The Knife, Brixton Academy

Top Swedish electronic music superstars The Knife storm the Brixton Academy 2014 with The Knife: Shaking The Habitual - a live show with a difference

The Brixton Academy this November will see challenging Swedish synthpop innovators The Knife bring their controversial and kaleidoscopic live show to London.

Brother and sister duo Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olof Dreijer are touring their politically aware and abrasive 2013 album Shaking The Habitual . The record garnered critical acclaim outside of their cult following, as much for the politicising in the lyrics and promotional material as for the music.

Shaking The Habitual Tour

The album was a complete departure. Moving away from the band’s sweetly menacing synthpop, Shaking The Habitual eschewed traditional song forms and poppy electronic melodies in favour of a vast soundscape. Songs insidiously bubble with menace, then suddenly erupt into cataclysmic paroxysms of noise. With lyrics criticising gender inequality, the patriarchy and capitalism, Shaking The Habitual’s songs were a world away from their breakthrough Heartbeats .

Heavy percussion and world music influences intertwine with the trademark slither and buzz of electronic sounds. Andersson’s distinctive voice is chameleonic amongst the cacophony, veering from her naturally husky, vaguely oriental wail to, alternately, a terrifying rumble or a demonic yet child-like squeak courtesy of some digital manipulation.

The Knife Pre-sale Tickets on Sale

Their live show was every bit as intense and surprising as the 96-minute epic album it was drawn from.

Andersson and Dreijer appeared onstage almost anonymously as part of a nine piece band ‘playing’ fantastical and exaggerated ciphers of instruments. The players alternated plucking angular harp-like instruments and banging on neon drums with miming air guitar; the show resembled performance art more than a gig. Some songs were played live, while others were pre-recorded versions with the emphasis on choreographed dance routines rather than live musical performance. The show was alternately praised for its innovation and denigrated for its lack of actual music, but critics agreed it was inventive and exciting.

Pre-sale tickets are available now for the 6 November show. A unique experience by a band of rare talent and vision, the concert should shake your expectations of what live music can be.