There are some exceptionally gifted artists within the music scene in Scotland
these days. A great deal of these bands float among the high flyers of the British
music scene and benefit from the exposure that brings. The band Union of Knives have yet to be discovered as the truly brilliant music act they are. They seem to have very little radio coverage and their songs seem to appeal to an average gig goer with a more specific taste in music. Despite this slight,
their following is certainly growing by the day and as a result of their most
recent gig at Cabaret Voltaire they are bound to attract a few more.
They are known to have a large following in the more electro/ new rave genre
and their style is both innovative and classic. The style of music they specialise
in has been perfected both in the recording of their album Violence and Birdsong
and as a live act.
Their music, if you're thinking in simple descriptive terms,
sounds like a combination of bands like Goldfrapp and Thom Yorke intertwined
with drum and base rhythms that draw out an energy in the listener; that affects
both your mood and your physical movement with positive effects. It is certainly
hard to listen to and watch a band like Union of Knives and not feel inclined
to jump and dance around to their beat. Songs like the fantastic 'Evil has never'
and 'Infant eyes' really push through the senses, involving everyone in the
performance who is willing to embrace them.
In a venue like Cabaret Voltaire, their music is more appreciated than in a
large venue, simply because they are a band who unwittingly form an intimate
connection with their audience, probably without understanding how, as they
rarely say anything to the audience. This connection is constructed through
their phenomenal stage presence and their skills as musicians and performers.
There is nothing better than watching a group of performers who not only produce
fantastic pieces of music but seem to enjoy every second the experience themselves.
The only complaint anyone could square at this performance would be that the
waiting time was too long, and their performance was simply not long enough.
However there could be an element of gluttony within that analysis... but you
can never have too much of a good thing.
© Lauren Quinn, 18 August 2007. First published on www.edinburghguide.com
Review date: 18 August 2007
© Image www.myspace.com/unionofknives
