Bloc Party Announce Surprise New EP 'The High Life EP'

Bloc Party have today confirmed details of a surprise new EP, The High Life EP, due to be released on July 21st via Infectious / BMG.

The news follows a busy first half of 2023 for Bloc Party. Fresh off of an extensive worldwide tour in support of Paramore, the band recently released EP title track “High Life,” and their first ever collaboration with another artist, “Keep It Rolling” (with KennyHoopla).

“When we were invited on the Paramore tour, we really wanted to get together and capture where the band was at and share that music,” notes frontman Kele Okereke. “We got in the studio with our friend Charlie Andrew and this EP was the result – we’re very proud of these four tracks and they hopefully offer a little bridge between Alpha Games and what’s next for the band. To me, it's the sound of coming out of the wilderness and re-embracing life.”

Following Hayley Williams’ praise for Bloc Party on her BBC Sounds podcast “Everything Is Emo,” the band were hand picked by Paramore to support across their 2023 world tour.

Speaking on the podcast, Williams hailed the band as Paramore’s “number one reference”, adding, “I’m really really thankful for this band, I’m so thankful that they’re back, they’re playing shows they’re putting out great songs, and it just makes me feel even more excited to get back out into the world.” Kele Okereke joined Williams onstage at the last night of their UK tour together at London’s O2 Arena to perform a duet of Bloc Party’s song “Blue Light” together.

Following the Paramore shows, Bloc Party will play a select number of UK festivals this Summer, including Tramlines, Leopallooza and Standon Calling – see below for full dates.

Bloc Party - 2023 Live Dates:

7/21 - Tramlines - Sheffield

7/22 - Leopallooza - Cornwall

7/23 - Standon Calling - Hertfordshire

After almost two decades, six albums, multiple world tours and a variety of solo projects along the way, Bloc Party remain a vital force, continuing to innovate and reinvent their sound. 

The band’s latest studio album Alpha Games was described by NME as the soundtrack to “a new generation of indie discos'' and by iPaper as “the feel of the bloodshot eyes of a night out, one of those evenings that no one wants to end.” The record became their fifth UK top 10 album.