| A Kiss for the Whole World | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 21 April 2023 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 33:52 | |||
| Label | SO Recordings | |||
| Producer | Rou Reynolds | |||
| Enter Shikari chronology | ||||
| ||||
A Kiss for the Whole World is the seventh studio album by English rock band Enter Shikari, released on 21 April 2023 through SO Recordings. It was preceded by the lead single "(Pls) Set Me on Fire" and debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, becoming Enter Shikari's first number-one album.
The album was recorded "using only solar power in a run-down farmhouse", [3] with vocalist and producer Rou Reynolds describing it as "a collection of songs that represent an explosive reconnection with what Enter Shikari is. The beginning of our second act". [4] Reynolds also stated that he "wanted to make a high energy album of bangers". [5]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 79/100 [3] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Clash | 8/10 [6] |
| Kerrang! | 4/5 [7] |
| The Line of Best Fit | 8/10 [8] |
| NME |   [9] |
| The Skinny | [10] |
| Sputnikmusic | 2.9/5 [11] |
A Kiss for the Whole World received a score of 79 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on six critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception. [3] Emma Wilkes of NME wrote: "Here, on their seventh album and two decades down the line, Enter Shikari sound perhaps the most joyful they've ever been, and even when they become characteristically philosophical, it still comes from a place of positivity." Wilkes concluded that the record positions "joy as an act of resistance". [9] Dylan Tuck of The Skinny noted it "marks a resurgent and rampant follow-up to the similarly chameleonic soundscape" of the band's previous album, 2020's Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible , and one can "genuinely feel the life pouring out of the record. It's eccentric, erratic and just the sui generis of what Enter Shikari stand for." [10]
Rishi Shah of Clash described the production as "polished, yet fearless" and the album as "a mission statement of spreading love and optimism, exemplified by some of the most emotive, unified vocals we've heard from Rou to date". Shah concluded that it "carries the intricate soundscapes of The Spark and Nothing Is True... forward". [6] Sam Law of Kerrang! found there to be an "explosive exuberance at the heart" of the album, one that is "fiercely affirmative" and argues there is "still beauty out there on our troubled planet". [7]
Reviewing the album for The Line of Best Fit , Ims Taylor called Enter Shikari "a band who have consistently delivered nothing but fire, politically, socially, sonically, and ambitiously [...] and A Kiss For The Whole World proves it again", opining that they have "reinvent[ed] themselves again, [and] in perhaps the most hopeless times of all, they're seeding their commentary with hope, happiness, and community". [8] A staff writer from Sputnikmusic stated that A Kiss for the Whole World is "eminently-listenable low-calorie fun despite its intermittent slip ups. It is well worth the time of any long-term band-fan, particularly those in need of their, uh, electrosynphonicorepop fix". [11]
A Kiss for the Whole World debuted atop the UK Albums Chart dated 28 April 2023, becoming Enter Shikari's first number-one album on the chart after five top-10 albums. [12]
All lyrics are written by Rou Reynolds; all music is composed by Enter Shikari.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "A Kiss for the Whole World x" | 3:31 |
| 2. | "(Pls) Set Me on Fire" | 3:04 |
| 3. | "It Hurts" | 3:18 |
| 4. | "Leap into the Lightning" | 3:04 |
| 5. | "Feed Your Soul" | 1:18 |
| 6. | "Dead Wood" | 3:50 |
| 7. | "Jailbreak" | 3:54 |
| 8. | "Bloodshot" | 3:24 |
| 9. | "Bloodshot (Coda)" | 1:17 |
| 10. | "Goldfish" | 3:20 |
| 11. | "Giant Pacific Octopus (I Don't Know You Anymore)" | 2:37 |
| 12. | "Giant Pacific Octopus Swirling Off into Infinity..." | 1:15 |
| Total length: | 33:52 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 13. | "The Void Stares Back" (featuring Wargasm) | 3:52 |
| 14. | "Bull" (featuring Cody Frost) | 3:12 |
| Total length: | 40:56 | |
Adapted from liner notes [13]
Enter Shikari
Additional musicians
| Production
Additional personnel
|
| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA) [14] | 49 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [15] | 13 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC) [16] | 3 |
| UK Albums (OCC) [17] | 1 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC) [18] | 1 |
| UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) [19] | 1 |
Enter Shikari are a British rock band formed in St Albans in 1999 by bassist Chris Batten, lead vocalist and keyboardist Rou Reynolds, and drummer Rob Rolfe. In 2003, guitarist Rory Clewlow joined the band to complete its current line-up, and it adopted its current name. In 2006, they performed to a growing fanbase at Download Festival as well as a sold-out concert at the London Astoria. Their debut studio album, Take to the Skies, was released in 2007 and reached number 4 in the Official UK Album Chart, and has since been certified gold in the UK. Their second, Common Dreads, was released in 2009 and debuted on the UK Albums Chart at number 16; while their third, A Flash Flood of Colour, was released in 2012 and debuted on the chart at number 4. Both have since been certified silver in the UK. The band spent a considerable amount of time supporting the latter release through the A Flash Flood of Colour World Tour, before beginning work on a fourth studio album, The Mindsweep, which was released in 2015. Their fifth studio album The Spark was released in 2017. Their sixth album Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible was released in April 2020. Their seventh and latest album, A Kiss for the Whole World, was released on 21 April 2023 which gave them their first-ever No. 1 album.
Take to the Skies is the debut studio album by British rock band Enter Shikari.
"Jonny Sniper" was the third physical single, and fourth overall, by Enter Shikari and the third single to be released from their debut album Take to the Skies. The band have referred to the single as a "double a-side", possibly due to the positive response to "Kickin' Back on the Surface of Your Cheek", the b-side from the previous single.
Common Dreads is the second studio album by English rock band Enter Shikari, released on 15 June 2009 and 16 June in the US. Recording of the album took place in late 2008–2009. The album was produced and mixed by Andy Gray at Arreton Manor. Guitar production was carried out by Dan Weller of SikTh.
"Juggernauts" is a song by British rock band Enter Shikari produced by record producer Andy Gray for their second studio album, Common Dreads. The song was released as a single on 29 May 2009. The song was also released on 7" limited edition vinyl, of which only 1000 copies were made. "Juggernauts" was first broadcast to the public on Zane Lowe's show on BBC Radio 1 on 15 April 2009. It was selected by Scott Mills as his record of the week on 1 June 2009.
Enter Shikari are an English rock band formed in 2003. Their debut album, Take to the Skies, was released on 19 March 2007 and reached number 4 in the UK Albums Chart. The album was later certified Gold. Their second album, titled Common Dreads, was released on 15 June 2009 and peaked at number 16. Their third studio album A Flash Flood of Colour was released on 16 January 2012 and debuted at number 4. Their fourth studio album The Mindsweep was released on 19 January 2015 to critical acclaim.
No Sleep Tonight is a song by British rock band Enter Shikari, taken from their second studio album, Common Dreads. The song was released as a single on 31 July 2009.
Electronicore is a fusion genre of metalcore with elements of various electronic music genres, often including trance, electronica, and dubstep.
"Quelle Surprise" is a single by British rock band Enter Shikari, released on 19 May 2011. It was originally planned to be the first single released from the band's third studio album A Flash Flood of Colour. However, Rou Reynolds later confirmed that it would not feature, and instead will be a stand-alone single much like the previous single "Destabilise". The song was first played live at the SXSW Festival on 18 March 2011 in Austin, Texas. The track's debut airing was on 19 May 2011 Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show, he chose the track for the "Hottest Record In the World" spot.
A Flash Flood of Colour is the third studio album by English rock band Enter Shikari, and was produced by Dan Weller. The album was recorded in May and June 2011 at Karma Sound Studios in Bang Saray, Thailand, and at the Fortress in London, United Kingdom. It was released internationally on 16 January 2012 by Ambush Reality, the band's record label in the United Kingdom, and Hopeless Records in North America.
"Thumper" is a single by British rock band Enter Shikari from their 2010 compilation album Tribalism. It was released on 12 February 2010 on iTunes.
The Mindsweep is the fourth studio album by English rock band Enter Shikari, released on 19 January 2015 through Ambush Reality, PIAS Recordings and Hopeless Records. It was recorded in 2014 with producer Dan Weller.
"The Last Garrison" is the first single taken from the fourth studio album by British rock band Enter Shikari, The Mindsweep. The song was first played on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show on 20 October 2014, while the single was released on iTunes and Spotify on the same day.
"Anaesthetist" is the second single taken from the album The Mindsweep by British rock band Enter Shikari. The song was first played on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show on 5 January 2015. An official video for the song directed by Mike Tyler was released on YouTube later the same day.
The Mindsweep: Hospitalised is a remix album by English rock band Enter Shikari, released on 30 October 2015. It featured remixes from drum and bass London-based label Hospital Records artists of songs taken from the band's fourth studio album The Mindsweep.
"Redshift" is a single by British rock band Enter Shikari. The song was first played on BBC Radio 1 on 11 January 2016 and released as a digital single the day after. An official video for the song directed by Mike Tyler was released on YouTube the same day.
The Spark is the fifth studio album by English rock band Enter Shikari, released on 22 September 2017 through Ambush Reality and PIAS Recordings. It was recorded in Northamptonshire in early 2017.
Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible is the sixth studio album by English rock band Enter Shikari, released on 17 April 2020 through Ambush Reality and SO Recordings.
Moratorium (Broadcasts from the Interruption) is the third compilation album by British rock band Enter Shikari, released on 16 April 2021. Recorded throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the album consists of remote live and acoustic performances recorded while the band members were separated from one another due to lockdown measures.
Truth Decay is the eighth studio album by English rock band You Me at Six. It was released on 27 January 2023, through the band's own recording label Underdog Records and AWAL in association with Rise Records.
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