Enter Shikari - Take To The Skies - Page 2

The Tenements · 2nd May 2007, 6:26pm

It’s rare to come across an album which is essential listening, not just because of its musical quality or its inventiveness, but also because of its importance to modern music. Take To The Skies is just such an album.

From the opening atmospheric synth of Stand Your Ground; This is an Ancient Land you can tell you’re about to hear something special and this feeling is solidified when Enter Shikari kicks in. With lead singer Rou producing such vitriol against a dynamic background of synth, crashing drums and heavy guitar riffage, you can’t help but be impressed by this young band as you’re swept along for the ride. Adieu showcases the band and their most heartfelt and mellow, with sweet infectious melodies accompanied by acoustic guitar, before building to a glorious crescendo in the last minute.

According to one of the band’s own song titles, Anything Can Happen in the Next Half Hour. This isn’t the best way to sum up the...

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Zippy · 2nd May 2007, 10:13pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamesy

And thus rejecting any hope of touring on any grand scale (USA/the world as headliners or selling out SECC sized venues)

But aye, this band are utter shite.

Let's be fair, there's no shame at all in not playing the SECC.

Talman · 2nd May 2007, 10:40pm

The album has a couple of listenable songs, but most of it is absolute shite. 5 interludes one the album. What's the fucking point in that?

They're signed now, but still undoubtedly shite.

Peatbog · 3rd May 2007, 10:54am

fucking CRAP honestly the amount of crap they talk about themselves is ridiculous. they big themselves up as being 'original' by 'merging rock and rave' which as dec pointed out is CRAP as they basically sound like any crap azriel-esque band with soem kid with a CRAP synth

CRAP !

Jaemi · 3rd May 2007, 11:00am

The album's no bad.
I've no idea what bleep-rock is, although that might just be me.

Jenpot · 3rd May 2007, 11:09am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamesy

And thus rejecting any hope of touring on any grand scale (USA/the world as headliners or selling out SECC sized venues)

But aye, this band are utter shite.

Actually, they're touring the US pretty soon.

I think they've done pretty well for themselves considering they set up their own label and considering they were huge among fans of similar music before their album was even released. They were also selling out venues months and months before the album was released. I'm not saying popularity = good quality music but it's a pretty impressive feat for a bunch of guys with very little help from the record industry.

Fair enough, I would say that, they're my cup of tea. I like a bit of synth with my screaming.

Kenny · 3rd May 2007, 12:31pm

Quote:

its importance to modern music

Laughed out loud.

Sorry mate, but regardless of their success in marketing themselves (or rather, paying someone to do it so well), it doesn't change the fact that the actual songs are trend-hopping derivative fodder.

bevros · 3rd May 2007, 12:55pm

aint the worst album iv heard but the fact they think they are pinoneers of mixing dance music with metal???? thy never heard of, The Prodigy, Mad Capsule Markets, Pitchshifter or even Apartment 26 (haha member them?) least its a bit of a change to the generic emo.scremo or all those other things that sound identical and end in the word core going about.

*Charlie Parker* · 3rd May 2007, 12:56pm

haha apartment 26

Withnail · 3rd May 2007, 1:21pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by UncleDave

I kinda like this band. They arent bad live although they do go on rather too much about sex, like they're overcompensating or something. Anyway, there is absolutely nothing new here, and in no way can any sensible person say with a straight face that they are changing... well, much of anything at all. But that said, they still make some decent tracks, imho.

Cheers!

You're right. They're not bad live. THey're fucking *dreadful*.

pANDAS Radio · 3rd May 2007, 3:01pm

Eskimos & Egypt should be mentioned here too. Enter Shikari might not be that original but at least one track on the album is decent. And don't slag the synth off, its a microKORG and therefore amazing (especially for under £200).

Quote:

Eskimos and Egypt was a late 1980's to mid 1990s cross-over band based out of Manchester, England. The band were one of the early pioneers of 'live' dance music. The band's members were Paul Cundall on keyboards and synthesizer, David Cameron-Pryde on keyboards and bass, Mark Compton on keyboards and guitar and Christopher O'Hare on keyboards and vocals. Their unofficial fifth member was long term collaborator Mark Stagg as engineer.

Dec · 3rd May 2007, 3:35pm

Eh, it's not a microKorg that they actually use. I've yet to see it plugged in anytime they play live.

MarkMono · 3rd May 2007, 3:38pm

Doesn't sound like one either, but they definitely have one around.

Dec · 3rd May 2007, 3:41pm

Aye, they have it onstage as a prop. No shit.

MarkMono · 3rd May 2007, 3:42pm

Sick.

pANDAS Radio · 3rd May 2007, 6:23pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkMono

Doesn't sound like one either, but they definitely have one around.

Its hard to tell exactly what a microKORG sounds like because the sound engine is so flexible and every single aspect of every sound can be altered in many different ways. I don't think it would be that hard to emulate their sound on one. Since most of the syntyh goes throughout whole tracks i wouldn't be surprised if they have it on a backing track rather than live. I was watching a Prodigy concert recently and for one whol;e track the only thing Liam seemed to be triggering with any of his 5000 keyboards was the bass drum.