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40-477: Knower , also stylized as KNOWER , is an American independent electronic jazz-funk duo. The group primarily consists of Louis Cole (bass, drums, guitars, keyboards, vocals) and Genevieve Artadi (bass, keyboards, vocals); their full band includes saxophone, bass and keyboard players. They have gained success releasing music online. Louis Cole studied music in Los Angeles, California , graduating from

80-526: A live band , with members including David Binney , Sam Gendel , Thom Gill, Dennis Hamm, Jacob Mann, Rai Thistlethwayte , and Sam Wilkes . Knower Forever was recorded at Cole's house sometime in 2023; neither Cole or Genevieve Artadi revealed the dates of recording or production. Unlike their four previous albums which were produced exclusively by the duo, Knower Forever features performances and production from several musicians including Binney, Gendel, Thistlethwayte and Wilkes. Knower announced

120-566: A 5-piece live band as an alternative lineup. Apart from the core members, the band at various points included Tim Lefebvre , Dennis Hamm, Sam Wilkes , Sam Gendel , Nate Wood and Jonah Nilsson. Their European tour of 2016, as well as parts of the US tour, featured the live band. In July 2017, Knower opened for the Red Hot Chili Peppers in four major European cities, and since that year they have performed in many European cities with

160-520: A choir, along with strings and brass sections on a lot of the songs on this album. The album was later released across other streaming platforms in October 2023. Core members Additional and former additional members Independent music The origins of independent music lie in British independent record labels, such as Rough Trade and Mute . In the 1970s, these labels contributed to

200-411: A direct, do-it-yourself manner allowing creative distribution. There is the potential for artists to gain large numbers of streams on Spotify if their music are included in certain popular playlists. For both independent and major labels, the label generally owns the copyright to the sound recording. Artists who maintain their copyrights usually must sacrifice other parts of their deal, and must give

240-593: A distinct musical style found in indie music, which was influenced by post-punk and new wave . Important albums that contributed to this style include Joy Division 's Unknown Pleasures (1979) and Depeche Mode 's Speak & Spell (1981). Released on Rough Trade, Inflammable Material (1979) was the first independently-released album to sell over 100,000 copies. By the 1980s, the indie pop band The Smiths , signed with Rough Trade, "came to exemplify indie both musically and culturally" according to The Conversation . The Smith's authentic sound contrasted with

280-688: A long history of promoting developments in popular music, stretching back to the post-war period in the United States, with labels such as Sun Records , King Records , and Stax . In the United Kingdom during the 1950s and 1960s, the major record companies had so much power that independent labels struggled to become established, until the launch of new labels like Virgin Records . Several British producers and artists launched independent labels as outlets for their work and artists they liked;

320-400: A lot of hits thanks to a front page YouTube feature. In this same year, they released their debut album, Louis Cole and Genevieve Artadi . In 2011, their second album Think Thoughts was released. Songs such as "Around" and "I Remember" presented some heavy funk grooves. Soon after the release of this album, the group collaborated with Pomplamoose to release a single, "It Goes On." Sporting

360-423: A partnership. One issue is that artists often forgo their mechanical royalties in 50-50 deals, and it can be more difficult to recoup the advance, meaning it takes longer to turn a profit. Some labels forgo a formal contract altogether, and their deals include few restrictions. Independent music is a broad category that is made up of distinct subgenres with influences from various other genres. Indie pop

400-716: A scene or movement, and often combines influences from a variety of genres. It has origins in the 1990s, with artists like Stereolab , Arab Strap , and Disco Inferno contributing to the style. Indietronica largely grew in popularity in the 2000s, with the rising accessibility to home recording and software synthesizers . Influential artists of this era include Hot Chip , Metronomy , and The Postal Service . Some 2010s artists achieved wider success with their music, for example, James Blake and The xx . Indietronica artists usually release their music on independent labels, with examples including Sub Pop , Warp , and Ghostly International . Knower Forever Knower Forever

440-477: A variety of methods of distribution, with the label generally owning the copyright for the sound recording. They generally give smaller advances , or sometimes no advance, and some may offer higher royalty splits than major labels. Although "Indie" was first used to described music released on independent record labels, the term grew to describe a specific sound because of the creative freedom of its initial bands and artists. A defining characteristic of indie music

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480-513: Is a style of folk music which originated in the 1990s with artists like Elliott Smith and Will Oldham . The genre grew from traditional and contemporary folk , but took a distinctly independent approach inspired by indie rock. The genre gained further popularity and support in the 2000s from labels such as Saddle Creek , Barsuk , and Sub Pop . Notable 21st century indie folk artists include Fleet Foxes , Bon Iver , Great Lake Swimmers , Sufjan Stevens , and Phoebe Bridgers . Indie folk

520-451: Is a style of rock music and is one of the most popular independent music genres. It originally grew out of the alternative rock , punk rock , and independent movements of the 1980s, with local scenes emerging in many American cities and college towns . The New Zealand Dunedin sound of the 1970s and 80s was also influential in indie rock's development. By the 1990s, indie rock had separated from alternative rock and gained popularity in

560-598: Is a style of pop music that originally grew out of British post-punk in the late 1970s. Indie pop was one of the first independent music genres, and was initially synonymous with "indie". Indie pop is characterized by a focus on melody , arrangements, and harmony , with less angst and distortion as compared to indie rock . It features the homemade intimacy commonly found in independent music. Notable subgenres include chamber pop , which adds lush chamber orchestration , and twee pop , which features "primitive simplicity". Indie rock (also referred to as simply "indie")

600-404: Is distinguished by its acoustic instrumentation – and often consists of just vocals and acoustic guitar – although some artists experiment with more diverse instrumentation. As well, indie folk artists are often singer-songwriters . Indie electronic , also known as indietronica, is a broad categorization of music that combines independent and electronic music styles. It is not considered

640-420: Is that artists have less to pay back, and therefore can begin to profit quicker. There are a number of ways that an independent label may structure their contract. Some independent labels have contracts that are essentially equivalent to major label deals. On a major label, a typical royalty rate (what the artist takes) is 13% to 16%; however, some independent labels offer 50-50 splits, which functions more as

680-540: Is that artists retain much more creative control over their music as compared to major labels. Bands often have small budgets, and employ a do-it-yourself ethos which influences their sound. Indie music generally represents guitar-oriented music which strays away from commercial conventions. It often features lyrics that are earnest and emotive, with many cultural and sociopolitical references. Many artists signed to major labels have retained creative control and are still considered indie artists. Independent labels have

720-478: Is the fifth studio album by American independent electronic jazz-funk duo Knower . It was self-released on June 2, 2023. Recording was done sometime in 2023 at member Louis Cole 's house. Cole was responsible for the album's production in its entirety. Musically, Knower Forever diverts from the duo's four previous albums, featuring an experimental sound with avant-pop and jazz-funk whilst continuing their theme of humorous and vulgar lyrics. The album

760-604: The COVID-19 pandemic, the pair released a "living room power set" onto their YouTube Channel, which included live performances of "Overtime", "Time Traveler", "Pizza", and "It's Time", among other songs. Their fifth album, Knower Forever , was released exclusively on Bandcamp as a paid digital download and physical LP in June 2023, along with three free songs publicly available on YouTube; "I'm The President", "The Abyss" and "Crash The Car", to commercial success. Knower also included

800-686: The Norrbotten Big Band of Sweden. In 2018, Knower toured Europe, China, Japan, and the US, continuing the live band formation and also unveiling a renovated duo set with Artadi and Cole. In 2019, Knower collaborated with Bob Minzer and the WDR Big Band for a performance at JazzFest Bonn while also releasing videos of rehearsal sessions in studio in Cologne. They also expanded their touring that year, travelling to South Africa and South America, including Rapa Nui. In 2020, during

840-478: The LA-based saxophonist Robby Marshall. In 2009 Cole and Artadi joined forces. Knower released their first album in 2010. In early 2010, the group began to upload their music to YouTube. Their first video, a cover of Britney Spears's song "3" got a lot of hits quickly thanks to Jack Conte promoting it on YouTube. Another early video release, "Window Shop" (originally recorded on Louis Cole's first album) also got

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880-529: The Smashing Pumpkins ) and Britpop ( Blur , Pulp , and Oasis ). In the 21st century, due to the internet, indie music saw a global spread in popularity, as music fans were no longer dependent on physical publications to find new music. Independent record labels , important to the development of indie music, are characterized by their smaller operations, lower funding, and greater creative control as compared to major labels . Independent labels use

920-541: The UK, this music was not referred to as "indie" until the 2000s. Indie music reached wide commercial success in the 1990s, especially with Britpop bands like Blur , Pulp , and Oasis . As well, American grunge bands like Nirvana , Pearl Jam , and The Smashing Pumpkins received mainstream success. In 1991, the Grammys added an Alternative section to its awards ceremony, for "non-traditional form[s]" existing "outside of

960-444: The chances of greater success. There are a few ways an independent label may go about distributing its music. Some independent labels are owned by major labels, who carry out the distribution for them. Other labels instead go through independent distributors. Many current artists use their own resources to produce, record, market and release music through Spotify , SoundCloud , and other streaming platforms with social media in

1000-631: The common highly produced pop music of the time. The UK Indie Chart was first compiled in 1980, and independent distribution became better organized from the late 1970s onward. In 1986, NME released the compilation album C86 , which was influential to the development of indie music. In the United States, independent music was first spread by in the 1980s by college radios and thus dubbed college rock (also later termed modern rock and alternative rock ). Defining American albums of this era include Sonic Youth 's Daydream Nation (1988) and Pixies ’ Doolittle (1989). However, unlike

1040-525: The cost of smaller budgets and personnel. They are often able to support artists working in niche styles of music, and rely heavily on personal networking, or word of mouth , to expose their acts. Indie labels are usually small operations, with almost no outside assistance and run out of tiny offices. Some artists choose to go from an independent label to a major label if given the opportunity, as major labels have considerably more power and financial means to promote and distribute products, sometimes increasing

1080-418: The emergence of a distinct sound, influenced by post-punk and new wave . NME released the influential compilation album C86 in 1986, and helped with indie's spread and development. American independent music first emerged in the 1980s, and was spread via college radios . Styles that evolved out of indie music and reached wide commercial success in the 1990s include grunge ( Nirvana , Pearl Jam , and

1120-417: The group's distinctive electro-funk sound, the single brought increased visibility to the duo. Let Go , Knower's third album, was released in 2013. They followed the release of Let Go with a performance at Bonnaroo Festival with Soul Khan, Jenny Suk, and Black Violin. Knower also went on a tour of the east coast United States with duo WeYou, consisting of Nate Wood and Jesske Hume. In 2014, Knower released

1160-549: The jazz studies program at USC Thornton in 2009. He became good friends with fellow musician Jack Conte in 2006. Both composed and recorded some songs, which are present on Conte's YouTube channel. Conte suggested Cole start releasing his music online. Genevieve Artadi also studied music in Los Angeles. She received her bachelor's degree in jazz studies at California State University (CSU) Northridge and did post-graduate studies at CSU Long Beach. Cole and Artadi met through

1200-447: The label a temporary license to the recordings. An advance is a pre-payment of royalties from the label for the artist to record the album; it is paid back through the album's royalties. Independent labels generally give out much smaller advances than major labels, if any. Additionally, some independent labels will cover an album's recording costs instead of proving a set dollar amount as an advance. One advantage of smaller advances

1240-701: The mainstream music consciousness". The internet 's ease of spreading information influenced indie music's popularization in the United States and global spread. Music fans no longer relied on publications or magazines to hear about new artists. At the beginning of the 21st century, the term indie came to describe a number of related but distinct subgenres . One example is indie folk , a stripped-back low fidelity approach to folk music , as seen in Fleet Foxes or Bon Iver 's first album, For Emma, Forever Ago . Widely popular indie rock bands of this era include Arcade Fire and Arctic Monkeys . By this time,

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1280-494: The mainstream, pushed along by the popularity of Seattle's grunge scene, especially Nirvana . Notable artists of the 2000s included The Strokes , Yeah Yeah Yeahs , and the Arctic Monkeys , while some of the 2010s included The 1975 and Vampire Weekend . Indie rock went onto inspire a multitude of subgenres and derivative styles, such as dream pop , noise pop , lo-fi , math rock , emo , and more. Indie folk

1320-415: The majority failed as commercial ventures or were bought by the major labels. During the punk rock era, the number of independent labels grew. In 1977, Manchester -band Buzzcocks released Spiral Scratch , considered the first independently released rock release. In the late 1970s, certain UK independent labels (such as Rough Trade , Factory , Fiction , and Mute ) contributed to the emergence of

1360-692: The non-album single "I Must Be Dreaming", and toured the East Coast and the South. They were also presented by Quincy Jones in a new artist concert series in Los Angeles. Their song "Fuck the Makeup, Skip the Shower" was featured on FlyLo FM (hosted by Flying Lotus ) on the next-gen version of Grand Theft Auto V . In 2015, Knower recorded with Snarky Puppy on their Family Dinner – Volume 2 . In 2016 they released their fourth album, Life , and formed

1400-521: The record a "jazz-funk tour de force LP of outstanding musicianship, infinite energy, humour and invention", and praised the duo and supporting band. Tony Wolski of The Armed called Knower Forever one of his favorite albums of the year, stating that "It’s no secret that Louis Cole is an absolute force on drums. But Genevieve Artadi is the unsung MVP of this, making effortless melodies that get stuck in your head for days out of such unprecious, understated staccato utterances." The duo revealed that "for

1440-585: The release of Knower Forever in May 2023 as a Bandcamp exclusive, citing low payment from Spotify and other streaming services as their reason for doing so. "I'm the President", "The Abyss", and "Crash the Car" were released as singles that month to promote the album, alongside a series of music videos with a DIY style the band is known for. Knower Forever was released on Bandcamp on June 2, 2023, and it

1480-400: The term indie had transcended the definition of solely independently released music, and came to represent a "general resistance to popular and mainstream culture, evoking realism, independence and authenticity". An independent record label is one that operates outside of the funding and creative control of major record labels . Independent labels generally have greater creative freedom, at

1520-756: The tonal warmth of smooth jazz ." James Rettig of Stereogum described it as "alternately squelching and smooth, and there are a whole lot of instruments backing Artadi as she talks some shit and pumps herself up." The same publication later included "I'm the President" in a "Best Songs of the Week" list, praising its "horn flourishes, a backing choir, and a completely wild song structure that leapfrogs from bass-driven funk to high school marching band to mind-bending free jazz." James Sissler of Live for Live Music praised its variety, noting its switches from "aggressively funky and unashamedly silly" to "breathtaking melodies and epic orchestration". Writers of Song Bar called

1560-433: Was first released exclusively on Bandcamp , and was promoted with a series of home-made videos. Its success on the platform resulted in a vinyl campaign , which preceded its release onto streaming platforms. Knower Forever received positive reviews from music critics . The last album released by Knower was Life in 2016, an electronic record. From that year onwards, Knower expanded their lineup and began performing as

1600-400: Was followed by a vinyl campaign . It was released on streaming platforms in October of that same year. Knower Forever received positive reviews from music critics . Zoe Camp of Bandcamp Daily ranked Knower Forever among their best albums of the year, believing the duo "are certainly at home basking in muzak 's creature comforts, from the hermetically sealed vocals of city pop to

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