Kele Okereke: Tenderoni.

Informing NME magazine that he’ll ‘Have time off when I’m an old man’, at the Tenderoni, (see what I did there?), age of 29, Bloc party’s front man Kele Okereke has decided to go solo. With ten track album ‘The Boxer’ due for release on June 21 and single Tenderoni already making waves in the dance scene, it won’t be long before we’re set to see whether or not his debut solo offerings will be a knockout or will simply fail to pack a punch.

After confessing his ongoing passion for dance music, it’s no surprise Kele has opted for electronic beats and synths in his new project. After five years working with band Bloc Party, it’s a brave move to make for such a prestigious front man and is pleasantly refreshing to see his individuality and personal passions manifest into the track before us.

Tenderoni first appears tedious and even arguably dull, despite the odd echo of Bloc Party’s dependable manner. However, given a chance, Kele’s whispering vocals lend the track its own atmosphere and feeling, showing that it pays off to sing with passion rather than monotonous tones. Kele even helpfully spells out the word Tenderoni throughout, something that can be easily overlooked as being tacky, (may I remind you of Fergie’s Glamorous?!), but strangely adds to the charm this track has to offer. Whatever your conclusion, it’s most definitely worth a listen.

And for those wondering where Bloc Party have got to whilst Kele shows off his new-found solo stardom, there’s no need to panic just yet. There has been no creative differences, no Gallagher brothers style bust ups – they’re simply taking a break. As the saying goes, whilst the cat’s away, the mice will play and it looks as though Kele has wisely opted to be the mice in this hiatus.

Jack Johnson: To the Sea.

It’s been just shy of a decade since Hawaiian born Jack Johnson found success with the release of his debut album, ‘Brushfire Fairytales’. Renowned for his easy going acoustic style, the majority of Johnson’s tracks are a staple part of any ‘chilled’ playlist’; whether it’s set for a lazy Sunday afternoon or a bank holiday BBQ. His latest offering ‘To the Sea’ is no exception, although this, (being the fifth), time around it appears as though he has taken a leaf out of fellow acoustic songster Newton Faulkner’s book, occasionally embracing percussion in favour of lack lustre lullabies.

With the odd harmonica, tambourine and crashing symbol, newcomers to Johnson are in for a treat – as are his loyal, steadfast fans. For those familiar with crowd pleasers ‘Better Together’ and ‘Banana Pancakes’, there is hardly any need to be anxious. With tracks such as ‘To the Sea’ and the sentimentally oozing ‘My Little Girl’, Johnson hasn’t yet lost grip of his guitar, (and our heart!), strings.

Its track number four, ‘At or With Me’, where Johnson becomes more than background music. Despite the somewhat disjointed song title, Johnson keeps it simple. It’s upbeat, cheerful and reminiscent of Paulo Nutini’s recent musings. The end result is something entirely refreshing, rather than being annoyingly different.

Not to forget upcoming title track ‘You and Your Heart’; a delicate mixture between the two personalities Johnson so boldly emits throughout the album. Catchy like his previous hits yet packing a slight punch, it is bound to become a crowd pleaser – at the very least a top contender for this summer’s breezy compilations.

Don’t get me wrong, Johnson remains a constant feature within my CD collection, however after five previous albums his voice tends to become insignificant during ‘To the Sea’, only being pushed, nurtured and made the most of in a third of the tracks put forward.

Despite this, overall it looks as though he’s done it again; a mellow, optimistic collection with the odd crowd pleaser, a handful of smooth melodies and a pinch of something special. And the best thing? He’s done it just in time for summer.

So, get out your sun lounger, crack open a cold beer and have a listen to single 'You and Your Heart':

Zola Jesus: Stridulum.

Replace Florence’s Welch’s flame red curls with sleek, jet black waves, her trademark Victorian ruffles with black smocks and skinny jeans and lo and behold; we’re presented with 21 year old Nika Danilova, responsible for Zola Jesus’ fixating vocals. An American singer/songwriter who has previously toured with the likes of Fever Ray, Danilova possesses a set of lungs Welch would be jealous of, swapping harps and glitter for the crashing drums and eerily consuming melodies that group Zola Jesus are blissfully capable of.

Consisting of just six tracks, Stridulum is the perfect balance between love and hate, comprised of electronic tinged power ballads with lyrics that seem far too aged for Danilova’s youthful mind. However, with vocals to challenge the best of them, it’s no surprise she’s resting comfortably on another level.

Despite their dark and gloomy image, tracks such as I Can’t Stand offer comforting words – ‘I can’t stand to see you this way, it’s going to be alright’, exclaiming that ‘... it’s not easy to let things go’. It’s difficult to tell whether Zola Jesus are offering a helping hand or whether it’s a moment of self rationality, but either way it makes for good listening - hypnotizing in fact. Trust Me appears to follow the same route; ‘When you’re lost, you know I’ll be around’. These moments allow us to put the darker face of Zola Jesus aside, opting to be inspired and reassured instead.

Of course, their upcoming debut single must be mentioned; it is one of the strongest tracks on the EP after all, (in my opinion of course). Night is the epitome of Danilova’s vocal strength, creeping from an eerie and mysterious introduction into a full blown drum ridden crescendo. A tale of indulgent lust, Night has a mesmerizing effect, fading into an electronic ensemble of horror-like synths.

This is without a doubt a group you’ll not want to hear the last of. Surprisingly refreshing, perhaps it’s about time we gave way to the devil on our shoulder. After all, Welch and Co can’t take the top spot forever, right?

And for those bright enough to lend an ear, here is Night.