I have always been fond of The Knife, both the music they make and the masks that they hide behind. If you asked me in 2001, when the brother/sister duo released their first album “The Knife”, whether I believed they would be of substance ten years from now, I probably would have answered “no”. Almost ten years later, not only are they substantial but I feel they have created there own niche within the world of music. Although most categorize them as electro-pop, it is hard to escape the very dark, brooding tones their music pervades. Never has this been more apparent than on Karin Dreijer Anderson’s solo project, Fever Ray, which made many top ten list in 2009, including mine.

This takes me to the track “Colouring of Pigeons”, the first track released by The Knife from a Darwinian based opera, “Tomorrow, In a Year”. The group was commissioned by Danish performance group Hotel Pro Forma and decided to make it a collaborative effort by asking both Mt. Sims and Planningtorock to help in the music making process. The track is an eleven minute epic that stands alone as one of the most unique and beautiful pieces of music I have heard in a while. It is definitely one of those tracks where although it’s only January, come December it will definitely make my top ten list. I would be doing you a great injustice if I didn’t link you to The Knife’s website where you can download the track for free. I should also mention that there are videos of the opera circulating on the internet, but I will make it easy for you by clicking here.

Listen to “Colouring of Pigeons” Here

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Little Dragon : Test

A good portion of the universe should know about Little Dragon by now; they are far from little. The city of Gothenburg in Sweden [well, Sweden in general] seems to be the mother that births all catchy loveable music. The Knife, Jose Gonzalez, and Jens Lekman to name a few others. The lead singer of Little Dragon, Yukimi, has a jazz vocal background which is evident in her highly addictive soulful voice; the perfect main ingredient for such a musical meal. There are girls that sound black but are actually white, but this femme sounds black but is actually Japanese! Listen to one single song one single time and you’re hooked, no matter the mood you’re currently in or attempting to channel in the near future. This particular song speaks of the obstacle course we call life that stresses us then rests us, tests us and depresses us. Emotions darken and lighten as minds get lost over and over again just to find another way back with an entirely different view. Test is actually from their 2007 self titled [and first] album but don’t think they broke up and went solo like all the rest; they released a new album recently by the name of Machine Dreams.

Listen to “Test” Here

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Fever Ray : When I Grow Up

If you are a major fan of Karin Driejer, than you may have been following her for the last 2 decades, or at least you are familiar her 90′s band, Honey is Cool and ofcourse her global debut which resulted from her genius group formed at teh end of 1999, The Knife. So the moment has finally come; entering the 3rd decade of a musical career, the artist introduces herself as Fever Ray, the solo artist. The album is so next level for her, I mean its the same voice and the same spirit, but its totdally different and it makes me want to scream with intensity.

Listen to “When I Grow Up ” Here

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