It is so weird that the Knife in the year 2013 seems vintage. It was only 2005/2006 when the Swedish electropop-for-lack-of-a-better term duo crossed over into the realm of big-deal indie music (and a Sony commercial). Which, in 2005 in America, was something. In these days of Skrillex and Tiesto, things are a bit, uh, weirder, particularly for natural crossovers like the Knife.
The duo is back after five or so years of relative dormancy with a new album due out in April, and this video, which seems particularly apt on this here special day. The directors are Roxy Farhat, the Iranian-born video artist and gender thinker, and Kakan Hermansson.
An explanation, courtesy of the band:
'A Tooth For An Eye' deconstructs images of maleness, power and leadership. Who are the people we trust as our leaders and why? What do we have to learn from those we consider inferior? In a sport setting where one would traditionally consider a group of men as powerful and in charge, an unexpected leader emerges. A child enters and allows the men to let go of their hierarchies, machismo and fear of intimacy, as they follow her into a dance. Their lack of expertise and vulnerability shines through as they perform the choreography. Amateurs and skilled dancers alike express joy and a sense of freedom; There is no prestige in their performance. The child is powerful, tough and sweet all at once, roaring "I'm telling you stories, trust me". There is no shame in her girliness, rather she possesses knowledge that the men lost a long time ago.
It's weird to think that electronic music since the Knife first broke out has gotten only more dude-centric. I'd like to think the big-huge dancefloor names of the past couple of years might represent an opportunity for things like the Knife to breakout even farther, but let's get our hopes too high.
Reach this writer at michaelb@motherboard.tv.