The works of Archy Marshall have undertaken many different identities since his initial release as Zoo Kid in 2010. His last major project was the brilliant 6 feet Beneath the Moon under his more well-known moniker, King Krule. Since then, the 24 year old has been pretty quiet. However, he’s back. This time, under his birth name, with the release of his newest twelve track venture – A New Place 2 Drown.
With this original musical masterpiece, Marshall has managed to reflect the same angst and malaise that has reoccurred throughout his previous musical endeavours. The opening track, ‘Any God of Yours’, slips into a dark whirring instrumental, which hints at the kind of sounds that are yet to come. As Marshall’s distinctive reverb soaked vocals mumble over the slow yet complex electronic beats, you are drawn away from his unusual lack of guitar. This different approach to ANP2D indicates a new direction for Marshall, as he takes heavy inspiration from his Hip-Hop influences.
Atmospherically, this album is very intricate. Underneath the heavy vocal line is a sea of clicks, shimmers and deep bass lines which complement the dry melodic overtones played on the synth. Marshall is still creating content which illustrates his pessimistic view on life, with disturbing lyrics such as, “she lost the powers in the powders she adores”. His response to this gloomy overlook on life is with aggressive and percussive-heavy passages between lyrics. The line “Some men are dogs to be specific” is spat at a whisper towards the end of “Sex with Nobody” as the track is broken down into a reverbarating outro.
Marshall is an artist who is constantly developing his sounds and producing styles, whilst maintaining his reverb induced slumbers that we all know so well. The significant absence of guitar in this album is a choice many ‘Krule’ fans will probably disagree with. However, it is a choice which he should stand by, as it has definitely paid off. The use of new, more industrial timbres, builds on the already experimental aesthetic Archy Marshall has created.
Alongside the album, a book and short film have been released with the help from Archy’s brother Jack. The three piece multimedia project is a step in a new direction for Marshall, as he showcases his overwhelming creativity through different art forms. No doubt Archy will hit us again with more outstanding works under various assortment of identities. But, for now we should appreciate what we have with A New Place 2 Drown, as it is certainly one of his best pieces of art.
Words by Joe Bardsley