Every time I think I’m too cool for school because I’m done with Electro-House or Big Room House and prefer funky/Deep/Booty/Disco/Tech House, I listen to something by Knife Party and realize that couldn’t be further from the truth – at least when they’re involved. The primary reason I love Knife Party is because they are absolute masters at production and at stringing together unique and banging live sets/studio mixes. Songs by Knife Party are crisp, clean, and frenzy-inducing. Rob Swire and Gareth McGrillen are in a league all their own not just because their productions outweigh most others’ in this space (and are one of the few main stage acts I’ll get excited about these days), but because they also have a sense of humor about it; my secondary reason for loving Knife Party. Today, after several delays, the Trigger Warning EP is finally out, on Big Beat Records.
If you want the newest example of Knife Party combining top-quality music with an inside joke, look no further than “PLUR Police” – the lead single off the EP (also remixed by JAUZ for more of a grimy Dubstep approach). According to Knife Party, who provided the backstory of “PLUR Police” in an interview with Zane Lowe (listen below), the song was created as a parody after listening to all the cheese being played at Ultra Music Festival this year. But, as Zane Lowe exclaimed, the joke is on Knife Party – as the track became incredibly popular among their fans. “PLUR Police” certainly contains elements of the cheese they are referring to, but as Knife Party did with their Deep House song “EDM Trend Machine”, they’ve out-produced the producers they’re making fun of (and frankly I think “EDM Trend Machine” is a fantastic song independent of the joke they were making). With lines like “I’m EDM as fuck bro!”, “PLUR Police” makes me laugh and head bang at the same time.
So what does the Trigger Warning EP say about Knife Party? They’ve still got it. High-octane tracks with humorous subtleties, this release even makes a Deep House fan like me revert back to my “EDM as fuck” days. Shout out to Tom Staar and JAUZ who provided work on the EP and complete a four-song masterpiece that will certainly be enjoyed well into 2016. Below I’ve included the Zane Lowe interview, the Diplo & Friends Knife Party Halloween Mix, and of course the Trigger Warning EP.
And because I’m too lazy to report on it myself, here’s an article about the release delays. ENJOY!