Hymns (Bloc Party album)

Hymns
Studio album by Bloc Party
Released	29 January 2016
Recorded	March – August 2015
Studio	Lynchmob Studios (North West London, England)
Genre	Indie rock alternative dance
Length	47:37 (standard edition) 65:01 (deluxe edition)
Label	BMG Infectious (UK) Vagrant (US)
Producer	Tim Bran Roy Kerr
Bloc Party chronology
Four (2012) Hymns (2016)
Singles from Hymns
"The Love Within" Released: 9 October 2015 "The Good News" Released: 2 December 2015 "Virtue" Released: 13 January 2016

Hymns is the fifth studio album by English indie rock band Bloc Party. It is the first album to feature new members Justin Harris (bass, keyboards) and Louise Bartle (drums). It was released worldwide on 29 January 2016 through BMG.^[1] The album was recorded between March and August 2015, at Lynchmob Studios in London, following a hiatus that saw band members Matt Tong and Gordon Moakes depart the band. Hymns was inspired by many sources and focuses more on electronic music compared to the album's predecessor, Four (2012), which featured a return to Bloc Party's rock style after experimentation with electronic music on their third studio album, Intimacy (2008). Upon release, the album received generally mixed reviews from critics. Three singles were released from the album: "The Love Within", "The Good News", and "Virtue". All singles received poor commercial success.

Background and recording

During the summer tour of 2013, drummer Matt Tong left the band.^[2] Lissack told a Canadian newspaper, the National Post that the band were planning to take an indefinite hiatus following their appearance at the Latitude Festival on 19 July.^[3][4] In October 2013, Kele assembled a DJ Mix for !K7's Tapes mix series, released under the Bloc Party name.^[5] In September 2014, Okereke stated that Bloc Party were working on a fifth album.^[6] In March 2015, bassist Gordon Moakes tweeted he had parted ways with Bloc Party.^[7]

Bloc Party unveiled their new line-up at two intimate gigs in the Los Angeles area (19 August 2015 at The Glass House in Pomona and 20 August 2015 at The Roxy in Los Angeles). Following these performances, Bloc Party also subheadlined FYF Fest in Los Angeles on 22 August 2015.^[8] At these shows, the band confirmed that they had finished recording their next album. The shows marked the live debut for new bassist Justin Harris of the Portland, Oregon, indie rock outfit Menomena,^[9] who had previously opened several Bloc Party US tour dates in April 2009;^[10] and Louise Bartle, who was accidentally announced a month earlier as Bloc Party's drummer by instrument manufacturer Natal Drums in a since-deleted tweet, leading to fan speculation regarding her membership that was ultimately proved correct.^[11] These shows also included the first performances of three new songs called "Eden", "Exes" and "The Good News".^[12][13][14]

In a performance at Maida Vale, Bloc Party performed "The Good News" and "Exes"; hours later, "The Love Within" was featured as "Hottest Record in the World" by Annie Mac on BBC Radio 1. Okereke revealed the album's title as Hymns.^[15][16][17] The album's release was later confirmed on social media as being 29 January 2016.^[18] On 12 October, the band announced via Twitter that the album was produced by Tim Bran and Roy Kerr, and mixed by David Wrench.^[19] According to Lissack, the album's recording "was all done in a studio in north-west London, which was next to a gigantic graveyard".^[20] The liner notes reveal that he was referring to Lynchmob Studio.^[21]

Composition

Hymns is aligned with the alternative dance and electronic music influences demonstrated in Okereke's solo material and the music Lissack and he had listened to since making Four.^[23] In addition, according to the band members and affirmed by DJ John Kennedy during a track by track rundown, it also shows their indie rock side but a "more stripped back" version informed by different subgenres than previously, including blues rock and gospel rock.^[24] According to critic Mark Beaumont, Lissack's guitar work is often reminiscent of shoegaze,^[25] a new style for him which is typified by significant use of distortion, feedback and the blurring of parts into indistinguishable "walls of sound".^[26]

Hymns is inspired by various sources, including the Spirit of Eden album by new wave band Talk Talk and A Love Supreme by jazz artist John Coltrane as well as Donna Summer's R&B song "State of Independence" and The Consolers' gospel track "May the Work I’ve Done Speak for Me". The Songs of Innocence and of Experience illustrated poems by William Blake, especially "Laughing Song", provided inspiration for the lyrics. Okereke visited his parents' house prior to recording and found various hymns and religious memorabilia from his youth and used these to make a spiritual, meditative album. For example, "Only He Can Heal Me" is reflective of the Hebrew music hymn "Shalom Chaverin".^[27] Okereke also learnt to play the electric piano for the album, specifically on "So Real", while new member Harris provided a wider range of playing as a multi-instrumentalist.^[21]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	57/100[28]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[29]
Drowned in Sound	3/10[30]
Entertainment Weekly	A–[28]
Mojo	[28]
NME	[25]
The Observer	[31]
Pitchfork	5.0/10[32]
Q	[28]
The Skinny	[33]
Under the Radar	4/10[28]

Hymns received generally mixed reviews from critics. On Metacritic, the album holds an average critic score of 57/100, based on 26 reviews.^[28]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Okereke and Lissack, except where noted. 

Personnel

Bloc Party

• Kele Okereke – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, electric piano
• Russell Lissack – lead guitar, programming
• Justin Harris – bass guitar, synths, backing vocals

Drummer Louise Bartle had not yet joined the band when the album was recorded although she did provide unlisted vocals.

Other musicians^[21]

• Alex Thomas – drums
• Roy Kerr – production
• Tim Bran – production
• David Wrench – mixing
• Max Hayes – engineering (all tracks)
• Ben Jackson – co-engineering (11)
• Nicky Brown – choir member and vocal arranger (2, 4, 10, 14, 15)
• Jesse Grant – choir member (2, 4, 10, 14, 15)
• Geo Gabriel – choir member (2, 4, 10, 14, 15)
• Jermaine Foster – choir member (2, 4, 10, 14, 15)
• Nigel Walton – mastering

Additional personnel

• Sony / ATV Music Publishing (UK) – publishing (all tracks)
• ASCAP – co-publishing (3)
• Tony Perrin at Big Life – management
• Colin Roberts at Big Life – management
• Rachael Wright – polaroids
• Phil Armson at Big Active – design and imagery

Charts

References

Bloc Party Russell Lissack Kele Okereke Justin Harris Louise Bartle Gordon Moakes Matt Tong Studio albums Silent Alarm A Weekend in the City Intimacy Four Hymns Remix albums Silent Alarm Remixed Intimacy Remixed EPs Bloc Party Little Thoughts The Nextwave Sessions Singles "She's Hearing Voices" "Banquet"/"Staying Fat" "Little Thoughts"/"Tulips" "Helicopter" "Tulips" ""So Here We Are"/"Positive Tension"" "Banquet" "Pioneers" "Two More Years" "The Prayer" "I Still Remember" "Hunting for Witches" "Flux" "Mercury" "Talons" "One Month Off" "Signs" (Armand Van Helden Remix) "One More Chance" "Octopus" "Kettling" "Truth" "Ratchet" "The Love Within" "The Good News" "Virtue" Other songs "Banquet" (Phones Disco Edit) "Like Eating Glass" "This Modern Love" "Song for Clay (Disappear Here)" "Ares" (Villains Remix) Related articles Discography Awards and nominations Pin Me Down Young Legionnaire The Boxer The Hunter Trick Category Book