Enter Shikari Deliver a 'Kiss For The Whole World' on Spirited New Album

The U.K. electronic/rock and metal band's vocalist Rou Reynolds talks about songs from the record, the pandemic and India

- ANURAG TAGAT

FOR ALL THE TREPIDATION THOUGHTS that came out in music during the worst years of the pandemic, it was only apt that there were going to be bright, euphoric calls to happiness and being openhearted once things got better. U.K. act Enter Shikari’s new album A Kiss for the Whole World is squarely in that latter category, if you couldn’t already tell from the title alone.

Brandishing their honed style of electronic meets hardcore and rock, Enter Shikari’s seventh album has trademark warmth (“We’ll be dancing on the frontline/To symphony number 9)” as Reynolds sings on the title track), sharp barbs (“She looked busy/Scrolling herself to death” on “Dead Wood”) and a few shattering realizations (“Disaster ain’t pre-determined/Any more than love and learning” on “It Hurts”) as well.

Beyond that, there are unmissable references weaved into the lyrics that reference their previous albums, from the breakout Take To the Skies from 2007 to 2017 pop-leaning full-length The Spark and Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible from 2020. Sonically, the hardcore breakdowns and punk energy is very much a part of Enter Shikari’s latest, alongside glitchy production, bright synths as well as squelchy sub-bass that can make clubs quake.

With the release of A Kiss for the Whole World, the band – Reynolds, drummer Rob Rolfe, bassist Chris Batten and guitarist Rory Clewlow – have a chance to set things right considering