Album Review: The Knife - Shaking The Habitual

Definitely near the top of my most anticipated records of the year list once announced I've been looking forward to a new album from The Knife ever since Silent Shout blew my mind way back in 2006, the surreal electronic pop music was simply wonderful, and when the day came for this albums release I turned my stereo up to 11 and was prepared to digest this album in all it's off beat glory. A departure/evolution of sound was to be expected on this album, you can hardly expect a band not to evolve in 6 years, however I found myself largely underwhelmed by this album. It's not that it isn't interesting, it is very interesting, it's just I don't think the core songwriting is very good with many songs hitting their peak way before they conclude. It's a good album, but it's not the masterpiece I was hoping for and as far as I'm concerned it doesn't even come close to the masterpiece 'Silent Shout' you may disagree and the is plenty to appreciate in this album but for me it's got the foundations to be a great album but it's chock full of filler & failed experimentation. 

Memory Tapes - Grace/Confusion

We all have a band like this, love one and only one release and be practically indifferent to anything they've released besides that release, and this is mine I'd like to welcome you to 'Memory Tapes'. I loved 2009's 'Seek Magic' to the point of it my album of the year, it was bright and fun, it took you threw a journey of ideas without ever seeming cumbersome or lost. 2011 saw 'Player Piano' come out and I honestly couldn't tell you a thing about it, it was an album that failed to hold my attention, and I must've listened to it no more then 2 or 3 times... this coming off the back of an album I still listened to frequently at the time of 'Player Pianos' release. Now we end up at 'Grace/Confusion' an album which has some fantastic moments and ideas but it sure likes to take it's sweet time getting to them & whereas the more ambitious moments found in 'Seek Magic' were equally as long and as adventurous each song felt like it had a sense of purpose and it held your attention the whole way. 'Grace/Confusion' has a lot of moments which will make you really pay attention but more then half the time is spent transitioning from moment to moment and it fails to hold your attention whilst doing so. The are 2 songs on here that I cannot recommend enough though 'Neighbourhood Watch' is a beautiful song with moments of melodic sombre and frantic epic electronic infused noise, it was a build that I loved with results that paid off. The second song is the lead single 'Sheila' which really feels like it could have been one of the stronger moments from 'Seek Magic' and it has found the long lost groove found on that album, both these songs are excellent and would've made a fantastic single, in fact the is enough here for a great EP but as it stands at least half the material here is disposable and whilst it does make those bright moments shine that little bit brighter I'd be lying if I said the journey to get there wasn't a bit of a slog..

Song Of The Day #9: Thievery Corporation - The Forgotten Peopl

With the feeling of 'Lawrence of Arabia' to it, this song is incredibly hypnotic and groovy and catches the ear with some very clever sampling, sinister bass line and lively percussion which jumps out at you in a way you just don't hear in a lot of electronic music. This beat just has so much going for it that I find myself listening to it again & again & again, a great marriage of sampled melodies and live percussion.  

Get the rest of the 'Song Of The Day' playlist here: Pitch&Key Song Of The Day

'The Forgotten People' can be found on Thievery Corporations 2008 release 'Radio Retaliation' 

Songs Of The Day #4: Nicolas Jarr - Space Is Only Noise If You Can See

Definitely one of my go to songs of the last summer 'Space Is Only Noise If You Can See' is a remarkably groovy and organic electronic sound with a bassline that encourages compulsive nodding. Full of space, atmosphere and with the air of the hypnotic this track makes for great mood music but also great personal listens. Lazy & memorable.

Get the rest of the 'Song Of The Day' playlist here: Pitch&Key Song Of The Day

This Track is found on Nicolas Jarr's 2011 release 'Space Is Only Noise'