10/10
Record Label: Ambush Reality
Never ones to tread old ground, Rou Reynolds and the boys have crafted an audio assault that builds upon their previous records and sees them hone their highly individual sound even further. Opener ‘System’ is a thoughtful track reminiscent of The Streets at their best, with Reynolds clearly still driven to write powerful, political lyrics to motivate and educate in equal measures.
Debut single ‘Sssnakepit’ sets the scene for the sonic pick and mix that runs throughout the album and combines amen-break Jungle, council estate Dub Step, basement hardcore beat downs and a towering nu-metal riff that Guano Apes would be proud of. They somehow blend these eclectic influences seamlessly and very naturally, the songs never feeling stunted or awkward with all the bounce and pace of the greatest in electronic and rock music.
The dance floor hi-hat attack of ‘Arguing With Thermometers’ crumbles into a heavy garage dub beat down and builds back up again into a perfect groove in the blink of an eye, but surprise favourite here is the Guillemots meets Brand New stomp of ‘Stalemate’ which burns and builds slowly and showcases a beautiful vocal melody, showing real musical talent and breadth in the material the band are now capable of.
This release cements Enter Shikari as the most innovative and exciting rock band the UK has to offer and it’s almost impossible to pick stand out tracks or pile quite enough praise on this album, which puts 99% of their contemporaries to shame. Superb music.
- Top Tracks
- Stalemate
- Ghandi Mate, Ghandi
Words: Jamie Otsa
A Flash Flood Of Colour is out January 16th on Ambush Reality
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