The Knife

Music

The Knife, purveyors of fine macabre electronic pop, present us a new album; Tomorrow, in a Year the musical scoring to the Darwinian based opera. The Knife provide an extension to their signature sound through collaborations with fellow Swedish Dark-Wave mask wearers; Mt Sims and Planning-To-Rock. Commissioned by Danish art group Hotel Pro Forma and following last years success of Sister Karins Fever Ray album, this live piece seems to be a logical step for electro pop siblings. In application of their generally darker electronic sound to this production it has allowed a focus on the visual integration of performance art the pair have touched on with their past live shows.

Tomorrow, in a Year is a surreal presentation of the Darwinian stages through a spectacle of lasers and projected visuals, acoustic sound exploration and contemporary Opera with choreographed performance and symbolic prop shifting.

Overall a dramatic modelling of the theory of evolution and the bio/geological world with developing percussion with the use of Amazonian field recordings with more familiar synthesised exploration bring a monumental sense of scale and suggestion of natures metamorphosis. The recorded album holds a very steady pace being somewhat un-engaging in places though, however, does maintain a great epic depth and is well worth it for the abnormal balance of The Knifes distinctively mystical electronica with the dense synchronicity of operatic vocal narrative. This balance is done especially well in key tracks The Colouring of Pigeons and Height of Summer and in the ethereal Techno melody of Seeds’ and is a compelling listen for any natural Fever Ray or Knife fans.

Matt Synthia