The clock struck twelve on Friday morning and I immediately went to the Spotify app and found King Krule’s highly anticipated fifth studio album Space Heavy on my home screen, hit the play button and off I went. Natalie Howarth shares her thoughts.
Unlike anything he has released before, I first listened this album in a very apt way: walking home from a friend’s house at midnight through Lenton. It could not have been a more perfect scenario to enjoy the abstract ambience with vignettes of rock and melancholia that Archy Marshall adds to this album; this is definitely a contender for my favourite album of the year!
As an artist that actively and adroitly pushes the boundaries of monolithic genre categorisation delving into experimental influences fusing post-punk, electronic and hip-hop persuasions, Marshall’s songwriting process for the album interestingly took place on commutes between London and Liverpool.
Lyricism fuelled by heartbroken-induced melancholia of losing connections with people that I feel many people will resonate with.
Starting off the album with Flimsier, a song that uses a fusion of dissonant, hazy synth and guitar that creates an emotive, woozy track that shifts tempo. Disruptively interrupting the mellow atmosphere he creates, the second track, Pink Shell, allows saxophonist Ignacio Salvadores to share a strong and stunning sax solo, contrasting to the preceding track of mellow meditativeness. This track is an album highlight for me and no doubt will appear top on my Spotify Wrapped!
The third track, Seaforth, is a track that reveals a conflicting antithesis between reality and dreams. The lyrics suggest that there is something subconscious about the person who he “speaks in [his] dreaming/ I take her waist within my hands”. There is the suggestion of a deep connection and its romantic, dream-like essence, assisted by dissonant guitar riffs and melancholic vocals.
Seagirl featuring Raveena is definitely a hidden gem in this album. A totally transcendental track that focuses more on lo-fi qualities and exploring themes of self-expression and vulnerability. With Raveena’s ethereal voice assisted by Marshall’s, the captivating melodies and lyrics provide a moment of reflection with the balancing lyricism that focuses on the complicated nature of relationships. If Only It Was Warmth is a pensive song with repetitive lyrics that was initially released May 18 in anticipation of the whole album’s release. A plaintive and almost regretful song that is a personal favourite off the album mainly as I connected instantly with the lyrics; I find that the beauty of this album is that I am able to connect so well with it.
The expression of malaise and disappointment while also relating the theme that love can transcend to the space surroundings is something that remains prevalent in this album. I think it is agreeable to say that this album is unlike anything King Krule has released and it really does not disappoint. I cannot wait to see this album performed live on tour in October!
Natalie Howarth
Edited by Olivia Hannant
Image: Space Heavy Official Album Cover
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