Playing with Knives

"Playing with Knives" is a song by British electronic dance music group Bizarre Inc. It was their second single released through Vinyl Solution (their fourth single overall), as well as their second single to be written and produced as a trio. It is also the first single from their debut full-length album, Energique (1992). The song originally reached number 43 in the UK Singles Chart in March 1991.[3] It was re-released later the same year and peaked at number four in the UK charts. In 1999, the song was released for a third time, charting at a peak of number 30.

"Playing with Knives"
Single by Bizarre Inc
from the album Energique
A-side"Playing with Knives" (Quadrant Mix)
B-side"Plutonic"
Released1991
1999 (remixes)
Recorded1991
(Out of the Blue Studios, Manchester)
Genre
Length6:46 (Quadrant Mix)
3:22 (radio edit / video version)
3:19 (1999 version radio edit)
LabelVinyl Solution
Songwriter(s)Andrew Meecham, Dean Meredith, Carl Turner
Producer(s)Bizarre Inc
Bizarre Inc singles chronology
"Bizarre Theme" / "X-Static"
(1991)		 "Playing with Knives"
(1991)		 "I'm Gonna Get You"
(1992)
Music video
"Playing with Knives" on YouTube

Critical reception

Ned Raggett from AllMusic found that the song "has a wonderful squelching lead hook, leading into the mid-song shift to vocals and piano effortlessly."[4] Larry Flick from Billboard noted that it "spills industrial/acid keyboard noises on top of a fast-paced house groove". He added, "Nice contrast comes via occasional disco strings and diva wailing. Totally wild."[5] James Hamilton from Music Week complimented the track as a "frantic exciting rave".[6] Mandi James from NME felt that it showed "their scope, imagination and innate skill for pure pop songs".[7] Another editor, James Brown, wrote, "Token Techno track for people who prefer twisting and rolling at the hips to lying between the sheets listening to Peel. And a fine sound it is too."[8] Richie Blackmore from Record Mirror viewed it as a "furious piano-techno workout" that "is certainly at the cutting edge of current trends".[9] Marc Andrews from Smash Hits commented, "Throbbing "basslines" laced with meaningless phrases and there you have it. But just try sitting still when it's played at your next tea dance."[10]

Impact and legacy

NME ranked "Playing with Knives" number 14 in their list of "Singles of the Year" in December 1991.[11]

Clubbing magazine Mixmag ranked the song number 24 in its "100 Greatest Dance Singles Of All Time" list in 1996.[12]

Same year, English DJ Tall Paul chose the song as one of his Top 10 tracks, saying, "I don't know why this hasn't been reissued yet. I've seen so many bootlegs. It's just waiting to be brought out again."[13]

Alexis Petridis, writing for The Guardian in 2020, ranked the Quadrant Mix of "Playing with Knives" at number 13 in his list of his 25 best early '90s breakbeat hardcore tracks.[14]

Sampling and covers versions
  • "Playing with Knives" uses vocal samples from the 1990 house track "Shelter Me" by Circuit. Later in 1991, Circuit released a remix of "Shelter Me" known as the Retaliation Mix, which itself samples the acid bassline from "Playing with Knives".
  • The American/British act Blue Pearl used the song as their basis for their 1991 single "(Can You) Feel the Passion," which went on to be a bigger hit in the United States, reaching number one on Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart in 1992. The group mentions "Playing with Knives" in the chorus.
  • Parts of the song were sampled in the 1994 hit dance single "The Rhythm of the Night" by Corona.
  • In 2006 Big Bass vs Michelle Narine remixed it as "What you do (Playing With Knives)"
  • In 2014 the song's sample was used in the single "Got to Be Good" by Peter Gelderblom and Randy Colle.
  • In 2015 a sample appeared in "Ruffnek" by FineArt.
  • Elements of the song can be heard in the chorus hook of the Pet Shop Boys' 2016 single "The Pop Kids."
  • The piano riffs was sampled in RatPack’s 2017 track “Got To Have Your Love.”
  • English musician Shygirl sampled the song in her single "TASTY".

Track listings

Charts

References
  1. "Spirit of Ecstasy - Various Artists - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
  2. Stanley, Bob (13 September 2013). "Bassline Changed My Life: Dance Music". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 674. ISBN 978-0-571-28198-5.
  3. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". UK Singles Chart. 17 March 1991. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  4. Raggett, Ned. "Bizarre Inc. – Energique". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  5. Flick, Larry (1 June 1991). "Dance Trax: Giving 'Peace' A Spin; Irma Sets Up Shop In N.Y." (PDF). Billboard. p. 31. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  6. Hamilton, James (16 February 1991). "Dance" (PDF). Music Week. p. 8. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  7. James, Mandi (31 October 1992). "Albums". NME. p. 34. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  8. Brown, James (23 March 1991). "Singles". NME. p. 16. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  9. Blackmore, Richie (6 April 1991). "Dj Directory". Record Mirror. p. 30. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  10. Andrews, Marc (13 November 1991). "Review: Singles". Smash Hits. p. 51. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  11. "Singles of the Year". NME. 21 December 1991. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  12. "The 100 Greatest Dance Singles of All Time". Mixmag. 1996. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  13. "Jock On His Box" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 6 July 1996. p. 5. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  14. Petridis, Alexis (27 August 2020). "The greatest hardcore rave tracks – ranked!". The Guardian.
  15. "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 16 March 1991. p. 20. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  16. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  17. "Most Broadcast of 1999: Club Chart Top 50 of 1999" (PDF). Music Week. 22 January 2000. p. 32. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
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