Enigmatic Swedish duo The Knife are are back with their first proper album since 2006′s Silent Shout. Shaking The Habitual sees the brother and sister pair of Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olaf Dreijer back together following eight years worth of quality solo release, her as Fever Ray, him as Oni Ayhun. And seeing as how their last album found it’s way onto every major ‘Best of 2006′ list, yet still holds up perfectly today, we’re obviously excited about any new music. “Full Of Fire” delivers, but in unexpected ways. The opening post-punky electro beat had us worried The Knife may be trapped in mid-’00s electro’s past. But things start to wiggle and shake and by the end of the 9 minute stomper, you’re ready to take the ride all over again.
While rabid fans of Swedish brother-sister duo The Knife sit patiently waiting for a follow-up to the now five years old Silent Shout, it’s not like Karin Dreijer Andersson has kept us wanting for more. In fact, between her equally beguiling Fever Ray album (2009) and the more abstract Tomorrow, In A Year project with Mt. Sims and Planningtorock, we’ve heard from Andersson plenty.
Now a new track has emerged in the form of “No Face.” Taken from the We Are The Works In Progress charity compilation for Japanese Tsunami relief (compiled by Blonde Redhead‘s Kazu Makino and featuring Four Tet, Nosaj Thing, Interpol and more), the tune covers territory similar to Tomorrow, In A Year‘s experimental opera, with no beat or lyrics to speak of. Rather, Andrersson travels further down the raw instrumentation path she has been leading her heavily processed voice on for years.
When the anonymous gothic-tinged electro artist iamamiwhoami first emerged in 2009, there was much speculation over the identity of the artist behind the startling visual imagery and cutting darkwave music. Was it Lady Gaga? Alison Goldfrapp? Karin Dreijer Andersson of The Knife? As it turns out, the true identity was Swedish singer-songwriter Jonna Lee, which had to be disappointing to blog conspiracists. But a huge break for the performer, the kind that no publicist can by.
Now iamamiwhoami is back with a proper identity, which has had minimal effect on the depth of the work. In fact, without all the the speculation, it almost makes this stunning tunes and videos more enjoyable.
If the world is really going to end in 2012 as the Mayan calendar predicts, this could be the soundtrack for the end of existence. Swedish brother and sister duo The Knife have announced that they are working on a new album, their first proper full-length since 2006′s five-star album, Silent Shout. In the interim, Karin Dreijer Andersson has been wowing fans with her Fever Ray solo project, while brother Olof Dreijer has been delving into the depth of minimalism as Oni Ayhun. The siblings came together early last year with Mt. Sims to compose music for the experiment opera Tomorrow In A Year, but the thought of a complete new album going to make waiting for tomorrow rife with anticipation. …MORE
Fever Ray – the electro-goth project from the Knife’s Karin Dreijer Andersson – is back with a new tune. Fittingly titled “The Wolf”, the track is Fever Ray’s contribution to the soundtrack of the upcoming Red Riding Hood movie by Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke. If “The Wolf” is any indicator, then motion picture will be haunting and intriguingly creepy. Listen below!
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