MUSIC
JUKEBOX
Joseph Ryan-Hicks gives 2000s indie king Kele Okereke a spin on the 15th anniversary of his debut solo album,The Boxer. Ding-ding!
‘If you want tough, I’ll give you tough…”
Following a hiatus from Bloc Party, the platinum-selling group that made Kele Okereke an icon of British 2000s rock, the frontman began work on his first solo project in 2009. The result was The Boxer, an eclectic record that echoed the stylings of his earlier creations but with a stronger influence from underground club beats. While reviews at the time were mixed, 15 years on, The Boxer holds up as a polished first solo effort.
Okereke described the 10-track album as a “rebirth” and was keen to explore more personal themes. On adopting the persona of a boxer for the album’s overarching concept, Okereke saw it as fitting: “You have to rely on nobody but yourself to get something done,” he said.