Enter Shikari - We Can Breathe in Space, They Just Don't Want Us to Leave

  by Kelly Smith

published: 8 / 11 / 2008

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Review

I went to see Enter Shikari a couple of years ago, and was involved in a terrible incident where my hand got tangled in the hair extensions of an enthusiastic fan in front of me, resulting in a fistful of faux-hair and a mismatched head... All unintentional, you understand, but I don’t think she even noticed. Enter Shikari gigs are the kind of place you emerge from, just thankful that the world’s still there, and you’re able to stumble home with only minor bruising. 'We Can Breathe In Space, They Just Don't Want Us to Leave' is being released as a stand-alone single, so those hoping that this is a precursor to an album to put on the Christmas list will be disappointed. According to the press release, it’s a re-working of a song the band originally composed way back when, and if this is the case, it’s an extremely canny move. It’s unmistakably Enter Shikari, but it sounds somehow different from the first album, 'Take to he Skies'. Sometimes faster, not as harsh in places, it’s brilliantly paced and lyrically as weird as any of their tracks from debut album Take To The Skies. Lead singer Rou Reynolds can cram more syllables into a conventional line of music than anyone I’ve ever heard, but it never sounds stupid. Enter Shikari are exciting and uplifting despite the genre from which they emerged having largely dissipated within the course of a 12 month period. They’ve definitely still got it, and this song should elevate them further into the public psyche, especially since I’ve just read that previous single ‘Sorry You’re Not A Winner’ only managed a frankly laughable chart position of 166 in the UK... How did people purchase 165 acts more times than Enter Shikari that week? I can’t even think of 165 acts I’d rather listen to. Maybe 20 or so, but 165? ‘We Can Breathe In Space...’ might not be the best single I’ve ever heard, but it’s a credit to Enter Shikari that their originality and enthusiasm hasn’t dampened any in the last few years. Their tour culminated in a three-night run at the London Astoria last week, and I’m sure their energy will have risen to ridiculous levels since I last saw them. Hold on to your hair extensions if you get to see them, though. It gets a bit mental sometimes.

Track Listing:-

1 We Can Breath In Space, They Just Don't Want Us To Escape
2 Insomnia [Live @ Brixton Academy]
3 We Can Breath In Space, They Just Don't Want Us To Escape [Rout Remix]
4 Sorry, You're Not A Winner [Rout Remix]