King Krule

Biography

Archy Ivan Marshall (born 24 August 1994), also known by his stage name King Krule, among other names, is an English singer, songwriter, musician, rapper and record producer, known for projects such as "6 Feet Beneath The Moon×6 Feet Beneath the Moon24 August 2013 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Easy Easy2:502Border Line3:063Has This Hit?4:264Foreign 23:395Ceiling2:566Baby Blue3:367Cementality3:448A Lizard State4:209Will I Come1:5510Ocean Bed3:3111Neptune Estate5:1312The Krockadile4:5213Out Getting Ribs4:1614Bathed in Grey4:02" and "The Ooz×The Ooz13 October 2017 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 19 tracks1Biscuit Town3:422The Locomotive2:523Dum Surfer4:234Slush Puppy2:435Bermondsey Bosom (Left)1:156Logos3:507Sublunary2:108Lonely Blue4:459Cadet Limbo4:5310Emergency Blimp2:5411Czech One4:1512(A Slide In) New Drugs3:0613Vidual2:2014Bermondsey Bosom (Right)1:0615Half Man Half Shark5:0216The Cadet Leaps4:2117The Ooz4:3618Midnight 01 (Deep Sea Diver)3:5419La Lune4:17".
He began recording music in 2010 under the moniker Zoo Kid. The following year he adopted his present stage name. He has released several EPs and his debut full-length album, 6 Feet Beneath the Moon, was released in 2013 to positive critical reception. His second album, A New Place 2 Drown was released in 2015. His third and fourth albums, The Ooz, and Man Alive!×Man Alive!21 February 2020 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Cellular2:592Supermarché2:373Stoned Again3:264Comet Face3:145The Dream1:396Perfecto Miserable3:167Alone Omen 32:478Slinky2:509Airport Antenatal Airplane2:1510(Don’t Let the Dragon) Draag On2:3211Theme for the Cross4:0612Underclass3:3013Energy Fleets2:3414Please Complete Thee4:06, were released in 2017 and 2020 respectively, both to further critical acclaim. He released his fifth and most recent album, Space Heavy×Space Heavy9 June 2023 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Flimsier4:012Pink Shell2:153Seaforth4:064Space Heavy3:115That Is My Life, That Is Yours2:076Tortoise of Independency2:077Empty Stomach Space Cadet1:138Flimsy3:199Hamburgerphobia3:0310From the Swamp3:2211Seagirl3:2212Our Vacuum3:0413When Vanishing3:1214If Only It Was Warmth3:1815Wednesday Overcast3:10, in 2023.
His music blends elements of punk jazz with hip hop, darkwave, trip hop and post-punk.

Early life

Archy Marshall was born to Rachel Howard and Adam Marshall in Southwark, London. He has family in the Czech Republic. During an interview with The Guardian's Rob Fitzpatrick, Marshall said that from a young age, he experienced discipline issues and refused to go to school. Throughout his childhood, he spent much of his time between his father's house in Peckham and his mother's house in East Dulwich; his mother was much less strict than his father, who had many rules. Marshall recalls that his father had to physically carry him to school, otherwise he would skip and hide in his room. Once he turned 13 years old, he was given a private house tutor. He was later accepted into the Brit School to study art, where he struggled with discipline initially, but soon found his place.
Marshall is a childhood friend and neighbour of South London musician Jacob Read, better known as Jerkcurb.
Marshall has said that he was tested for several mental health conditions at London's Maudsley Hospital. He claims that the tests took a toll on him; that the doctors, counsellors and psychiatrists were wrong most of the time; that he hated everybody; and that he would hide in his room for hours on end. He refers to his mental health issues, such as depression and insomnia, in some of his lyrics.
During an interview with NPR, Marshall recalled that he often created art in many different media, as his parents encouraged creativity throughout his childhood. He noted that visual art in particular is important to him, and he mentioned that he carefully crafts his music videos and album art such that they reflect his particular aesthetic sensibility.

Career

During Marshall's years at Forest Hill School and then at the Brit School alongside long-time collaborator Jamie Isaac between 2008 and 2011, he released two singles and an EP under the name Zoo Kid. Marshall's most significant release under this name was his 2010 EP titled U.F.O.W.A.V.E.
In July 2011, Marshall began playing under a new moniker, King Krule, at a festival in Hyères, France. Later that year in November, he released his eponymous debut EP. Contrary to some reports, his stage name is not inspired by the character of King K. Rool from the Donkey Kong Country video game series, but rather by the Elvis Presley film King Creole.
On 9 December 2012, the BBC announced that he had been nominated for the Sound of 2013 poll.

On 24 August 2013, Marshall released his debut album, 6 Feet Beneath the Moon×6 Feet Beneath the Moon24 August 2013 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Easy Easy2:502Border Line3:063Has This Hit?4:264Foreign 23:395Ceiling2:566Baby Blue3:367Cementality3:448A Lizard State4:209Will I Come1:5510Ocean Bed3:3111Neptune Estate5:1312The Krockadile4:5213Out Getting Ribs4:1614Bathed in Grey4:02, featuring an album cover illustrated by his brother, Jack Marshall. At the time of release, more than half of the tracks had already been released on various EPs. This brought him to prominence, especially in the US, having performed televised sets on both Conan and the Late Show with David Letterman. In January 2014, he eventually released a music video for 'A Lizard State', the third single on the album. The following month, Marshall appeared on the cover of The Fader for its 90th issue.

On 10 December 2015, Marshall released an album titled A New Place 2 Drown under his real name, Archy Marshall. He partnered again with his brother Jack to release a 208-page book of visual art and text as well as a ten-minute documentary. In an interview with NPR, Marshall said that he wanted the album to have a physical component, as well as something for the eyes and the ears. He released the album under his real name rather than King Krule to differentiate between the two different genres of music, as he claims that he thought of A New Place 2 Drown as a hip hop album rather than the dark alternative/jazz sound of 6 Feet Beneath the Moon.
In April 2017, Marshall played two unreleased songs under the name Edgar the Beatmaker on an NTS Radio show hosted by Mount Kimbie, a group with which Marshall frequently collaborates. Months later in August, Marshall released a new single titled 'Czech One×Czech One23 August 2017 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Czech One4:15'. This was a King Krule release, the first since the release of his debut album in 2013. The following month, Marshall released a second single titled 'Dum Surfer×Dum Surfer13 September 2017 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Dum Surfer4:23'. On 13 October, Marshall released The Ooz, his second album as King Krule. The album received positive reviews, and was ranked the #83 most discussed album of 2017 and the 75th most shared album of 2017 according to Metacritic. The album also peaked at 23rd on the UK Official Chart albums ranking. Pitchfork named the album the best rock album of 2017 and the third best album overall of 2017. It was nominated for IMPALA's European Album of the Year Award.
On 8 March 2018, a live performance of songs from The Ooz was uploaded to Marshall's YouTube channel. This performance, directed by Ja Humby, consisted of 8 songs and features Marshall performing dressed as an astronaut on the moon.

On 19 November 2019, Marshall uploaded a video titled 'Hey World!×Hey World!1 November 2019 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Hey World!16:00' on his Youtube channel. This video is an analog video recording of live acoustic performances of 4 songs from his upcoming album, directed by Charlotte Patmore. On 14 January 2020, Marshall announced this third King Krule album titled Man Alive!×Man Alive!21 February 2020 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Cellular2:592Supermarché2:373Stoned Again3:264Comet Face3:145The Dream1:396Perfecto Miserable3:167Alone Omen 32:478Slinky2:509Airport Antenatal Airplane2:1510(Don’t Let the Dragon) Draag On2:3211Theme for the Cross4:0612Underclass3:3013Energy Fleets2:3414Please Complete Thee4:06 and released the single '(Don't Let the Dragon) Draag On×(Don't Let The Dragon) Draag On14 January 2020 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1(Don't Let The Dragon) Draag On2:31', as well as the single 'Alone, Omen 3×Alone, Omen 35 February 2020 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Alone, Omen 32:472(Don't Let The Dragon) Draag On2:31' on 5 February. Days before the album release, he released the 'Cellular' along with an animated music video, directed by Jamie Wolfe. The album was eventually released on 21 February.
On 10 September 2021, Marshall released a live album titled You Heat Me Up, You Cool Me Down×You Heat Me Up, You Cool Me Down10 September 2021 · Album · LiveSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Out Getting Ribs (Live)5:542Emergency Blimp (Live)2:593A Slide In (New Drugs)3:304The Ooz (Live)6:545Cellular (Live)3:306Stoned Again (Live)3:207Slush Puppy (Live)2:458Rock Bottom (Live)5:529Comet Face (Live)3:2210Perfecto Miserable (Live)4:1011Alone, Omen 3 (Live)3:2312Baby Blue (Live)5:5713Half Man Half Shark (Live)6:0014Underclass (Live)4:4315Energy Fleets (Live)2:4216Please Complete Thee (Live)4:1617Easy Easy (Live)3:52, featuring a variety of songs across his discography.
On 13 April 2023, Marshall released a single titled 'Seaforth×Seaforth13 April 2023 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Seaforth4:06', touching on Marshall’s fascination with “the space between, space haunted by dreams of love, touching a narrative of lost connection, losing people and situations to the guillotine of the universe". Just under two months later, Marshall released the album Space Heavy×Space Heavy9 June 2023 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Flimsier4:012Pink Shell2:153Seaforth4:064Space Heavy3:115That Is My Life, That Is Yours2:076Tortoise of Independency2:077Empty Stomach Space Cadet1:138Flimsy3:199Hamburgerphobia3:0310From the Swamp3:2211Seagirl3:2212Our Vacuum3:0413When Vanishing3:1214If Only It Was Warmth3:1815Wednesday Overcast3:10 on 9 June.
On 20 June 2024, King Krule released an EP titled SHHHHHHH!×SHHHHHHH!20 June 2024 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Achtung!2:582Time For Slurp1:573Whaleshark2:354It's All Soup Now4:18, along with a self-directed music video for the song 'Time for Slurp'.

Musical style and influences

Many reviewers and journalists have noted King Krule's unusual transcendence and appropriation of disparate genres. His music has been described mainly with jazz derivatives such as punk jazz, jazz fusion, darkwave, post-punk and hip hop. Writers have also noted elements of trip hop, jazz rap and dub in some of his songs. Jason Lymangrover of Allmusic states that his songs are mainly in the form of ballads with major seventh chords, but by contrast there is also a "grittiness" to Archy's voice and persona, portraying him as "the type of kid who would be quick to throw a punch without asking questions".
His music has been likened to Morrissey and Edwyn Collins. He is inspired by disparate influences such as Elvis Presley, Gene Vincent, Josef K, Chet Baker, Fela Kuti, J Dilla, Billy Bragg, Aztec Camera (his godfather is the band's former drummer, Dave Ruffy) and The Penguin Cafe Orchestra. Marshall said in an interview with The Guardian that he began his musical career with the influence of Pixies and The Libertines.
Marshall's lyrics, according to a Flaunt magazine interview, generally consist of romance, sex, aggression, conflict, and depression. These themes link to his literary influences, in which Marshall further elaborated: "Literature, poems, songs are all very similar[.] I used to read lots of poetry and sit there for ages trying to decipher the meaning, or work out the narration behind it all, then I found my own form of that. [...] you can see how their metaphors develop and understand their uses. So really, I learnt to do that for myself."

Personal life

Marshall has a daughter, born in 2019, with English photographer Charlotte Patmore. Patmore has collaborated with Marshall on photography and videography projects over several years, and has been involved with several of his music videos, including the video for the song 'Cadet Limbo', which Patmore directed in 2017, and Hey World!, a video preceding the release of Marshall's album Man Alive!×Man Alive!21 February 2020 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Cellular2:592Supermarché2:373Stoned Again3:264Comet Face3:145The Dream1:396Perfecto Miserable3:167Alone Omen 32:478Slinky2:509Airport Antenatal Airplane2:1510(Don’t Let the Dragon) Draag On2:3211Theme for the Cross4:0612Underclass3:3013Energy Fleets2:3414Please Complete Thee4:06. On August 20th, 2026 he married Sophie McAlister.

Live band

Archy Marshall – vocals, guitar, keyboards
James Wilson – bass, vocals
George Bass – drums
Jack Towell – guitar
Ben Hauke – keyboards, SFX
Ignacio Salvadores – saxophone

EPs

2010: U.F.O.W.A.V.E. (self-released; as Zoo Kid)
2010: Out Getting Ribs/Has This Hit 7" – single (House Anxiety Records; as Zoo Kid)
2011: King Krule (True Panther)
2012: Rock Bottom/Octopus 12" single (Rinse)
2023: Aqrxvst Is The Band’s Name (self-released; as Aqrxvst, with Pretty V and Jadasea)
2024: SHHHHHHH! (XL/Matador)

Live albums

2018: Live on the Moon (XL/True Panther Sounds/Matador)
2021: You Heat Me Up, You Cool Me Down (XL/True Panther Sounds/Matador)

Other

2014: City Rivims Mk 1 (self-released; w/ Sub Luna City)