Released: 17th April 2020
Rating: ★★★★
Enter Shikari have always known exactly what they’re doing, no matter what genre they’re working in, a streak that’s continued over their sixth album ‘Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible’. They’ve never been afraid to pick and choose elements from whatever takes their fancy to a commendable effect: ambient synths with distorted vocals, heavy breakdowns reminiscent of previous albums, huge orchestral scores, this is a band that would sample a kitchen sink just to say they’ve got everything. But it works.
Lead single ‘{ The Dreamers Hotel }’ is a blistering example of what the band do at their best; crunchy bass and machine-like percussion, with human drum machine Rob Rolfe blurring the line between synthetic programming and live kit. ‘Waltzing off the Face of the Earth’ provides some of Rou Reynolds’ most politically charged lyrics, taking aim at climate change deniers, Flat Earthers and other aspects of modern life, all in one fell swoop that slowly pushes the weight of the world’s current climate onto you.
Further along, ‘Elegy For Extinction’ is a beautifully arranged, near-four minute orchestral piece recorded with the City of Prague Symphony Orchestra that builds and builds to an incredible crescendo, while recent single ‘T.I.N.A’ is an apocalyptic rock, sounds of jet fighters flying overhead and all.
What Shikari have managed to achieve over the course of the album is nothing short of spectacular, all produced by Reynolds himself. Sonically technicolour and emotionally draining in the best way, it may feel like the end of the world, but Enter Shikari are here to hold it all together.
Kay Jupe
