A Knife Ballet is Composer & Producer Jonathan Stolber whose music is a blend of introspective cinematic electronic art-rock, inspired by Radiohead’s emotive brilliance & the atmospheric textures of Mogwai. Alongside the new breed of intelligent & distinctive bands such as peers Black Country New Road & Black Midi, Stolber kicks against music’s current corporate tsunami. This music is a soundtrack for the grand reset or, at the least, Netflix’s latest cancelled Scandinavian noir thriller.
Culled from his forthcoming LP ‘For The Blood Of England’, the inaugural teaser track Scattered Red, Blue & Black is a poignant, cinematic send-off imbued with the early spirit of Mogwai. It’s accompanying track, A Phantom Limb underscores an eerie atmospheric score reminiscent of 80’s horror.
The track drops across all streaming services 26/01/2024 & will receive one bespoke vinyl pressing to be auction on Ebay to raise donations for Alzheimer’s Society. The track hails Stolber’s first release under new moniker A Knife Ballet having previously received critical acclaim for his Holy Road EP ‘An Unshakable Demon’ during the pandemic.
A Phantom Limb could be the soundtrack to a psychological horror movie and brings to mind echoes of John Carpenter soundtracks of old with its brooding synths and piercing arpeggios. A definitive 80’s feel but with a sharp, contemporary update, it certainly hits the mark. Scattered Red, Blue & Black is a gloriously over the top cinematic epic that just builds and builds to an enigmatic crescendo. The interlocking guitars generate a pensive feel before some eerie strings create a feeling of almost unbearable tension. The superb sinuous cello of Maddie Cutter combines with Ben Weedon’s wistful, weeping strings to imbue an almost sinister undertone to the piece. JJ Saddington’s crashing guitars echo in your eardrums and the dark, sombre piano of Chris Forham completes the intensely heightened acoustic overload.
Jon Stolber has returned with something quite magnificent and apocalyptically profound. This is theatrically demanding music that is not for the faint hearted but it is oh so brilliantly executed and something that is addictive in its attraction and augurs well for the new album to come.
Spotify: A Knife Ballet | Spotify
Alzheimer’s Society Ebay Vinyl Auction Link (live as of 26/01/24):
A Knife Ballet Vinyl – Scattered Red, Blue & Black Ltd Dub Plate Clear 10″ | eBay
Bandcamp:
Scattered Red, Blue & White | A KNIFE BALLET (bandcamp.com)