For two decades now, Enter Shikari have been a band who thrive on action. Whether that is in the live setting where they have dominated through relentless touring (navigating their way through pubs, arenas and even festival headline slots), or in the studio where they have routinely dismantled and reassembled the blueprint of their own eclectic brand of sonics, action has always been central to the appeal and success of the St Albans standouts.
How then, would the band fare after the year and a half of complete inaction that followed the release of their last album, 2020’s ambitious and sprawling Nothing is True & Everything is Possible? The answer: an outstanding body of work that oozes positivity and progression and gives listeners continual opportunities to revel in the chaos and smile in the face of adversity.
Recorded and produced completely in-house on the South Coast of England using nothing but solar power, A Kiss For The Whole World’s release was preceded by a statement from frontman Rou Reynolds that the album would be an explosive ‘reconnection’ with who Enter Shikari is and the beginning of the bands ‘second act’. That second act opens in grandiose fashion, with the title track’s inspiring fanfare giving way as Reynolds initiates a release of supernova sized energy that twists and turns over three glorious minutes and, with the line ‘you’re still standing like a statue’, provides a playful Easter egg for their faithful followers. A ‘reconnection’ indeed.
“An explosive ‘reconnection’ with who Enter Shikari is and the beginning of the bands 'second act'”
The epic energy established by the opening track continues with lead single the ‘(pls) set me on fire’, which, with its radiating synth line and chugging guitars from Rory Clewlow that harken back to beloved debut album Take To The Skies, has already become a firm fan favourite. Up next is another previously released single; the intense whirlwind that is ‘It Hurts’. With the song coming to Reynolds fully formed in a dream, that sentiment is mirrored perfectly as the track’s euphoric electronics marry perfectly with impassioned lyrics to reassure listeners that their worth ‘doesn’t change at all’.
Having always had a penchant for pop drenched melodies, the band bring this to the fore with the unfathomably catchy ‘Leap into the Lightning’, which contains a chorus so infectious it is easy to forget how vital the song’s message is as it preaches the embrace of challenge and turmoil to produce something beautiful and beneficial. Flowing effortlessly into the first of three interlude tracks, ‘feed yøur søul’ particularly highlights one of Shikari’s most consistent strengths; its members have a deep, sagacious knowledge of electronic music which allows them to craft such passages in a way that extends and elongates the core essence of the songs which precede them, something that so many of their 00s contemporaries struggle in doing.
Much like their previous album, A Kiss For The Whole World’s centrepiece is a bombastic orchestral undertaking that delicately adds layer upon layer before arriving at a pummelling crescendo, with drummer Rob Rolfe and bassist Chris Batten particularly complementing Reynolds’ empathy exuding lyrics of ‘I want to feel the way you feel’. ‘Jailbreak’ arrives in a flurry of rave-esque melodies and further lyrical Easter eggs, encouraging listeners to ‘question everything’ including, most importantly, their own beliefs.
“a bombastic orchestral undertaking that delicately adds layer upon layer before arriving at a pummelling crescendo”
Final single ‘Bloodshot’ keeps the energy at a fever pitch, with deep, rumbling bass and catchy pitch-shifted vocal hooks before string-laden interlude track ‘Bloodshot (Coda)’ ushers in the jarring, post-hardcore-tinged guitars of ‘goldfĭsh ~’. Having never been afraid of nailing their political ideas to the mast, Reynolds describes the song as a rallying cry against powerful elites who do all they can to divide and ‘remove our ability to connect with each other and feel empowered’.
Following this is the arrival of A Kiss For The Whole World’s penultimate moment; the bouncing ‘Giant Pacific Octopus (i don’t know you anymore)’. An invigorating track that explores ideas of identity crisis and intense personal growth, this is yet another example of boisterous percussion, punk guitars and monolithic choruses combining in the most classic Enter Shikari way. The band’s seventh album reaches its finale with the experimental accompaniment ‘…giant pacific octopus swirling off into infinity…’. With its magical, mellow electronic beats giving way to the tranquil sounds of flowing water, it is difficult not to feel slightly underwhelmed by the anticlimactic way in which Rou & Co. have chosen to end this sensational album. It is difficult not to think ‘this isn’t over.’ Unless… that’s how they intended it.
Over the years, Enter Shikari have become a bastion of positivity, inclusivity and standing up for what is right. They are a band whose creative longevity, en masse, deserves to be lauded far more than it seemingly and, with the release of this album, it very much feels that their input into the world, much like the album’s closing moments, is not finished. As mentioned at the start of this review, this is the beginning of Enter Shikari’s ‘second act’ and if the first is anything to go by, it is going to be one hell of a ride.