Chikinki
Lick Your Ticket

THE REVIEW

Year 2004.
Five young Englishmen from Bristol, in their twenties and thirties, release "Lick Your Ticket", a stunning album! A mix of different styles (from drum n' bass to rock, from new wave to pop, and even indie with splashes of electronic...) that harmonize with great originality and notable sonic impact.
A guitar, a drum kit, two keyboards, synths galore, and a voice.
A new and particular way of creating music, blending the most mainstream tradition of certain pop guitar riffs with the futuristic sounds of a rhythm section with highly artificial bass tones, navigating a sea of electronic sounds produced by the indispensable synth, which significantly contributes to the construction of the melody present in the tracks.
And as the binding agent of this entire chaos is Rupert Browne's voice, painful, wounded, but at times uplifted and carefree, reciting cryptic protest lyrics:

"AMBITION is not a dirty word for Chikinki, but it is not fun either. They write high-voltage anthems about lust, despair, excess, paranoia, and euphoria..."

An unusual lineup, then, this of Chikinki, yet it skillfully manages to unite genres seemingly light-years apart into a cohesive, consistent sound, without losing itself (perhaps only every now and then...) in the maze of considered genres.
In short, a pleasant return to the future!