Bloc Party toned down their electronic leanings on the grunge-insprired
Four, but they celebrate their love of dance music on their contribution to !K7's mix series Tapes. Mixed by frontman
Kele Okereke, the set does feature one of the band's own tracks ("Obscene"), albeit in a remix that turns it into a jittery dancefloor mover. Elsewhere,
Okereke turns in an eclectic, kinetic mix that flows remarkably well as it encompasses classics such as
Cajmere's "Percolator" (here in a mix by
Jamie Jones Vault), and relative newcomers like
Junior Boys and
French Fries. The first half -- or "side" -- of Tapes shows off
Okereke's wide-ranging tastes on tracks like the two-step garage of
Wookie's "Battle," and the seamless drones of the opening meditation and
Do Make Say Think's "I Love You (La La La)." However, it's Tapes' second, house-dominated half that shows
Okereke's budding DJ skills as it builds an enduring groove with cuts by
Torske,
Larry Heard, and
Mr. White, then releases it with a pair of weightless tracks by
Vaghe Stelle and
Jacques Greene.
Bloc Party fans who only like the band's rock aspirations might not enjoy Tapes, but aficionados of wide-ranging, energetic dance mixes should find a lot to enjoy here. ~ Heather Phares