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9.0
13457
9.0 |
musicOMH
Loose-limbed, electronic yet human and, most importantly, full of the experimentation and genre-blending Okereke always claimed to love
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9.0
13586
9.0 |
Independent on Sunday
If that band [Bloc Party] ever do reconvene, they'll sound 10 times better from now on for The Boxer existing. And if they don't, who cares? We've got a brave new pop star
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8.0
13590
8.0 |
Clash
Hi-NRG rhythms and sweet syncopated beats propel themselves skywards
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8.0
13630
8.0 |
Mojo
Once again pushes the boundaries of what British indie can be. Print edition only
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8.0
13634
8.0 |
The Quietus
Really, this is the album that he should have called Intimacy and, whatever the state of the Party after this, it's very much cause for celebration
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8.0
13456
8.0 |
BBC
A persuasive solo debut, confident, innovative and brimming with hooks
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8.0
13543
8.0 |
The Fly
While there is much to get your head around here, not least Okereke’s incessant genrehopping, ‘The Boxer’ works because it is, put simply, cut‘n’paste pop at its most brilliant
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8.0
13550
8.0 |
Evening Standard
The Boxer points to a more enjoyable future than the frowny mini-Radioheads his group were in danger of becoming
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7.0
13578
7.0 |
Spin
Boxer just ratchets up the electronic vibe of 2008's Intimacy, stretching even further sonically while maintaining Okereke's earthy, hyperpersonal songwriting
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7.0
13458
7.0 |
Subba Cultcha
A true melting pot of dance music and cerebral pop, something glorious is about to happen
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7.0
13600
7.0 |
NME
This is a record that has the dancefloor firmly locked in its sights
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6.0
13613
6.0 |
Q
The album is toploaded with a trio of songs that, thought smart and persuasive on their own terms, mark the biggest shift away from the singer's best-known material. Print edition only
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6.0
13661
6.0 |
Rave Magazine
You might think you’ve heard all of this before, and that may be true, but come with me and I guarantee you a pretty good time
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6.0
13511
6.0 |
The Guardian
It's a convergence that really works, with Kele mixing the adventurous side electronic music enables him to embrace with the conservatism borne of years in a guitar band. A really solid debut
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6.0
13521
6.0 |
The Irish Times
Sees the singer immerse himself in a haze of dubstep, techno and dance-oriented music. It’s a mostly successful foray
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6.0
13535
6.0 |
The Times
When The Boxer works, there’s no reason not to be swept along by its creator’s renewed sense of purpose
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6.0
13955
6.0 |
The Line Of Best Fit
This is not a momentous debut, but could well act as a springboard for a more challenging and accomplished solo effort
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6.0
14247
6.0 |
State
There’s no escaping the fact that the best moments on The Boxer are Bloc Party-indebted
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5.1
13723
5.1 |
Pitchfork
In place of huge choruses and bombast, Kele offers an album heavy on tone, mood, and texture. Unfortunately, his efforts fail make you forget the absence of things like hooks
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5.0
13455
5.0 |
Drowned In Sound
A batch of half-edited ideas glued together from stray bits of forgotten musical debris. It just isn’t good enough
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5.0
14819
5.0 |
Blurt
The Boxer proves to be a slapdash attempt at dance music
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5.0
15363
5.0 |
PopMatters
The album isn’t particularly lovable, but it isn’t an artistic failure, either
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4.0
13990
4.0 |
Eye Weekly
Kele’s time might have been better spent making a mixtape out of one of his DJ sets.
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4.0
14232
4.0 |
The Scotsman
His puny sense of melody and whiny vocal tone remain constant
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4.0
13536
4.0 |
The Skinny
Too often, though, it sounds a little ill conceived. The vocals are tired and repetitive; the beats aren’t as polished as they might be
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4.0
13844
4.0 |
God Is In The TV
A respectable debut, which hints at better things to come without ever truly excelling
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