Whether you know him as King Krule, Zoo Kid, or don’t know him at all, eighteen year old Archy Marshall has, without a doubt, a gift for creating intensely personal lyrics with jazzy backgrounds and concentrated beats. I discovered Marshall a few years ago and was completely taken aback by his sound; it was harsh, unexpected, and melodic all at the same time. He released his first few songs at sixteen under the name Zoo Kid. Out Getting Ribs (the title is borrowed from a piece by Jean-Michel Basquiat, an artist known for integrating text and pictures into work that challenged societal norms) became incredibly popular due to Marshall’s deep voice and even deeper lyrics accompanied by a minimalistic, one-shot video that seems to encompass all the emotions of the song into visuals.

Pitchfork, a prominent music review website and festival, immediately took notice. Out Getting Ribs was included in their “Best of 2011” list and positive feedback in regards to the song streamed  from their website constantly. Marshall held small, live shows in Europe and even opened for the surf-pop band Surfer Blood in Paris, where he delivered a raw, simple performance of a few songs he recorded himself. Soon after, Zoo Kid became King Krule and picked up a band to record a real EP.

Self-titled, this release is a little more grown up and a little less rough. Bleak Bake is my personal favorite from the EP because of its light beat that contrasts with Marshall’s crude lyrics and raw vocals. The Noose of Jah City continues this trend perfectly with Marshall looking quite a bit older but as cool as ever in the video.

As Marshall continues to grow, both in experience and in popularity, his music continues to leave the listener with feelings of heartbreak and nostalgia that enshroud teenage-hood. I can’t wait to see what he does next and hope he maintains the unfiltered, lo-fi sound that I love.

View King Krule’s fantastic full set at the Mercury Lounge from January 2012 here: