Review Summary: Deranged vocals and icy, lifeless techno make for one of the greatest albums of our time
It wasn't until their third album that The Knife truly came into their own; they honed in on a sound that they could do well and made an entire album to prove they knew what they were doing. Following "Deep Cuts", "Silent Shout" was a bit of a surprise. It was a definite shift from the upbeat techno pop on their sophomore release into a darker, more coldblooded territory. The vocals of Karen Dreijer Andersson, some of the most distinct female vocals today, are icy and soulless. Combined with the dark and hellish electronic instrumentation, the songs on this album are, at their cores, nightmarish. The appeal of The Knife is only furthered by their enigmatic personalities. Interviews with the band are sparse, live performances see them sporting odd outfits and peculiar headgear, and music videos are swirling palettes of light and color.
The first (and title) track 'Silent Shout' starts off like a beating heart. It's mechanical, sure, but there's a feeling of realism to it as well...almost to an unsettling degree. These pulsating beats (which come in threes) eventually lead to sporadic synthesizers, percussion, and finally, the vocals. I know I just used this word but "unsettling" comes to mind once again; Andersson's extraterrestrial singing crawls into your ears and leaves a mark equally uncomfortable and intriguing. Where will the album go from here? What more is in store? Well, the cold, distant mood has certainly been set. 'We Share Our Mothers' Health' comes across as another winning track, what with its frantic and jittery beat coupled with toy keyboards that have been heavily distorted(?). I'm not positive what it is, but it's exotic and helps make the track so memorable. "We came down from the north/Blue hands and a torch/Red wine and food for free/A possibility..." There's that voice again, though this time not as deep as the first song; now, it's fairly different though it never loses that infectious je ne sais quoi that makes it so incredible.
There's really no single bad song on "Silent Shout" though I'll admit, not all of them will stand out after the first listen. It's taken me a couple listens in the past to truly appreciate to the fullest extent the eerie beauty of this album, which has become one of my favorites of all time. The Swedish laptop duo The Knife may have had a pretty rocky start in their career, but with their third album 'Silent Shout,' they've made a name for themselves in the business. Brother-sister Olof and Karen Dreijer have taken the inescapable plunge into complete and total darkness and the results have proved that this plunge was absolutely worth it.
