A true British rock success story, Enter Shikari have grown from a basement band into one of the biggest alternative names to come out of the country. Their notoriously politically centred material has served as a beacon for movements across the past decade and, in light of today’s circumstances and the current political climate, their new record, The Spark, has more than enough material to work from.

Opening single ‘The Spark’ really captures the new direction of their sound instantly. A very synth-heavy vibe covered by atmospherics and upbeat bounciness, vocalist Rou Reynolds’ unmistakable tone soon kicks in and injects a warming sense of familiarity and edge to the piece. The track soon grows into a fully fledged flurry of sound and provides a singalong chorus that will undoubtedly land well with a festival crowd, a fantastic opening which will certainly catch the ear and encourage you to want to listen on.

I think one of the reasons the world fell in love with Enter Shikari is purely their unpredictability and mass diversity with their music, The Spark is certainly no different. Whether it be the mass hysteria and chaos of ‘Rabble Rouser’ through the electronic rap hybridisation, a nice subtle nod to Shikari’s older material, or the completely fresh and uplifting sounds of ‘Shinrin-Yoku’, which in itself is a masterpiece. ‘Shinrin-Yoku’ provides a solid break to the albums pacing through a far more ambient, chilled out sound, likewise Rou’s vocals make a sharp change into a far more soothing, sung touch which isn't typically associated with the band. The track addresses the tranquility of nature exquisitely and its ability to ‘supercharge’ humans, which has been captured beautifully within the music via a climax of some of the most detailed drum work I’ve come across in a long while and the ring of a clean guitar.

Listening through this album for the first time, even as a long time follower of Enter Shikari, you never know quite what you’re going to get, but this time the boys have absolutely smashed it. For myself, ‘Airfield’ takes the absolute pinnacle. The ballad starts as a hollowing solo piano and delicate introduction through Rou’s poised voice, but grows into a tidal wave of frantic sound as the fuzzy guitar pedals kick into gear. The track does hold a serious sense of hard-hitting emotion and vents a lot of frustration that many will certainly relate with, echoed even further by the sudden drop and prolonged silence at the end, this is definitely not one to simply brush over and I'm sure will come to mean many different things to different people.

The 11-piece length of The Spark is perfect, no song feels as though it was merely thrown in and all come brilliantly together to form a holistic collective that covers a multitude of modern day issues. Brexit, Trump, terrorism, the dismantling of the NHS, each finds their place addressed at some point on the record and each is done so with a great amount of power and aspiration for change. Another highlight definitely comes in the form of ‘The Revolt Of The Atoms’, a heavily hazed and darkened song which provides a satirical outlook on the way humans have ruined the planet and how the chemicals are plotting against us, a concept which I feel only Enter Shikari have the talent and creativity to pull off in such a clear way.

Perhaps some of the messages behind each track seem unclear on first listen, however, after a few run throughs, The Spark induces a definite “eureka” moment when all becomes inherently clear! Enter Shikari have once again made an album that preaches for revolution and uprising at its very core. In the current climate, that is definitely something today’s generation need to hear.

Ben Walker

Website: entershikari.com
Facebook: facebook.com/entershikari
Twitter: twitter.com/entershikari