"Octopus" is a song by the British indie rock band

Bloc Party Bloc Party are an English Rock music, rock band, composed of Kele Okereke (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, sampler), Russell Lissack (lead guitar, keyboards), Justin Harris (bass guitar, keyboards, saxophones, backing vocals) and Loui ...

, released as the lead single from the band's fourth album ''

Four 4 (four) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 3 and preceding 5. It is the smallest semiprime and composite number, and is considered unlucky in many East Asian cultures. In mathematics Four is the smallest c ...

'' on 11 July 2012.

Background

"Octopus" was released as the band's first single since " One More Chance", a standalone single released 3 years before in 2009. "Octopus" was also notable as being the band's first single to be released on

Frenchkiss Records Frenchkiss Records is an independent record label based in New York City. The label was started in 1999 by Syd Butler, bassist and founder of Les Savy Fav. The label's first purpose was to release Les Savy Fav's second album '' The Cat and The Co ...

Reception

"Octopus" was well received by critics upon its release. ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' stated that the track "takes the band back to the earliest days of ''

Silent Alarm ''Silent Alarm'' is the debut studio album by English rock band Bloc Party. Recorded in Copenhagen and London in mid-2004 with Paul Epworth as producer, it was released on 2 February 2005, by Wichita Recordings. The album peaked at number three ...

''" and called the track "pure rock 'n' roll". ''

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'' also noted the band returning to their indie roots, as well as comparing the track's "strong guitar hook and catchy lyrics" to the band's sound on their debut ''Silent Alarm''. ''Counteract Magazine'' wrote that on the song, "Kele's vocals feel freer and less dominating, giving the whole band a chance to loosen up." They also called "Octopus" an "interesting comeback single" and an "exciting preview of what is yet to come." ''Pretty Much Amazing'' blog summed up the song by saying that it "has more pop appeal than it initially lets on. The beguilingly simple call-and-response melody ''will'' get stuck in your head with repeat listens."

Music video

Development

The music video for "Octopus" debuted on 10 July 2012 on Bloc Party's official

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page and on their website. The music video was directed by Nova Dando, who also directed the video for " What Did I Do?" by the band's lead singer

Kele Okereke Rowland Kelechukwu Okereke (born 13 October 1981), also known mononymously as Kele, is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the indie rock band Bloc Party. Early life Okerek ...

Synopsis

''Billboard'' summarised the music video for "Octopus" as "Bloc Party playing the track in an old warehouse while women dance in black leotards, spinning hula hoops and ribbons of primary colors ..Bright colors flash across the screen, working with both the primary color theme and the beat of the music." They called the video "a fitting complement for the song's simple, driven indie sound."

Live

The song frequently appears in the band's set, and was played extensively on the 2016

Hymns A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...

tour. In the live version, they often add the first verse of "I've been Tired" by

Pixies A pixie (also pisky, pixy, pixi, pizkie, and piskie in Cornwall and Devon, and pigsie or puggsy in the New Forest) is a mythical creature of British folklore. Pixies are considered to be particularly concentrated in the high moorland areas arou ...

Track listing

Digital download # "Octopus" – 3:05 7" single #Octopus #Straight Thru Cru Digital EP #Octopus #Straight Thru Cru #Octopus (

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Remix) #Octopus (Koreless Remix) Four More EP (free CD with

Musikexpress The ''Musikexpress'' is a monthly German magazine that mainly writes about the rock and pop music. In addition to detailed interviews and articles about important rock, electro, hip-hop, pop, and independent musicians, the magazine offers reviews ...

magazine) #Octopus #Straight Thru Cru #Lean #Octopus (Them Jeans Mix)

Personnel

;Bloc Party *

–

lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...

Russell Lissack Bloc Party are an English rock band, composed of Kele Okereke (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, sampler), Russell Lissack (lead guitar, keyboards), Justin Harris (bass guitar, keyboards, saxophones, backing vocals) and Louise Bartle (d ...

–

lead guitar Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featur ...

Gordon Moakes Gordon Peter Moakes is an English musician, best known as the bassist of rock band Young Legionnaire and former member of indie rock band Bloc Party. Bloc Party Moakes became a member of Bloc Party after responding to an advertisement placed i ...

–

bass guitar The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...

backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are use ...

Matt Tong Matt may refer to: *Matt (name), people with the given name ''Matt'' or Matthew, meaning "gift from God", or the surname Matt *In British English, of a surface: having a non-glossy finish, see gloss (material appearance) *Matt, Switzerland, a mu ...

–

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

;Production *Alex Newport – producer

References

External links

"Octopus" music video
{{Authority control 2012 singles Bloc Party songs 2012 songs Songs written by Kele Okereke Frenchkiss Records singles Songs written by Gordon Moakes Songs written by Russell Lissack Songs written by Matt Tong