Shaking the Habitual
The Knife · 2013
77 min · 12 tracks · electronica
A frenetic blend of industrial beats and avant-pop melodies challenges listeners with its disorienting rhythms and provocative themes.
Top tracks — play these first
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A Tooth for an Eye — This opening track sets the tone for the album with its driving electronics and biting lyrics, presenting a manifesto of resistance and self-assertion.
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Full of Fire — With its relentless pace and intricate layers, this track exemplifies the duo's experimental tendencies while addressing themes of desire and urgency.
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Raging Lung — The extended length and dynamic shifts make this track a centerpiece of the album, showcasing both vulnerability and anger through its powerful vocal delivery.
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Fracking Fluid Injection — This track stands out for its aggressive critique of environmental exploitation, using jarring sounds to reflect the chaos of modern life.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album's complex structures and provocative themes create a unique listening experience.
What we noticed
- The album features tracks that often exceed six minutes, allowing for extended explorations of sound and rhythm.
- Vocals are sparse and often manipulated, blending into the instrumentation rather than serving as the focal point.
- Composition 25% of the score
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8/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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9/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- dynamic emotional journeys
- long immersive listening sessions
- wave-like pacing experiences
- challenging conventional song structures
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in 2013, Shaking the Habitual is The Knife's first studio album since their critically acclaimed Silent Shout in 2006. This record marks a significant evolution in their sound, exploring more political themes and complex structures as the duo sought to redefine their artistic identity after years of relative quiet.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 A Tooth for an Eye 6:04
- 2 Full of Fire 9:16
- 3 A Cherry on Top 8:43
- 4 Without You My Life Would Be Boring 5:14
- 5 Wrap Your Arms Around Me 4:35
- 6 Crake 0:54
- 7 Raging Lung 9:58
- 8 Networking 6:41
- 9 Oryx 0:36
- 10 Stay Out Here 10:42
- 11 Fracking Fluid Injection 9:54
- 12 Ready to Lose 4:35
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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