The Boxer Wichita/Polydor* * *

With Bloc Party on hiatus, frontman Kele Okereke has taken the opportunity to experiment with the sound vaguely prodded at on the band’s last two albums.  “Experiment” is the key word here. Unless you’re a fan of Bloc Party’s remixes, you may be in for a surprise, as The Boxer sees the singer immerse himself in a haze of dubstep, techno and dance-oriented music. It’s a mostly successful foray: young Scottish DJ and producer Hudson Mohawke’s influence is palpable, especially on Rise, On the Lam and biting lead single Tenderoni. It’s an admirably diverse step for Okereke, but the less wild moments (such as Everything You Wanted) imply that for all his pleasing incursions into new territory, he may not be completely ready to relinquish  his status as bookish indie icon  just yet. See iamkele.com