ENTER SHIKARI - ‘(PLS) SET ME ON FIRE’

Writer’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Enter Shikari are back and with the announcement of their new, seventh album ‘A Kiss For The Whole World,’ comes a new single. ‘(pls) set me on fire’ feels like the manifestation of 20+ years of hard work for the lads, frantic synths, heavy riffs and Rou Reynolds' energetic delivery of the lyrics are all on full display here. If this is how they’re preparing us for the album then it’s clear to see this band has not and probably will never lose a step.

Lyrically, Rou sings and screams his heart out. Lamenting his life and how it seems to be crumbling around him. Begging to be set alight just to feel something. The lyric “Be my fire lily on the blackened ground,” truly stands out to me. Rou is calling out to someone to grow and love him even though everything has burned to the ground around him. ‘A Kiss For The Whole World’s’ cover features a fire lily in a burned down forest and it is an incredibly powerful image.

A big criticism of Enter Shikari is that over the years they’ve “gone soft” or whatever it is people say when a band doesn’t feel the need to scream every second line anymore but I feel it’s the opposite. Lyrically and thematically, the band are darker and heavier than they have ever been and this song is no different. Yes, at it’s core it is a hopeful song but it’s presented in such a way it takes a few listens to realise this. It’s another perfect example of a band continuing to perfect their craft and getting better as they go.

This band keeps evolving and changing, refusing to stay stagnant whilst refusing to change who they are. It is something to be admired and something that only strengthens my belief that they are one of the best bands in the world.