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The Rise from Zoo Kid to King Krule - One to Watch
Other | Friday 21st December 2012 | Martin
A tearaway from Brit School, a man of many guises, and a genre spanning artist: all of these statements are true of King Krule, yet none quite describe him.
Archy Marshall (aka King Krule, Zoo Kid, and DJ JD Sports) is a Brit School non-conformist; he not only parted ways with the establishment in 2011, but has wrangled early acclaim as an artist that is much removed from other mainstream success stories from the school e.g. Jessie J, Adele, and The Kooks. King Krule is not a name to be squeezed in to the box of pop artist or singer-songwriter, though he may be both of those things. Rather, Krule is a modern reincarnation of Ian Dury – a cockney poetic lyricist with a post-punk music style – although his lyric content is more introspective, and his sound explores a host of past and current genres.
‘Portrait in Black and Blue’, from Krule’s self titled EP, commences with the lyrics, “Spastic gyrations”, which seems an overt reference to Dury’s controversial song ‘Spasticus Autisticus’. Although Dury wrote his song in protest, the number basically conveys his existence as an outsider; in an artistic sense, this would be an experience shared for both Dury and Krule (if Ian was still alive). Marshall’s output is also similar to Dury’s in that he creates art. His lyrics, without musical aid, are worthy of receiving their own commendation – perhaps an Ivor Novello Award awaits him in the future.
Mr. Marshall’s poetic and sonic ingenuity has seen him shortlisted for the ‘BBC Sound of 2013’. Krule is new-wave, darkwave, hip-hop, and dub, with a splash of jazz; all this at the age of eighteen.
Witness the artist behind the hype for yourself:
This is Krule's remix of 'Out Getting Ribs', renamed, 'Out Getting Cribs' that he released under his alias DJ JD Sports:
By Martin Cater (@MartinCater)
