While most artists spend months teasing, drip-feeding singles and building anticipation, Enter Shikari did something rather different last Friday. They just released an album. No announcements, no teasers, no lead singles — Lose Your Self, their new 12-track record via So Recordings, simply appeared, fully formed, available to stream and buy on CD and vinyl worldwide. It’s a bold move, and a very Enter Shikari one.
Frontman Rou explains the thinking: “We want people to go on a proper journey with this album, and see where it takes them. No lead up, no singles, and no explanation. Forcing the listener to actually listen, without being drip-fed ideas out of context, or spoon-fed explanations.” The band got their number one album last time around, so this wasn’t about chart strategy — it was about presenting the music as a cohesive whole, without distraction.
The record spans 12 tracks exploring desolation, futility and despair at the state of the world — their darkest and heaviest album to date by their own account — but with threads of hopefulness and optimism running throughout. “Shikari will always offer hope, because without hope there is no action. We’ll just always offer it with a dose of realism,” Rou adds. Today they’ve shared the official music video for ‘Find Out The Hard Way’, the album’s opening track, shot in South London by Jasper Visuals and now streaming on YouTube.
Three intimate album release outstore shows — The Cavern in Liverpool, The Fighting Cocks in Kingston and Signature Brew in London — sold out in seconds. And if you missed those, the band are also heading out on their biggest ever UK and European arena tour this November.
Lose Your Self by Enter Shikari is out now via So Recordings.
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