Exclusive album premiere of ‘Endless from the Start’ by Scottish electronic act Union of Knives, out 12th November 2021 via Disco Pinata.

After a 14 year hiatus, Scottish electronic rock trio Union Of Knives return to form with the coming of their latest project ‘Endless From The Start’. Following a string of thundering singles, the new LP succeeds their acclaimed 2006 debut, ‘Violence And Birdsong’.

Union of Knives resurfaced in 2020 with their single ‘A Tall Tale’. The band combines the pummelling urgency of industrial music with the cathartic release of ambient theatrics for a unique sound that mesmerizingly references goth, trip hop, and warped soul. Continuing in the pulsating vein of alt-rock meets electronica that the trio is known for, ‘Endless From The Start’ is an epic brooding in dark energy. Combining dense and persistent rhythm with airy synths and effervescent vocals, Union Of Knives have crafted an album complementary of all scenes, from the dancefloor to packed stadiums.

Touching on themes such as solitude, identity, stress and hope ‘Endless From The Start’ is a journey through bustling confusion in order to find peace, understanding and clarity. Despite the foot-tapping hypnotism embedded in each track, the album beholds a ruminative quality. About ‘A Tall Tale’, the bands Anthony Thomaz says, “I was hypnotised by the track when I first heard it with Helen’s ethereal vocals and delivery… The repetitive mantra “who am I” is a question we ask ourselves every day. For me it is like meditating while dancing.”

In its genesis, the album blossomed through improvisation, repeated refrain and a stream of consciousness approach, following the omniscient route that the music took them. Minneapolis, in particular, is one track that was birthed from a state of openness, Chris Gordon adds, “I had a few loose ideas on the go and as Anthony and I listened back he hit on something with a little stream of consciousness. Sometimes he works so fast it’s a blur, I have to let him do his thing and then play catch up in terms of the production for the few days afterwards.”

Union Of Knives also enlist the sonorous projections of Ladytron’s Helen Marie, who features on two of the tracks, ‘A Tall Tale and A Little Life’, with Anthony saying “Helen is the best at capturing the moment and her voice is like no other.”

‘Endless From The Start’ is as diverse as it is uplifting, even in its darker moments the compelling sense of rhythm elevates a sense of shared spirit and mission to the fore. The voices underpinned by turn with swooping ethereal tapestries, foundation shaking subs, and twitching yet insistent beats, courtesy of drummer Peter Kelly (The Kills, Ladytron). There is an unrelenting unfurling of ideas and motifs.

Headline photo: Simon Murphy

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