The Knife discuss politics of new album

Given the recent press release, verging on political manifesto, for their upcoming new album, you knew that giving The Knife a half-hour interview slot would result in more of the same philosophical musings.

Speaking to The Guardian recently, the electronic duo – Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olof Dreijer – discussed some of the ideas regarding their forthcoming full-length Shaking The Habitual.

While writing the record, Olof enrolled on a gender studies course at Stockholm University, while Karin says she’s been borrowing items from her bandmate’s reading list.

”We’ve tried to find ways to implement what we have learned in queer theory,” says Olof. “We’ve been teaching a bit at this summer camp for teenage girls who want to make electronic music, and there we often talk about this idea of quality in music and what informs our ideas of what is supposed to be good and bad music. You know that music history is written by privileged white men, so we can ask ourselves how important it is to repeat their ideas.”

The pair also discussed the state of the music industry and financial strife of modern musicians, offering a somewhat varied view than you’d first imagine.

“I don’t think you have the right to make a living out of your music-making,” Karin told the paper. “Sometimes I think I should get another job, and do this only for its own purpose. It’s important to separate creative expression from making money.”

Andersson continued: “Bands are getting even more commercial because they are selling their music to advertisements and going on tours with big alcohol brands. That’s really scary because it’s hard to see how music and art can continue to develop or challenge itself within these new, very commercial frames.”

Shaking The Habitual, their first offering since 2006′s Silent Shout, comes out on 8 April. You can read the full Guardian interview here.