{{Short description|Swedish electronic music duo}} {{for|the Genesis song|The Knife (song)}}{{other uses|Knife (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = The Knife | image = Melt 2013 - The Knife-3.jpg | image_size = 250 | landscape = yes | caption = The Knife performing at Melt! Festival in 2013 | origin = Gothenburg, Sweden | genre = {{flatlist| * Electronic<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/culture/events/coachella-2014-the-knife-dazzles-crowd-at-first-us-6050658/|title=Coachella 2014: The Knife Dazzles Crowd At First U.S. Appearance In 8 Years|first=Reggie|last=Ugwu|website=Billboard.com|date=April 12, 2014|access-date=July 25, 2024}}</ref> * synth-pop<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.spin.com/2006/12/knife-deliver-creepy-christmas-tune/ |title=The Knife Deliver Creepy Christmas Tune |work=Spin |date=13 December 2006 |access-date=3 December 2010}}</ref> * experimental<ref>{{cite web |last=McRuvie |first=Sarah |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/features/ten-things-you-never-knew-about-the-knifes-karin-dreijer-andersson/ |title=Ten Things You Never Knew About The Knife's Karin Dreijer Andersson |work=Clash |date=12 June 2013 |access-date=7 October 2022}}</ref> }} | years_active = 1999–2014 | label = {{flatlist| * Rabid * Brille * Mute * V2 }} | website = {{URL|theknife.net}} | past_members = * Karin Dreijer * Olof Dreijer }}
'''The Knife''' were a Swedish electronic music duo from Gothenburg, formed in 1999. The group consisted of siblings Karin and Olof Dreijer, who together also run their own record company, Rabid Records. They gained a large international following in response to their 2003 album ''Deep Cuts''.
The duo's first tour took place in 2006, along with the release of their critically acclaimed album ''Silent Shout''. They have won a number of Swedish Grammis, but refused to attend award ceremonies. They have appeared in public wearing Venetian masks. As Fever Ray, Karin released their self-titled solo album in 2009, while Olof released several EPs as Oni Ayhun in late 2009 and early 2010. The Knife disbanded in November 2014 after releasing their acclaimed 2013 album ''Shaking the Habitual'' and completing its attendant tour.
==History== Formed in Gothenburg in 1999,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=104&artikel=1174970 |title=Grammisregn över Göteborg |language=sv |newspaper=Sveriges Radio |date=31 January 2007 |access-date=24 May 2014}}</ref><ref name="biography">{{cite web |last=McLean |first=Craig |url=http://www.theknife.net/o0ooooo.html |title=Biography |publisher=theknife.net |date=January 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414053323/http://www.theknife.net/o0ooooo.html |archive-date=14 April 2010 |access-date=8 March 2010}}</ref> amidst the deterioration of Karin's former group Honey Is Cool, the group gained stronger international recognition when José González covered their song "Heartbeats" on his 2003 album, ''Veneer''. The cover was used by Sony in a commercial for Bravia television sets, and released as a single in 2006. The group commented on this in a ''Dagens Nyheter'' article, saying that Sony paid a large sum of money to use the song. Despite the group's anti-commercial views, they justified the transaction by citing their need for money to establish a record company.
Having never before performed live, the Knife went on tour in 2006, and after selling out shows worldwide, a DVD of the tour was announced. The DVD was released in Sweden on 8 November 2006, and is titled ''Silent Shout: An Audio Visual Experience''.
On 4 August 2009, the band announced that, in collaboration with Mt. Sims and Planningtorock, they would be writing an opera for the Danish performance group Hotel Pro Forma. The opera, titled ''Tomorrow, in a Year'', is based on Charles Darwin's ''On the Origin of Species''. In January 2010, the band announced that they would release a studio version on 1 March.<ref>{{cite web |last=Jones |first=Charlie Robin |url=https://www.dummymag.com/features/the-knife-interview-yes/ |title=The Knife interview: "Yes!" |publisher=Dummy |date=12 January 2010 |access-date=7 October 2022}}</ref>
In a September 2010 post on the official Fever Ray website, Karin stated that the siblings had "started playing together again", hinting that new material might be on the way.<ref>{{cite web |last=Dreijer |first=Karin |author-link=Karin Dreijer Andersson |url=http://feverray.com/2010/09/23/hi/ |title=Hi... |publisher=feverray.com |date=23 September 2010 |access-date=18 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101006005849/http://feverray.com/2010/09/23/hi/ |archive-date=6 October 2010 }}</ref> On 18 April 2011, as part of a post on their website concerning discrimination against Romani people in Europe, the Knife announced that they were recording a new album to be released in 2012.<ref name="roma">{{cite web |url=http://theknife.net/take-action-for-the-housing-rights-of-roma-in-rome |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110426022718/http://theknife.net/take-action-for-the-housing-rights-of-roma-in-rome |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 April 2011 |title=Take action for the housing rights of Roma in Rome! |publisher=theknife.net |date=18 April 2011 |access-date=23 April 2011 }}</ref> In December 2012, it was confirmed that their next album would be titled ''Shaking the Habitual'' and would be released on 8 April 2013.<ref>{{cite web |last=Phillips |first=Amy |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/48903-the-knife-return-with-new-album/ |title=The Knife Return With New Album |publisher=Pitchfork Media |date=12 December 2012 |access-date=14 December 2012}}</ref><ref name="tour2013">{{cite web |last=Minsker |first=Evan |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/48936-the-knife-reveal-release-date-will-tour-next-year/ |title=The Knife Reveal Release Date, Will Tour Next Year |publisher=Pitchfork Media |date=14 December 2012 |access-date=7 October 2022}}</ref> The duo posted a teaser trailer for the album on their YouTube account with the message: "Music can be so meaningless. We had to find lust. We asked our friends and lovers to help us."<ref>{{cite web |last=Martins |first=Chris |url=https://www.spin.com/2012/12/the-knife-shaking-the-habitual-new-album-spring-2013-teaser-video/ |title=The Knife's New Album 'Shaking the Habitual' Due Spring 2013 |work=Spín |publisher=Buzz Media |date=12 December 2012 |access-date=14 December 2012}}</ref> The album was supported by tour dates in Europe in 2013.<ref name="tour2013"/> "Full of Fire" was released as the album's lead single on 28 January 2013,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://itunes.apple.com/se/album/full-of-fire-single/id594798655 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141227012950/https://itunes.apple.com/se/album/full-of-fire-single/id594798655 |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 27, 2014 |title=Full of Fire – Single av The Knife |language=sv |publisher=iTunes Store (SE). Apple |access-date=3 February 2013}}</ref> for which a short film was directed by Stockholm and Berlin-based filmmaker and visual artist Marit Östberg.<ref>{{cite web |last=Knight |first=David |url=https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2013/01/30/knife-full-fire-marit-%C3%B6stberg/16615 |title=The Knife 'Full Of Fire' by Marit Östberg |publisher=Promo News |date=30 January 2013 |access-date=7 October 2022}}</ref>
After announcing their plans to play at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2013, the Knife also announced plans to tour North America during that time period.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pelly |first1=Jenn |last2=Minsker |first2=Evan |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/50800-the-knife-to-tour-north-america-surrounding-coachella/ |title=The Knife to Tour North America Surrounding Coachella |publisher=Pitchfork Media |date=9 January 2014 |access-date=10 January 2014}}</ref> On 21 August 2014, the Knife announced that the duo would disband following the final six dates of their Shaking the Habitual Show Tour from 31 October to 8 November 2014.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gordon |first=Jeremy |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/56416-the-knife-call-it-quits/ |title=The Knife Call It Quits |publisher=Pitchfork Media |date=21 August 2014 |access-date=21 August 2014}}</ref> In the duo's final interview, Karin told ''Dazed'', "We don't have any obligations to continue, it should only and always be for fun."<ref>{{cite web |last=Denney |first=Alex |url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/21359/1/the-knife-are-no-more-read-their-last-interview |title=The Knife are no more – read their last interview |work=Dazed |date=21 August 2014 |access-date=21 August 2014}}</ref>
The Knife played their final show, entitled Post-Colonial Gender Politics Come First, Music Comes Second, on 8 November 2014 at the Iceland Airwaves Festival in Reykjavík. The final performance was recorded and released as a concert film and a special edition vinyl set.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Monroe|first=Jazz|title=Watch the Knife's New Concert Film|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/watch-the-knifes-new-concert-film/|access-date=2020-11-30|website=Pitchfork|date=September 2017|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Subscribe|title=The Knife have shared their 'Live At Terminal 5' film|url=https://diymag.com/2017/09/01/the-knife-shared-live-at-terminal-5-film-watch|access-date=2020-11-30|website=diymag.com|date=September 2017 |language=en}}</ref><ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/ZbdXdsDKoLo Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20170901180325/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbdXdsDKoLo&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbdXdsDKoLo| title = The Knife - Live At Terminal 5 (Full Film) | website=YouTube| date = September 2017 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>
==Relationship with the media== The Knife rarely cooperated with the media or the mainstream music scene. Until 2005, they did not perform live concerts. The group rarely made public appearances; most of their promotional photos featured the members wearing masks with birds' beaks, similar to the traditional Venetian Medico Della Peste (plague doctor) masks worn during Carnival.
The Knife won the Swedish Grammis award for Pop Group of the Year in 2003, but they boycotted the ceremony by sending two representatives of the Guerrilla Girls, with the number 50 written on their costumes, as a protest against male dominance in the music industry.<ref name="foley">{{cite web |last=Foley |first=Jack |url=http://www.indielondon.co.uk/music/mu_knife_bio.html |title=The Knife – Swedish duo hoping to cut it in synth-pop world |publisher=IndieLondon |access-date=9 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303190149/http://www.indielondon.co.uk/music/mu_knife_bio.html |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Their album ''Deep Cuts'' was also nominated for the best record of the year, although that award went to the Cardigans. At the Grammis awards in 2007, the Knife won in all six categories that they were nominated in: Composer of the Year, Music DVD of the Year, Producer of the Year, Pop Group of the Year, Album of the Year and Artist of the Year. Again, they did not attend the award ceremony. On another occasion, they did not come to collect the award but sent a manipulated video that muffled their voices and made them look very elderly.
''Silent Shout'' was named the best album of 2006 by ''Pitchfork''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/6510-top-50-albums-of-2006/5/ |title=Top 50 Albums of 2006 |website=Pitchfork |date=19 December 2006 |access-date=4 July 2008}}</ref> The song "We Share Our Mothers' Health" from the album was made available for free as the iTunes Store's Single of the Week in late 2006.
==Influences== In a 2006 interview with ''Pitchfork'', the Knife cited David Lynch, Aki Kaurismäki, Korean cinema, ''Trailer Park Boys'', ''Donnie Darko'' and ''Doom'' as inspirations for their work.<ref>{{cite web |last=Pytlik |first=Mark |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/interview/6387-the-knife/ |title=Interviews: The Knife |publisher=Pitchfork Media |date=24 July 2006 |access-date=4 July 2011}}</ref> In addition, Karin named Sonic Youth, Kate Bush, Le Tigre and Siouxsie and the Banshees, while Olof cited techno, grime and Southern hip hop.<ref name="foley"/>
==Solo projects== In 2008, Karin announced the release of a solo album under the name Fever Ray in March 2009. The eponymous album was digitally released in advance of this date. The single "If I Had a Heart" was featured in a 2011 episode of ''Breaking Bad'' and in the 2013 film ''Horns'', is the opening theme of the Canadian-Irish historical drama television series ''Vikings'', and is the opening of the movie ''Laurence Anyways'' by Canadian director Xavier Dolan, who also used Karin's song "Keep the Streets Empty For Me" in his movie ''Heartbeats''. In a 2016 interview with ''The Fader'', Karin related that they were at that moment working on more solo music, though they were "unsure" if it would be under the Fever Ray moniker or not.<ref>{{cite web |last=Maine |first=Sammie |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/fever-ray-1199898 |title=A new Fever Ray album could be on its way |work=NME |date=17 February 2016 |access-date=7 October 2022}}</ref> Their second solo album ''Plunge'' was released in 2017. A new album by Fever Ray, Radical Romantics, was released in the spring of 2023.
Olof performs as both DJ Coolof and Oni Ayhun.
==Discography== {{Main|The Knife discography}} <!--Full discography can be found at its own article.--> * ''The Knife'' (2001) * ''Deep Cuts'' (2003) * ''Silent Shout'' (2006) * ''Tomorrow, in a Year'' <small>(with Mt. Sims and Planningtorock)</small> (2010) * ''Shaking the Habitual'' (2013)
==Tours== The Knife initially did not play live shows, until 8 February 2005 when they played a show at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London consisting of a screening of ''When I Found the Knife'' by Andreas Nilsson and performances of "Heartbeats", "You Take My Breath Away" and "You Make Me Like Charity".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.itsatrap.com/n/25459-live-report-the-knife-the-ica-london-02-08-05 |title=Live report: The Knife @ The ICA, London 02/08/05 |publisher=Itsatrap |date=2005-02-09 |access-date=2013-04-13}}</ref>
*''Silent Shout Tour'' *''Shaking the Habitual Tour''
==Awards== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |- ! scope="col" | Award ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Nominee(s) ! scope="col" | Category ! scope="col" | Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable"| {{Abbr|Ref.|References}} |- !scope="row"|MTV Europe Music Awards | 2006 | The Knife | Best Swedish Act | {{nom}} | <ref>https://www.sme.sk/kultura/c/prehlad-nominovanych-na-mtv-europe-music-awards-2006</ref> |- !scope="row"|mtvU Woodie Awards | 2007 | The Knife | Left Field Woodie | {{nom}} | <ref>https://stereogum.com/6474/2007_mtvu_woodie_awards_nominations/news</ref> {{end}} {{More citations needed section|date=March 2010}} {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Awards ! Category |- | rowspan="4"|2003 | Nöjesguiden's Stockholm Award | Music Category<ref name="biography"/> |- | Swedish Hit Music Awards | Best Video for "Heartbeats"<ref name="biography"/> |- | Swedish National Radio P3 Gold | Group of the Year<ref name="biography"/> |- | Grammis |Pop Group of the Year<ref name="biography"/> |- | rowspan="2"| 2004 |Manifest Awards |Pop Rock<ref name="biography"/> |- |Scandinavian Alternative Music Awards (SAMA) |Song of the Year for "Heartbeats" |- |rowspan="3"|2006 |Pitchfork Media |Album of the Year |- |rowspan="2"|Manifest Awards |Dance/House Techno of the Year |- |Live Performers of the Year |- |rowspan="10"|2007 |rowspan="2"|Swedish National Radio P3 Gold |Group of the Year |- |Dance of the Year |- |rowspan="6"|Grammis |Artist of the Year |- |Pop Album of the Year for ''Silent Shout'' |- |Songwriters of the Year |- |Pop Producers of the Year |- |Music-DVD of the Year for ''Silent Shout: An Audiovisual Experience'' |- |Pop Group of the Year |- |rowspan="2"|SAMA |Song of the Year for "Marble House" |- |Album of the Year for ''Silent Shout'' |- |2013 |Nordic Music Prize |Best Nordic Album of the Year for ''Shaking the Habitual''<ref>{{cite news|last=Studarus|first=Laura|title=The Knife Wins the Nordic Music Prize|url=http://www.undertheradarmag.com/news/the_knife_wins_the_nordic_music_prize|access-date=12 March 2014|newspaper=Under the Radar|date=1 March 2014}}</ref> |}
==Television and film uses== The song "We Share Our Mothers' Health" was featured in the ABC series ''Ugly Betty'', as well as an episode of ''CSI: NY''. In August 2007, "Heartbeats" was featured in an episode of the HBO series ''Entourage'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hbo.com/entourage/music/season04/episode52.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080229141909/http://www.hbo.com/entourage/music/season04/episode52.html|archive-date=29 February 2008|title=Entourage Music: Season 04: Episode 52 "Snow Job" |publisher=HBO |access-date=4 July 2008}}</ref> and was later used in an episode of the HBO series ''Girls''. The song "Wrap Your Arms Around Me" was used in the closing scene and credits of the episode "The Bridge" in the 2017 first season of Hulu's ''The Handmaid's Tale''.
Their song "Pass This On" was used in the 2010 drama film ''Heartbeats'' by Quebec director Xavier Dolan.<ref>{{cite web |last=Polly |first=John |url=https://www.logotv.com/news/30f50g/movies-music-montreal-an-interview-with-heartbeats-director-xavier-dolan-2 |title=Movies, Music & Montreal: An Interview with "Heartbeats" Director Xavier Dolan |publisher=Logo |date=24 February 2011 |access-date=7 July 2022}}</ref> "Pass This On" was also used in the 2011 drama ''Elles'' by Polish director Małgorzata Szumowska and in the 2013 thriller ''Magic Magic'' by Chilean director Sebastián Silva, which opens with Canadian actor Michael Cera singing along to the song. The documentary film ''The Jeffrey Dahmer Files'' (2012) used the song "Still Light" during the closing credits. The 2014 documentary ''Dior and I'' uses an instrumental of "Silent Shout" during an atelier montage sequence.
==See also== * Honey Is Cool
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{Wikiquote}} * {{Official website|http://theknife.net/}} * {{discogs artist}} * {{Allmusic|class=artist|id=the-knife-mn0000666244}} * {{cite web |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/knife_carve_their_own_niche |title=The Knife Carve Their Own Niche |work=Exclaim! |date=August 2006}} * {{cite web |url=http://www.hitquarters.com/index.php3?page=intrview/2004/February2_2_37_50-2.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511211636/http://www.hitquarters.com/index.php3?page=intrview/2004/February2_2_37_50-2.html|archive-date=11 May 2012 |title=Interview with Olof Dreijer and manager Eric Härle |publisher=HitQuarters |date=2 February 2004}}
{{The Knife}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Knife, The}} Category:1990s establishments in Gothenburg and Bohus County Category:1999 establishments in Sweden Category:2014 disestablishments in Sweden Category:Bands with fictional stage personas Category:English-language Swedish singers Category:Feminist musicians Category:Masked musicians Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2014 Category:Musical groups established in 1999 Category:Musical groups from Gothenburg Category:Mute Records artists Category:Sibling musical duos Category:Swedish electronic music duos Category:Swedish LGBTQ-themed musical groups Category:Swedish synth-pop groups Category:V2 Records artists