Sharp As A Knife

The Knife is not a conventional band content to offer vacuous platitudes served on a diet of mediocrity. Nope, they mean business and they’ve got the manifesto to prove it.

A brother and sister duo hailing from Stockholm, Sweden, The Knife takes inspiration from vintage synth pop and forward-thinking electronic music, crafting a sound that is equally unsettling, playful, and beautiful. Olof and Karin Dreijer formed the Knife in 1999 and worked on their music in their home studios, releasing their first single, Afraid of You, in 2000 and their 2001 self-titled debut album on their own Rabid Records label. In 2003, the Knife was nominated for two Grammies, one for Best Pop Group of the Year and one for Best Pop Album for their second album, Deep Cuts (mp3 of Heartbeats single below). However, the Dreijers boycotted the ceremony, sending two people in gorilla costumes to protest the dominance of male acts in the music industry.

"We are tired of the focus on people instead of music in the media," states Olof. "Therefore it’s better to send someone you don’t know, and who is also dressed as a gorilla. We are also tired of the disproportion between gender and power in the music industry. Of the ten biggest labels in Sweden, only one has a female general manager. None has a female A&R. The gorillas had t-shirts on which had the numbers 50 on it. So they scremed 50, 50! And they said this thing about the disproportion in the industy and that The Knife’s winning concept is 50/50! That’s why we are so succesful! Great innit?"

In 2004, the Knife began work on their third album in unusual recording locations, including a former carbon dioxide factory and the vaults of Stockholm's Cathedral, before finishing their sessions in a more conventional studio. The following year, José González's cover of the Deep Cuts single Heartbeats appeared in a commercial for Sony Bravia (view it below) and became a hit, earning more acclaim for the Dreijers outside of Sweden. Early in 2005, the Knife performed their first-ever live show at London's ICA, appearing with Rex the Dog (who also did a remix of González's version of "Heartbeats") and playing in front of video created for the event by artist Andreas Nilsson. His work also appeared on How I Found the Knife, a DVD/CD set that included all of the band's videos, short films, and remixes, which was released that summer. The Knife and Nilsson teamed up again for the video for the title track of the group's third album, Silent Shout, which was released in earlier this year. The Knife's darkest, most ambitious work to date, the album featured singles such as We Share Our Mother's Health, which included a mix by Trentemøller. This year, the duo have played a handful of European, Scandinavian, and North American dates, accompanied by more of Nilsson's visuals. The Knife and Deep Cuts have recently been reissued.

Take a listen to the powerful voice of Karin Dreijer (Kate Bush meets Siouxsie Sue mixed with Björk) on Heartbeats from Deep Cuts.

Take a look at the award winning Sony Bravia commercial and listen to José González's cover of Heartbeats. 


Comments

[Søren Nilsson]

I think "We Share Our Mothers' Health" is about environmental responsibility from the perspective of a future generation. They are stuck with the poor desicions we have made.

We share out mothers' health
It is what we've been dealt

-Søren

[Søren Nilsson]

Does anyone know what 'We Share Out Mothers Health' is about?