Tag Archives: silent shout

#985: The Knife – One Hit

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Karin Dreijer possesses a unique voice as it is, so when they manipulate it on ‘One Hit’ and alter its pitch to make it sound more masculine, it certainly adds a freaky dimension to the audio proceedings. The track is the penultimate on The Knife’s 2006 album Silent Shout. When I listened to that record for the first time, I think in my first year of uni and way past its initial release date, ‘One Hit’ was the one that instantly stuck. I know, I’ve done posts on ‘Like a Pen’ and ‘Marble House’. But I tell you, ‘One Hit’ was the one Knife song I had on repeat for a while.

It seems that the track is from the point of view of an abuser. A male who’s violent with their partner, a proud advocate of dated stereotypical gender roles… a misogynist to come down to brass tacks. It took a long time for me to get round to checking out the words to this one. Just because the rhythm is too strong. Too much of a bop. Really enjoy the swinging tribal feel that’s going on throughout. Those choruses are an ominous singalong. Dreijer’s already pitched down vocals are then joined by these gang backing vocals that have gone through the same effect. But then these are also backed by some really catchy hooks and melodies on the synthesizers. It’s a weird dynamic going on, but it’s thrilling all the same.

But yeah, there is a true asshole narrator going on. Male privilege, violence against women and male dominance, this track is from the point of view of someone who is in favour of all these things. They have no shame in their dated views on stereotypical gender roles, and are oblivious as to why women wouldn’t want to cook and clean and play the submissive role in the relationship when it seems so obvious that’s what they’re meant for. This isn’t someone we’re meant to empathise with in the slightest. But through indulging in this narrative take, Dreijer also simultaneously conjures a mocking attack on the men in the real world who follow these ideals. The narrator here’s a simpleton to say the least, so what better way to expose these than highlighting their views to let the listener realise just how dumb it all is. There isn’t another track quite like it, in my eyes.

#809: The Knife – Marble House

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I’ve always admired this one just for how it sounds. ‘Marble House’ by Swedish electronic music duo The Knife arrives in the middle of Silent Shout. After that comes ‘Like a Pen’. The midsection of that album is probably my favourite part of it. While ‘Pen’ is a bit more hectic and bustling, ‘Marble House’ moves along with a relaxing flow, but has a sense of mystery and eeriness provided by its minor key and melody.

Taking a closer look at the lyrics for you people at home, it seems that the they concern a relationship. I mean, I always kind of knew that just by listening, but what kind of relationship it could specifically be is up in the air. Some can say a familial one. Others could say romantic. You’re all right. But the titular house is where this relationship is taking place, and where the song’s narrator physically and emotionally cares for their other half.

Again, another highlight of this track like almost all the other Knife songs is singer Karin Dreijer’s vocals. Such a great tone and delivery to them. She’s accompanied by fellow Swedish singer-songwriter Jay-Jay Johansen who sings on the second verse; he fits in quite perfectly on there. I guess he provides the voice from the perspective of the person who is being cared for. Whatever the deeper meaning and inner machinations may be, this song makes for some good listening. It has a stop-motion animated music video of these woodland creatures living in this wooden house. It’s below, but it doesn’t use the full version of the track which I like to listen to more. It was also uploaded in 2008, so the quality’s not too great.

#743: The Knife – Like a Pen

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Silent Shout is another album I found while exploring new music in those years when revising for my A-Levels would have been the more advisable option. Pitchfork had named it the best album of 2006, and seeing as that place was meant to be seen as the top critic for indie music – I thought I would give it a listen. I did. There were some songs I liked, and others that I didn’t much care for. ‘Like a Pen’ took a while for me to get into. But once I did, it’s been a mainstay on the brain since.

The track was released as a single in ’06, and came out with a music video with an edit that made the song about three minutes shorter than the album version. I much prefer it the way it is on the album. The building and the adding of layers during the introduction, as well as the lengthy instrumental outro, add so much more to the energy of the track that is missed from the video edit. I’ll put the music video down below though.

An aspect of Silent Shout that always stuck out to me was singer-songwriter Karin Dreijer’s voice. There’s a tone to it that sticks in my head. The fact that her accent heavily affects its delivery may have something to do with that feeling. And her vocal delivery mixed with the video-game like production makes for a catchy listen, although it does manage to give off this slight ominous quality that gives the track that slight edge. Genius said it’s about body anxiety, ‘with the narrator wanting to minimize their body to something visible’…. I think it’s about something a lot more personal. If you were to see the lyrics, you could take a guess.