Review Summary: An album that does not live up to the band's previous classics, but one that is enjoyable and inventive none the less
Bursting onto the scene in late-2006 with “Sorry, You’re Not A Winner”, Enter Shikari’s ground-breaking fusion of post-hardcore and electronica won the hearts of many in the UK indie scene. Five years later, and the band has comfortably asserted themselves as one of the most innovative in the country, with the political fury and motivation of
Common Dreads affirming their relevance in England’s current political climate.
A Flash Flood Of Colour, seemingly following the band’s one-album-per-two-year trend, follows the band’s habit of progressing their sound with each album while at the same time refraining alienating their fans. Tracks like “Warm Smiles” and “Search Party” showcase the more streamlined sound that was observed with prior singles “Destabilise” and “Quelle Surprise”, where the electronic elements are used to emphasise the more post-hardcore instrumentation, adding atmosphere and power.
The other side of the album, shown in songs such as “Sssnakepit” and “Arguing With Thermometers”, shows the band experimenting with a much more chaotic and dense sound, primarily showing the dubstep influence that was shown earlier in the likes of “Destabilise”. While ridiculous at first, repeated listens bring the varied sounds and experiments together, making the songs seem concise and urgent, yet schizophrenic and deranged.
Ultimately,
A Flash Flood Of Colour does not live up to
Take To The Skies and
Common Dreads, which in my mind remain classics. However, it is still a fun and enjoyable listen from one of the most exciting and important bands to come out of Britain over the past few years.
