Silent Shout
by The Knife
Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 22
  3. Negative: 1 out of 22
  1. AllMusic
    80
    A much darker, more ambitious set of songs than the Knife's previous work.
  2. Almost Cool
    68
    When they keep things a little more subtle, Silent Shout is outstanding, but in other places it's just sorta there.
  3. Austin Chronicle
    67
    Merging Siouxsie Sioux with Aphex Twin, Silent Shout twists manipulated sounds around a basic core of addictive rhythm in a convoluted game of tetherball.
  5. Billboard
    70
    "Silent Shout" excels with pulsating electro-rhythms, even though they don't include drums, bass or even a drum and bass sound.
  6. cokemachineglow
    82
    On Silent Shout, The Knife have shaken off their more tangential musical inclinations and produced an intensely cohesive album, a monochrome rainbow that has emerged from the unfocused torrential rainstorm of before.
  7. Delusions of Adequacy
    90
    While many electronic acts are trying their hand at folkier compositions and attempting to squeeze warmth from the digital realm, The Knife's Silent Shout opts for ice-cold distance. The record suffers nothing for it, instead coming out monolithic and beautiful.
  8. Drawer B
    70
    And while lyrically nothing comes close to eclipsing the pop genius of "Heartbeats" from their previous release, Deep Cuts, several tracks on Silent Shout demonstrate considerable growth both lyrically and musically, making this a solid follow up from a band that has further evolved their own curious brand of synthpop.
  9. Drowned In Sound
    100
    This is one of the most rich and accomplished albums of recent times. Essential.
  10. Dusted Magazine
    60
    The key is minor, the tone is melancholy, the concerns are callow, but the leitmotif is redeeming.
  11. Magnet
    50
    Interesting sounds? To be sure. Impenetrable songs? That, too. [#73, p.94]
    All this publication's reviews
  12. MSN Consumer Guide (Robert Christgau)
    91
    The musical construction is so jaunty that they can't be serious even if they're cutting their alienated fans out of the joke. [Feb/Mar 2007]
    All this publication's reviews
  13. musicOMH.com
    60
    If you're looking to buy this record on the back of Heartbeats you may be disappointed as it bears little resemblance to the Knife's current work.
  14. NOW Magazine
    80
    Once you wrap your head around The Knife's strange little world, it's actually a pretty interesting place.
  15. Pitchfork
    86
    As menacing as it is hooky, this is some bracing stuff.
  16. PopMatters
    80
    There hasn’t been such an overtly bleak and dangerous concept album like Silent Shout in quite a long time.
  17. Prefix Magazine
    60
    Far too often [Karin's] voice is put through a vocoder, multi-tracked, and treated by various other electronic procedures. The result is that one of the group's main talents is stifled and limited.
  18. Q Magazine
    10
    A hideous mess of electro noodling and maddeningly obtuse, tuneless vocals. [May 2006, p.126]
    All this publication's reviews
  19. Spin
    90
    A freaky, moving masterpiece. [Aug 2006, p.80]
    All this publication's reviews
  20. Stylus Magazine
    100
    While their sound has become immensely creepier, it has also improbably become more beautiful.
  21. The Guardian
    80
    It's anybody's guess what a fan of the Gonzalez and Royksopp tracks will make of this beautiful, haunted record, but its dark ingenuity is the kind that keeps electronic music alive.
  22. Uncut
    80
    The sound of a group entering their prime, Silent Shout--strange, bold and tuneful--is textbook Euro-pop. [Apr 2006, p.110]
    All this publication's reviews
  23. Under The Radar
    80
    Scaring the abject shit out of you doesn’t make it a bad record. It makes it the most arresting electronica album of 2006. [Summer 2006]
    All this publication's reviews

Awards & Rankings

48
#48 Most Discussed Album of 2006
41
#41 Most Shared Album of 2006

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 118 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 108 out of 118
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 118
  3. Negative: 6 out of 118
  1. listener
    Jan 23, 2013
    10
    Well people from Q certainly have reason to feel like fools because 7 years later it's quite obvious that Silent Shout is modern masterpieceWell people from Q certainly have reason to feel like fools because 7 years later it's quite obvious that Silent Shout is modern masterpiece and one of very best albums of whole decade.… Full Review »
  2. tim
    Jan 30, 2007
    5
    No more 80s sounding. The whole 80s revival has run it course. Give it a rest!
  3. RG
    Jan 26, 2007
    10
    if you have friends who doubt the depth of techno/dance...or think its just too cold for music, give them this album. hands down the best if you have friends who doubt the depth of techno/dance...or think its just too cold for music, give them this album. hands down the best record in 2006, this album flows beautifully. i m not even gonna try and explain the female voice which just adds another dimension to the cryptic sound, but not in a scary way, its welcoming. but once u are in u cant stop dancing, fast and slow and absorb that voice. after few listens the lyrics start to gain more light and you go even farther into this world created by this duo.… Full Review »
See all user reviews »