Bloc Party to Start Work on New Album in September, Says Guitarist

Bloc Party are set to return from their two-year hiatus in September, according to guitarist Russell Lissack. However fans shouldn't expect any live shows soon, as the band have no intentions of playing together outside the studio in 2011.

Speculation surrounding the band's return has increased in recent months after the four-piece issued a group photo at Christmas and Lissack ended his stint as touring guitarist for Ash.

Now Lissack has elaborated on the band's future in an interview with the NME. The guitarist said, "Kele [Okereke, band frontman] and I started working on Bloc Party stuff. We're having a bit of a break until the festivals are over, because people have commitments during the summer, but we're going to get back properly in September and sit in a rehearsal studio to work on new band material."

Since taking a break from Bloc Party, three of the band's members have embarked on side-projects. Alongside his stint with Ash, Lissack has been working on Pin Me Down, frontman Kele undertook a solo album 'The Boxer' and bassist Gordon Moakes busied himself with Young Legionnaire.

Work on the band's fourth album is, according to Lissack, already underway with the guitarist reported as saying (via Neader's Jukebox) that he's written "maybe seven or eight songs" for the new record. As for an imminent return to the live circuit, drummer Matt Tong recently revealed on Facebook that Bloc Party would "most likely not" be playing live this year.

Watch the Video for Bloc Party's 'Two More Years'