THE HYST LIST // Enter Shikari’s Shuriken Sharp Cuts

They haven’t been labelled Britain’s best band twice in a row for nothing, so imagine catching the monstrosity that is Enter Shikari up close and intimate.

It’s not too often an international act like Shikari plays smaller venues, but Australia, you’re in luck. The Redshift Australian Tour will see the British electro/punk/hardcore quartet grace places like Sydney’s The Metro Theatre and Brisbane’s The Triffid. Live, Enter Shikari are known for their destructive energy, which traditionally involves trashing instruments and crowd surfing. For fans new and old, we’ve got the band’s most prominent songs covered. Now it’s just a case of them all being played (our fingers are crossed).

Sorry, You’re Not a Winner

A defining song and sound from the band, Sorry, You’re Not a Winner introduced the world to Shikari’s unique blend of electro, synth, punk and hardcore. While the track’s production quality is low (a 2006 recording from Take To The Skies) it still stands the test of time today. You’ll hear (or not hear) that Rou Reynolds was yet to discover his discontent surrounding worldly and political issues, but it’s the song’s structure which makes it so prominent. The opening guitar riff is a standout feature, along with the immense buildup towards the end. Intentionally or not, Sorry, You’re Not a Winner has live crowds totally invested, with its iconic claps, chants and breakdowns.

Juggernauts

It’s gonna be one big party when Shikari rips out Juggernauts live (surely?). This track takes the cake when it comes to audience antics. There’s that perfect tempo/drum beat in its opening which will have punters bouncing and their calf muscles strained, while other sections of the song become fast and chaotic, perfect for the circle pit enthusiast.

No Sleep Tonight

Let’s hope this track is stashed away in the arsenal of old school bangers from the band. No Sleep Tonight is melodically prominent, its choruses high soaring in pitch and sound. Amidst the song’s brightness there’s a cheeky few seconds of grunge and double kicks to keep those accustomed to the band’s harder tunes happy.

Quelle Surprise

“If you stand for nothing, you’ll fall for anything”. Quelle Surprise is a call to arms, a wakeup call to Shikari fans and to anyone who listens. The song is both fierce in its sound and lyrics, making it impossible not to take home Reynolds’ message. The track’s opening synth line is stark contrast compared to the rest of the song, particularly with the ending breakdown. Grunge guitar paves way for an immense drop, with drums working in unison to create a powerful head banging piece of art. Both a credit to Shikari and the song’s producer, with the effect of Reynolds’ choking during this time something incredibly different. It adds to the song’s enormity and ultimately towards his struggle to be heard.

Arguing With Thermometers

Shikari’s use of satire and piss-taking with the video behind Arguing With Thermometers is nothing short of brilliant. It’s better seen than explained, but in short, it has band member’s mimicking news anchors like something out of Anchor Man. Put simply, this song is weird. Bass guitar has some kind of distorted funk behind it, band member’s chant “Ice” like they’ve inhaled a 20 pack of Winnie Blues in one sitting, and Reynolds finds himself rambling rather than singing. It’s no secret this song speaks of global warming, but on a larger scale it points the finger at world leaders/countries investing more money and time towards killing one another than looking at preservation.

Gandhi Mate, Gandhi.

When listening to this song live you might mistake yourself for being at stereosonic rather than a rock concert. Australian venues will want to have adequate enough speakers to cater for Gandhi Mate, Gandhi’s intro, because there’s some serious ‘doof’ to begin with. It’s nothing bad though, infact, it’s fucking huge once blended with the same rock sounds which take over shortly afterwards.

Anaesthesist

I don’t know where the hell Shikari get their electro backings from, but they sure as hell work.
The opening of Anaesthesist is both eerie and groovy, with drums creating a unique groove in verses. Reynolds uses this song to take a dig at our world’s health-care systems, especially in The UK.

The Appeal & The Mindsweep I and The Appeal & The Mindsweep II

A strategic placement on the band’s latest album The Mindsweep, both tracks set the bar high for its beginning and ending. Is it just me or does The Appeal & The Mindsweep II feel like a farewell song from the band? It mashes together a bunch of the band’s most iconic tunes, all transformed to match the tempo and sound of this closing track. Is this more about reflection, or is there are larger message at play? There’s too much momentum for Shikari to call it a day, we hope.

Destabilise

Destabilise is a rollercoaster of softs and louds, calmness and chaos. There’s no better example than at the halfway point of this song. Reynolds’ voice is soft and soothing, and he’s not joking when he says (warns) “This is the calm before the storm”. Arguably one of Shikari’s most explosive song parts, those listening are suddenly awoken from a dream and pulled into a volatile mix of double kicks and screams. Then just seconds later comes the monumental bounce, at which point any moshpit punter not wanting to jump will be taken with the crowd anyway.

The Last Garrison

One of the first releases off The Mindsweep, The Last Garrison proves just how infectious Shikari choruses can be. Coupled with Reynolds’ uplifting lyrics, it’s a track bound to have punters revelling in its positivity. That of course doesn’t mean the band have forgotten to squeeze in some heavier elements to the song, as you’ll find in its opening seconds. The Last Garrison is that perfect Shikari blend of bright and heavy which the band have become famous for.

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Did your Shikari favourite make the cut? Did we get you up to speed with all things Shikari? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook!

LIVE NATION, UNIFY AND HYSTERIA present:

ENTER SHIKARI AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2015

With Hacktivist and Stories

MONDAY 19 SEPTEMBER – 170 RUSSELL, MELBOURNE

TUESDAY 20 SEPTEMBER – THE TRIFFID, BRISBANE

WEDNESDAY 21 SEPTEMBER – METRO THEATRE, SYDNEY

THURSDAY 22 SEPTEMBER – THE GOV, ADELAIDE (all ages)

SATURDAY 24 SEPTEMBER – METROPOLIS FREMANTLE, PERTH

Tickets are available through livenation.com.au and www.entershikari.com