Indie Alternative, Downbeat Electronica - Including The Hey World!’ Version of Perfecto Miserable.
Scuzzy, sludgy, creeping, muscular and delicate-enough to feel there could be a break in its bones at any moment. King Krule returns with a third album that once again tears skin open to reveal the heartfelt emotions within its lo-fi, muttered, pseudo-rock tones. Referencing Sleaford Mods on heavy opiates wouldn't be too far from the mark at times, although we're not here to simply use touchstones - Archy Marshall deserves better than that. Despite almost everything on "Man Alive!" being so quiet, it packs an incredible level of noise. Subtle licks, strange details and a deceptive depth would be one way to describe the whole package. Grunge tones ("Supermarche"), lo-fi blues pop (""Don't Let The Dragon) Draag On") are just some of the nuances it's possible to pick upon, making for a wholly original work that captivates, relaxes and uneases in equal measure.
After two feverishly received albums as King Krule, plus another low-key outing under his own name, this extraordinarily gifted 25-year-old from Peckham in South London adds further depth and substance to his oeuvre with another wondrous long-player called ‘Man Alive!’. It arrives packed full of his trademark sonic ambition and compositional skill, as well as the now-familiar corrosive lyricism and lurid social observation.