Today, we delve into the story behind the band Bloc Party, who have been breaking boundaries since the early 2000s. From their post-punk beginnings to their fearless genre-bending experiments, Bloc Party has always kept fans on their toes.

The band's formation took place at the 1999 Reading Festival. Formed by the founding members Okereke and Lissack, the band went through several names before settling on Bloc Party in 2003. Kicking things off in 2004 with their self-titled EP and almost immediately following it up with another EP titled "Tiny Thoughts" in 2005, the band released more music, experimenting with new blends of music and finding their sound. By February, Bloc Party did just that and released the band's debut album "Silent Alarm." In 2006, this album brought massive success to the band, becoming critically acclaimed and named Indie Album of the Year at the 2006 PLUG Awards and NME Album of the Year. Additionally, "Silent Alarm" was certified platinum in Britain.

Pressing on, in 2006 Bloc Party started working on their second studio album with producer Garret Jacknife Lee. The album was leaked in November of 2006, but that did not stop the band from releasing the record. "A Weekend In The City" was released in February 2007 and performed very well, reaching number 2 on the UK charts and 12 on the Billboard 200.

After touring and wowing crowds, the band took some studio time to work on their next move. In 2008, Bloc Party released the album "Intimacy," which reached number 8 on the UK charts and 18 on the Billboard 200.

It was in 2009 that Bloc Party announced a hiatus, focusing on side projects and family time. 2011 marked the return of Bloc Party, releasing the album "Four" and beginning touring. During the band's 2013 North American tour, they debuted new material and went on to feature some of the songs on their EP "The Nextwave Sessions." In the summer of 2013, drummer Matt Tong left the band. Lissack told the National Post of Canada that the band was planning to take an indefinite hiatus, but this would not be the case. Releasing a statement in September of 2014, they announced they would be working on a fifth album.

In March of 2015, in a tweet, Gordon Moakes announced he had parted ways with Bloc Party. Not wasting any time, Okereke and Lissack started recruiting new members. By August, the band flew out to Los Angeles and played a couple of shows, debuting new members Justin Harris on bass and Louise Bartle on drums. The band also sub-headlined FYF Festival in Los Angeles, confirming the coming of their fifth record.

Performing and finding great success, the band released their fifth album in 2016, "Hymns." Later in 2016, Bloc Party put out a standalone single 'Stunt Queen' to be included in their performance at the Hollywood Bowl, which Okereke claimed was a "significant milestone." This song would also be some of the first new material that featured Justin and Louise as co-writers. Touring hard and stoking the crowd, in 2019, Bloc Party went on to release a live version of their certified platinum album “Silent Alarm,” only adding to the band's creative success.

Let's rewind a bit. Lissack and Okereke's paths first crossed back in school, then fate brought them together again in '99 at Reading Festival. Bonding over shared music tastes, over the years, the two created a musical force. It was obvious to them that failure was no longer an option. On 22 January 2020, Okereke announced on his personal social media accounts that Bloc Party had begun writing a new album.

“Alpha Games,” a fierce ode to their post-punk past, Bloc Party was back, and they meant business. On 23 November 2021, Bloc Party released the first single "Traps." The “Alpha Games” album was released on 22nd April 2022 to high praise. In October 2022, it was announced that Bloc Party would be supporting Paramore during their 2023 UK and Ireland tour, as well as their North American tour.

“The High Life” EP was released in July of 2023, and since then, the band has been on tour and performing, growing their fan base to new levels. Judging from the patterns and performances, Soundwave researchers believe Bloc Party may be working on a new album. This, of course, is speculation, and we can all set our hopes on a future announcement. Stay tuned, we will let you know when we know. Until then, enjoy the legacy left by Bloc Party.