Deep Cuts

The second album from the Knife, Deep Cuts saw wide release only after the success of 2006's Silent Shout, a more dance-oriented work than its dark, moody successor. While the wonderful quirks of the Swedish brother/sister duo -- namely distorted vocals and prominent synth lines -- are present, they are often used in shimmering, club-ready contexts, as on the vibrant "Heartbeats" (later covered by indie-folk performer José Gonzalez) and "You Take My Breath Away," which skates along nimbly on a sheet of icy beats. If Deep Cuts is a night out on the dancefloor, Silent Shout is the chilling, shadow-filled walk home, making the former the more accessible and lighthearted of the two albums.