We all know The Knife as the Swedish electronic duo of Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olaf Dreijer who have astounded listeners with their enigmatic sound on tracks such as “Heartbeats” and “Silent Shout” and their new experimental album Tomorrow, in a Year is nothing short of breathtaking. The Knife collaborated with Danish theatre group Hotel pro Forma, Mt. Sims and Planningtorock to create an opera based on the research of Charles Darwin and his book “On The Origin of Species.” Now being a science nerd, I definitely geeked out a little when I heard about the inspiration. I found this description from The Knife’s website particularly entertaining: “These 90 minutes span the life of the earth, from the earliest geology, amoebas and insects, passing the dinosaurs, arriving at man, maybe looking further on. And they tell the story of Darwin and his ability to upset the established order and wrestle the ownership of creation from God.”

The first track to be released entitled “Colouring of Pigeons” is in my opinion, a small masterpiece that has a noticeable development or “evolution” as one could put it, over the course of its 11 minutes.  The piece begins with what sounds like a primordial rhythm/chant and progresses into a melodic ballad carried by Karin’s unmistakable voice before  ending with the strikingly beautiful vocals of an opera singer. The momentum of this track is astounding and will have listeners hooked from beginning to end.  As if one needed any further proof of The Knife’s originality, this album demonstrates what a true art form blending musical genres can be with awe-inspiring results.

The full version of Tomorrow, in a Year is now streaming online at the Knife’s official website and is available for pre-order which includes an instant download. If you are a fan of The Knife this album will not disappoint!

- Allie Chavez
Erotic Thriller, Wednesdays 8 -10pm