3 long-awaited years since Enter Shikari’s music graced our ears. The 7th album, A Kiss For The Whole World, is another excellent exhibition of the bands ability to keep us captivated after 20 years of genre-crossing music. Enter Shikari have always set and reset the mould, the band that actively won’t sit still and continue to influence so many other artists.
The first track, A Kiss for the Whole World x, very fittingly opens with fanfare trumpets, feeling like a worthy early celebration of this album. The track paves the way for the rest of the record and does so in a youthful and intoxicating way. Echoes of synthesisers, driving drums and guitar, mirrors that of previous albums, yet it doesn’t feel stale or exhausted. The tune also pays tribute to previous Shikari songs, with lyrics, ‘you’re still standing like a statue,’ a nice little easter egg for long-standing fans.
(pls) set me on fire, Shikari’s leading single provides pure unadulterated joy from the get-go. Lead singer Rou Reynolds states that he didn’t write music for almost two years and this song grew out of that desperation and that every emotion trapped inside him was finally set free. The song certainly feels like an explosion of exhilaration in victory and triumph. This feeling is reflected in the rest of the song’s to follow. It Hurts, teaches us about perseverance and that failure isn’t the end, much like any of Shikari’s other songs has a clear and relatable message.
Bloodshot is full of harsh synths with a dubstep-influenced intro leading into a captivating chorus that makes you want to put this song on repeat. It’s easy to get caught up in the serotonin-releasing goodness. Notably, Deadwood is a track worth sticking with to the end. Rou’s emotional vocals, paired with a delicate string section playing, quickly builds layers before hearing Rou let out a scream, the tension is broken mid-way through the track into a euphoric, orchestral chorus with the hopeful lyrics, ‘I want to feel the way you feel’. A beautifully unexpected turn, with such a full, rounded sound. Further showing how effortlessly this band can story tell within their music and lyrics.
A Kiss for the Whole World is more like a second chapter to the previous album, Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible than a whole new Shikari sound like previous albums. Regardless, it’s welcomed with open arms after a hard few years for everyone during the pandemic. This album feels organic and true to Shikari’s chameleon-like genre blending ways, with nods to the bands entire journey up until now. A combination of past, present, and future, it feels like Enter Shikari are still only just scratching the surface in the best possible way, and we look forward to more to come.
by – Cheyanne Jayne Manning @scramsistermedia
Cheyenne Jayne-Manning @scramsistermedia
Role: Photographer
I’m a professional photographer, and I love to shoot festivals, events, and gig-goers. I’m also an editor, specialising in music videos.
Qualification: BA (hons) in Documentary Film Making from the University of Newport.
Available for: Gig Shoots, Photo Shoots, Album and Single cover shoots and Touring
First attended gig: One of the first gigs I ever went to on my own was Chase & Status in 2008. My mates and I covered ourselves in glow paint, only to sweat it off jumping and dancing. It was the start of my never-ending gig list.
First gig shot: Technically the first band I ever shot would have been my dad’s, at the age of 9! My mum gave me this giant tape camcorder and I filmed the entire thing. Since then, I’ve shot plenty of friends’ bands whilst co-managing the live music venue, Le Pub in Newport, and I haven’t stopped since.
Dream gig: CASisDEAD, Slow Club, Enter Shikari, Dizzee Rascal (in the Boy In The Corner era), Turnstile, and The Prodigy.
