(Standalone single)
I can already guess what you're thinking, and yes, this is quite heavy for me. But (and it's a big but) I love this song - here we have a band that takes the rock/metal sound and adapts it to remain top of their game and at the forefront of a genre's evolution.
"Radiate" opens with the whole band in full swing, a thrashing drum roll welcoming listeners to what will be 4 and a half minutes of sonic carnage - not only is this song quite heavy, it's very layered and incredibly loud. What I love however, is the synthy element; keyboards pulsate behind the riff in the first 20 seconds, which, prior to the initiation of a chugging, choppy shred section is an example of Enter Shikari's experimental take on the heavier rock sound. Shortly after this, there's a more typical metal moment (speedy solo, screaming etc.) before a massively stripped down section begins at 1:28, presenting the underlying and previously lost delicacy of the riff and vocal, creating, for the latter at least, an alternate interpretation almost. And then, exactly 1 minute later, the song returns to it's violent, attitudinal and expressive self, before dipping back to gentleness for the cliff-hanger end.
I really like the changing nature of the track, combined with the innovative use of electronic elements on a sound that is so typically pitched against such sonics. It's an inventive approach and one that still sounds really well executed and polished, with high-end production to support the adventurous move. Best of all is how 'experimental' here, doesn't sound sparse or lacking, like 'oh, we'll get to that soon' - it's a wholesome experiment, one whereevery element is being tested. That makes it, for me at least, quite special.
"Radiate" aspires to achieve a lot given it's pop song status, and I think it does well to meet the criteria of exciting and new. For example, it's already been voted record of the week on BBC Radio 1, something you certainly wouldn't expect from a song of this genre amongst the Olly Murs and Rita Oras of the contemporary British music scene. Enter Shikari should be proud to have so flawlessly flaunted the post-hardcore sound and to have had commercial success in the mainstream whilst doing so. Yes, I know - I condemn and support the worth of mainstream opinion pretty much when it suits me, but seriously, and taking an adult perspective that all opinionmatters, I think we can safely say that everyone has it right regarding "Radiate"...
★★★★
Versions of “Radiate”
Single Version - 4:33