Enter Shikari Talk To Stereoboard About Their Top 10 Album ‘A Flash Flood Of Colour’ (Interview)
Monday, 23 January 2012
Written by Rob Sleigh
Kicking off 2012 with a bang, Enter Shikari’s highly-anticipated third album ‘A Flash Flood of Colour’ crashed into the official UK Albums Chart this weekend as the highest new entry, reaching a satisfying Number Four. As the band prepare for their tour of the UK and Europe in March, alongside support acts Young Guns and Tek-One, Stereoboard caught up with bassist Chris Batten to find out more about the album and about what New Year’s Resolutions they’ve made…
It’s been a few months since you finished work on ‘A Flash Flood of Colour’. How are the band feeling now that it has finally been released?
We are just so excited for people to finally hear it. The album was actually finished in June and mixed by the end of August. So it was a real long time for us to wait before releasing it to the world. It was tough not to shout about it.
You spent much of last year touring and playing festivals. Did you introduce some of your new tracks in those performances?
We introduced a couple of new songs from the new album. We played ‘Sssnakepit’ and ‘Arguing with Thermometers’. It was amazing to see the response live, especially knowing that people hadn't actually heard the recorded versions. Gave us a good indication that people were enjoying it.
What kind of response have you had about the new tracks now they’ve been released?
Everything has been really positive. It's always the most exciting thing as a band, waiting to hear what people think of the new songs. This album has had some of the most positive immediate comments we've ever had.
You recorded this album in Thailand. What was that experience like?
Fantastic. It was an amazing studio. We were totally in the middle of nowhere. It meant we could concentrate completely on making the record. For the first time, we actually had enough time to really concentrate on experimenting with instrumentation, arrangement and tones. It was such a fun experience.
What did you get up to in Thailand while you weren’t recording? Did you get to enjoy much of the country while you were out there?
Yeah, we made sure we took some time out to relax and take in the surroundings. We had a couple of nights out drinking, but I think collectively, our favourite memory would be the boat trip we went on. We hired a boat and a skipper to take us out at sea. He took us to a tiny desolate island. We swam, drank beer, fished, caught some fish - including a shark and a stingray, cooked some on board, and took the rest home for dinner. It was awesome.
You were also working with a different producer, Dan Weller, this time. What was Dan like to work with and how did his contribution affect the sound of the album?
Dan is amazing to work with. We were big fans of his band Sikth when we were growing up, so we already had massive respect for him. What Dan really added was just a fresh head to the recording. He wasn't afraid to put forward ideas, and we weren't afraid to listen or push them aside.
Apart from a new location and a new producer, what was it like to record ‘A Flash Flood of Colour’ compared with your previous albums?
Like I said before, the main difference was the amount of time we had to write and record it. The first two albums were done in a bit of a rush. This album, we had all the songs written before we had even flown out to Thailand. Recording a record is one of the most exciting and enjoyable experiences, especially this album. Seeing the whole record come together was an amazing experience.
What have you learned from your first two releases that helped you this time around?
Well, I think the main lesson we've learned from our experiences so far is that there is no "outline" for releasing music any more. In this day and age, there are so many possibilities. With the internet we can release free singles and they don't have to even be involved within an album cycle etc. Our first two albums really made us realise that. Our first album was released our way, on our own label, and it did better than we ever could have expected. The second album we released through a major label who tried to put us through their own model of releasing music. It just wasn't really cut out for us and made us realise that the most success we'll ever have is when we do things the way they feel right to us.
For anyone that hasn’t yet listened to ‘A Flash Flood of Colour’, what can they expect?
Well, there's so much going on in this record, it's hard to know where to start. It's more extreme in every way. We sound heavier than ever, yet at times more melodic and catchy. It really does have something for everybody. We're very proud of it.
What do you think will surprise people most about this album?
I think people will be surprised by the variety in the album. The lyrics are going to spark a lot of conversations between people who listen to it. Whether they agree or disagree, at least people are talking about things and opening there minds.
Have you drawn from any different influences or sounds this time?
Collectively as a band, we draw from so many different styles of music. We always draw from music that excites us the most, music that is at the forefront of change rather than music that recycles what's been done already.
You’ll be back in the UK in March for a major tour, stopping at a few places you’ve played at before. How are you feeling about that tour and what can people expect this time around?
We're really excited. We've got big plans for this tour. We love playing big stages because it means we can really bring in a whole load of production. We're working on lighting rigs at the moment and there's enough lights to fill Wembley arena. People can expect an intense show full of sweat. No one will leave the venue feeling disappointed.
You’ll be taking Young Guns out on the road with you. Both bands have shared a similar experience recording your most recent albums. Are you all good friends?
Yeah, we are. We've always had a way of running into each other on the road. They also record with Dan, so once we started working with him it was only natural that we'd become good mates. We can't wait for this tour. Young guns are gonna keep us on our toes. A great band like them means we'll have to up our game each night.
What are you looking forward to most about heading out on tour with Young Guns?
The best tours are always the tours when there are no egos, when bands are all friends and everyone gets along. There's nothing worse than being on the road when people or bands are unhappy. You can always tell there's a weird vibe in the air. We know this tour will be exactly the opposite. We know the guys we're touring with and we know we get along great. It's gonna be great fun.
What else have you got planned for 2012? Will you be back in the summer for more festivals?
We certainly hope to be. After our UK and Europe tour, we head to North America for a headlining tour. That will take us about two months. After that, we'll be into festival time. We're waiting to find out which ones we're gonna be playing
What New Year’s resolutions have you made?
All too many! As a band though, I think we're real happy with the way last year went. We just plan to work real hard this year, put everything into our shows and enjoy every second of it.
What are you looking forward to most about 2012 and do you have any predictions for the year?
Just seeing people’s reactions to the new songs, playing festivals and hopefully reaching new levels that we never expected.
Sat March 17th 2012 - Edinburgh Corn Exchange, Edinburgh
Sun March 18th 2012 - Hull University Student Union, Hull
Mon March 19th 2012 - Apollo Manchester, Manchester
Tue March 20th 2012 - Wolverhampton Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
Thu March 22nd 2012 - Plymouth Pavilions, Plymouth
Fri March 23rd 2012 - HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London
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You were also working with a different producer, Dan Weller, this time. What was Dan like to work with and how did his contribution affect the sound of the album?
