The Nextwave Sessions

Bloc Party's new EP The Nextwave Sessions shares that jumbled sense of purpose with its predecessor Four, but exists as a less scattered and more consistent document of the band's style-sampling present.

The last time Bloc Party found itself with a surplus of tracks, those cuts surrounded two stellar albums, which exemplified the band’s early penchant for knowing just when to turn up the intensity and when to cool off. The EPs and non-album tracks released between Silent Alarm and A Weekend In The City yielded gems…

Whether this is a stopgap or the end for Bloc Party, this EP is an intriguing snapshot of where the band are now, eight years on from their debut.

The Nextwave Sessions feels more like a rehash of the band’s nagging problems than a sample of potential future directions.

Bloc Party "The Nextwave Sessions" Review. "The Nextwave Sessions" will be out on 8/13 via Frenchkiss and Arts & Crafts records. First single is Ratchet