Back in March 2011, while in my second year attending University College Cork I remember staying up until 4am one night just to watch a live stream on Facebook of a date on Ellie Goulding‘s US tour. I regret nothing, Ellie put on a sterling show as she was touring America for the first time, but it was the support act on the night that made the late night worthwhile. There was an energy and a sense of excitement around the music the set by The Knocks that led me to frantically research more about the duo.

The New York electronic duo, comprised of Ben Ruttner and James Patterson, seemed to just be trying to have fun making music that people could dance with. They began their musical journeys by remixing tracks for a variety of acts that included the aforementioned Ellie Goulding, Marina & the Diamonds and Katy Perry, before they decided to start focusing on making their own music.

Since 2011, the duo have gone on to develop a strong presence in American dance music with a string of commercially successful singles, and collaborations with Matthew Koma, Wyclef Jean, Mark Foster of Foster The People, among others. The Knocks have developed a fantastic discography of energetic and sophisticated dance tracks that have seen them become some of the most respected and lauded producers in music at the moment.

This post will outline some of my favourite songs by the talented New York duo, songs that are sure to be added to your summer and party playlists in the future.

Dreaming {2014}

This is probably the most beautiful song on the discography of The Knocks. A simple exploration of that feeling where all you can think about is that special person. It demonstrates the level of ability that the band has for creating sonic landscapes through a strong piano riff and accompanying synths to create that dream like state of loving someone else.

Geronimo (w/ Fred Falke) {2012}

The heaviest of the tracks that I have chosen to include in this post, Geronimo saw The Knocks team up with French DJ and producer, Fred Falke, to create this masterpiece of electronic house music. Instantly memorable and catchy lyrics, try not to have a little bop to yourself after hearing this.

Make It Better {2011}

A song that sums up everything that The Knocks pride themselves on – sing-a-along lyrics, catchy beat, and a fun sound. The psychedelic video only adds to enjoyment.

Learn To Fly {2012}

“All the stars in all the skies, make me want to learn to fly…”

Ride Or Die (ft. Foster The People) {2018}

The most recent single by the duo saw them collaborate with American band, Foster The People, to create one of the most accessible singles of their career and one of the singles of the summer. The Foster The People influence is clearly evident across the track with the laid back vibes on show, along with the excellent vocals by Mark Foster. These influences are then melded together with the high quality production that is a hallmark of any track by The Knocks to make a truly enjoyable listening experience.

Modern Hearts (ft. St. Lucia) {2013}

This 2013 single saw the band team up with Jean-Philip Grobler, the man behind the Brooklyn based synthpop outfit, St. Lucia. Grobler’s vocals are the perfect feel for this track that takes us on a night time drive through the streets of New York as our protagonist hopes that the romantic interest he is with will still be there when the sun comes up. Again the production abilities of Ruttner and Patterson are clearly evident across the track with the instrumentation vividly creating the city landscape that we are being exposed to.

The Knocks got their name from when they used to work on their music in their New York apartment in the early days, and they used to get regular knocks on the door from neighbours asking them to turn the music down. These days it’s unusual for people not to be telling them to turn it up.

MK