Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke has told the Guardian that he is currently putting the finishing touches on a new solo album, as well as confirming that he is due to become a father in the near future.

Okereke and his Bloc Party bandmates released their fifth record Hymns in January of this year, and have just announced three dates for February next year, the dates of which are below, and tickets can be bought here. The album also marked the first albums to be released under the band’s latest lineup, featuring bassist  Justin Harris and drummer Louise Bartle. In early October, Bloc Party released the video for the track ‘Stunt Queen’, which marked the first song to be written collaboratively by the four current members.

08/02- Albert Hall- Manchester 

10-11/02-Roundhouse-London

In his interview with the Guardian, Okereke described the new solo album that he was near to completing as “a solo work that’s quite different to what I’ve done in the past. Over the years, with Bloc Party, I’ve been moving away from playing the guitar to exploring more electronic textures, but this record is the opposite of that.”

When quizzed further about his imminent fatherhood, Okereke responded by saying “I’m excited. I’m petrified. I want to do a good job. I want to be present and that is the most important thing for me, but it still feels quite far away.” Kele added, “I’ve always wanted to be a father and I’m very lucky that my partner has always felt the same way. I get why lots of gay men don’t feel like this, but for me it has always felt like something would be missing,”

After confirming that the baby was due in “the second week of December”,  Kele also divulged that both he and his partner knew the sex of the baby, but that they are “not telling anyone”.