King Krule – 6 Feet Beneath the Moon

Much has been made of the fact that Archy Marshall, aka King Krule, has released 6 Feet Beneath the Moon at the tender age of 19. But shockingly, this is far from the most exciting and unexpected thing about the album. Unless you’ve followed Marshall’s earlier releases under the moniker Zoo Kid, 6 Feet Beneath the Moon won’t sound like anything else you’ve heard before.

Sure, there’s The XX-style reverb you may already be familiar with, but instead of slow, muted vocals, Marshall’s voice arrives with barrelling adolescent anger in a jarring clash of two extremes. There’s aggression and vulnerability present, as well as a distinctive London twang, and his confrontational vocals are allowed to take centre stage due to the minimalistic maturity of the beats. 6 Feet Beneath the Moon takes the listener out of their comfort zone and into the complex, hazy world of King Krule.

Album opener Easy Easy kicks everything off with many of the features that will continue throughout: lairy bravado meets exposed desperation over simplistically stirring guitar chords. Marshall continues to characterise his sound in tracks like Has This Hit and Baby Blue without getting lazy, and allowing the songs to become repetitive self-parodies. While there’s a tendency to veer towards lyrical triteness, Marshall steps up his game in tracks like Foreign 2, proving he’s earned his hype.

Lizard State has a jazz-inspired beat behind it that makes resistance to movement futile, something that continues in Krockadile. These tracks come as welcome breaks after a run of more stripped-back offerings like the damp Ceiling, which comes across as slightly unfinished. Out Getting Ribs, one of the tracks that’s been around for a while, has been revisited and re-tooled for the album, escaping the traps Ceiling falls into with a more polished and considered sonic experience.

6 Feet Beneath the Moon is a remarkable effort, and not just because it was made by a teenager. The album consistently experiments with tempo and influences to forge something that is truly unique. A first offering with bite and substance, Marshall has carved out his own niche with brash brilliance that’s sure to be alienating to some. If you can get behind the warring sounds on the record, you’re sure to find something worth sticking around for.

Verdict: ★★★★★

Annie Robinson

6 Feet Beneath the Moon was released on the 24th August 2013.

Watch the video for Easy Easy here: