system.  You can watch the video for the original version of the track over here.

Kele - "On The Lam" (Stanton Warriors Remix) by Some Kind of Awesome

[Watch] Kele - "On The Lam"

Kele just uploaded a new video to his Youtube channel for his next single taken from his album, The Boxer. His whole album was a big step away from his Bloc Party indie beginnings but I think it's pretty satisfying to see an artist take such a large step out of their comfort zone and continue to enjoy themselves and do what they truly want to. Head on over here to see Kele perform this track for BBC 6 Music back in June and judge for yourself what he's like in a live situation under these new surroundings. If you've not had a listen to The Boxer yet go pick it up over here. It's Friday treat yourself!

[Download] Kele - "Everything You Wanted (RAC Remix)"

RCRD LBL was generous to offer up this Kele remix of "Everything You Wanted". Head over to pick it up.