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New albums from Enter Shikari and Holly Humberstone reviewed

Daily Star's music guru reviews new LPs from Enter Shikari who take a dim view of human future existence via epic arrangements and Holly Humberstone tumbles down the pop rabbit hole

[Enter Shikari]

Enter Shikari back with Lose Your Self

Surely even Basil Fawlty couldnt have resisted Enter Shikaris overwhelmingly positive outlook that powered their previous album, but it sounds like frontman Rou Reynolds is struggling to maintain such enthusiasm on latest offering Lose Your Self.

The bands world view goes dark on post apocalyptic banger, Find Out The Hard Way, where Reynolds laments were sitting in a mushroom cloud.

Shikari can do it all musically and likewise have always blended digital with organic in all facets of their work, but theyre now rallying against an uncertain future disconnected from nature via some of their most epic arrangements.

You can hear traces of Faithless in the title tracks soaring stadium techno hooks, while mid 80s period Depeche Mode gives Dead In The Water an ominous electronic touch.

Shikaris music is a vast concoction of everything from rock to drum n bass, but more importantly it retains a four star fury that can leave you floored, even if the sentiment is more pessimistic that before.

Meanwhile supporting Taylor Swift has seriously rubbed off on Holly Humberstones songwriting particularly the poetic manner in which she kicks former suitors to the curb on her Cruel World LP.

Brimming with melodic joy, To Love Somebody and dreamy Die Happy romanticise that dopamine hit of unrequited love come good, whereas she aims to make bad drama all the better during confessional gem, Make You Better.

Some of the Gothic fairytale imagery feels at odds with the music which, for all its charm and chorus power, treads a more middle-of-the-road three star aesthetic than anything truly alternative.

Nevertheless, the title tunes subtle funk offers a satisfying change of pace as she bemoans long-distance relationships.

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