Enter Shikari had refined their unconventional sound to just about perfection by the time they got to their sixth studio album Nothing is True & Everything is Possible. The amalgamation of their styles and sounds over the past decade and more, with their signature edge of chaotic stylings, feels simultaneously more daring yet more mature than everything they've put out up to this point.
It's arguable that this could be presented as some sort of a magnum opus, given it's excellence in quality, diversity and overall identity, almost feeling like a pseudo-self-titled album. Their intentional direction towards unpredictable, atypical and unconventional sound design feels the most controlled and meaningful in this record, with an overall well structured tracklist, well made tracks and a lovely aesthetic to go along with everything.
The first thing that caught my eye about this record was the song titles. I think everyone enjoys entertaining the idea of weird and interesting ways to present song titles, and it is a common theme amongst alternative genres, but the randomness in this tracklist hits the spot. The contrast in the titles and their order hits the right spot in designing a visually appealing tracklist.
It's not just eye candy either, the song titles fit the songs themselves, and it gives this unique identity to every track and the record as a whole. I love how there's such a strong mood and vibe represented in each song that resonates so well together as a whole. The ominosity of THE GREAT UNKNOWN, the softness of the pressure's on., the spitefulness of thē kĭñg, it feels like a complete set of extremely human emotions that provides such a unique experience.
It's not a concept album per se, but the way the album tackles topics, concepts and emotions in such a fluid and orderly way, makes it feel like one. Some songs are very timely and relevant to 2020, others feel timeless and touch on the most human of things, yet it never ruins the cohesiveness of the entire package. The songs all sound like they belong together even when they're so vastly different style-wise, and the two Waltzing off the Face of the Earth tracks help to tie it all together so well.
They've never been strangers to electronic infusion, but I'd like to think they've gotten multitudes better with this record, particularly for their expansive use of it in a variety of flavours. The blaring synths in the more upbeat tracks channel the energy so effectively, while the more subtle electronic effects and sounds in the calmer tracks inject this definitive sense of surreality into them. It's a wonder to listen to their music, especially with the range that they achieved.
It's been one of the better surprise finds in my musical journey. I only caught onto this album the year after it was released (as I usually do) but I've found it to be a lot of fun to listen to, and even more fun as an album experience. There's some great moments in this record that can only allude to great musicianship and bold choices to innovate in unorthodox ways. What a wonder.
Rating: 9/10