After rediscovering King Krule this summer, I can say without hesitation that I’ve become enamored with his music. My taste in slow, contemplative alternative music such as that made by singer-songwriter Archy Marshall has most likely stemmed from hearing a Soundcloud remix around 2016 of a live performance of “Border Line.” When I heard the original version for the first time in May, I could feel my ears prick up in recognition and excitement. On 6 Feet Beneath the Moon, Marshall stretches his voice to its limits and creates the most intimate of musical moments using his guitar.
Kicking off the record with “Easy Easy,” Marshall presents a guitar riff that wouldn’t be out of place when played on some sort of well-surfed beach in California. Akin to that on Pink Floyd’s “Interstellar Overdrive,” this progression is remarkably sticky, not easily leaving the listener’s head. The song also previews Marshall’s unique and enthralling style of singing, prompting some YouTube commenters to beg the question “Who gave this ginger soul?” The simple yet exceptional chord progression of the following track “Border Line” allows Marshall’s voice and satisfying lyrical choice to truly shine in complement. “Has This Hit?” was a track which I, at first, felt conflicted about; although parts of the vocal passages in this one can come off as over the top and even annoying, they are certainly some of the more aspirational attempts on the album. I’ve recently come around to the vocals however, and would also say that it’s one of the more beautifully produced tracks on the record. The following track “Foreign 2” shows off one of many of Marshall’s aliases, “Edgar the Beatmaker,” utilizing dreamy lo-fi production reminiscent of many great Soundcloud tracks. The album’s focal point arrives soon after, with the immediately personal “Baby Blue” shining in every aspect. With a soft percussive backing to the track and a lush guitar piece, Marshall crafts hauntingly unforgettable imagery: “My sandpaper sigh engraves a line / Into the rust of your tongue.” Originally creating this song under his “Zoo Kid” moniker, I’m glad Marshall decided to re-record this track for the album, as it couldn’t have come out more perfect. The dark yet beautiful “Cementality” proves that Marshall can make topics as dismal as suicide sound heavenly. Likely the most bare-bones track in terms of production throughout the record, it goes to show that Marshall is at his most consistent when performing over a minimalist environment of an instrumental. The track segues nicely into the phenomenally jazzy “A Lizard State.” On this song, we hear a peppy sing-rap delivery over an impressively left field instrumental turn, standing out like a spotted zebra in the context of the rest of the album. “Ocean Bed” is another great track, fitting right in with the overall sound of the record. Though there’s not much to say about this one, I’ll say that it does seem like it would play well in almost any relaxed social situation. The succeeding song “Neptune Estate” sees Archy begging a lover to stay with him another night over similarly-toned sensual jazz production. Unhealthy habits of wanting to be “used” appear here, showing that Archy is flawed like everyone else and may not always want what will be the best for him in the long term. Next in the track listing appears an incredibly underrated song from Archy, “The Krockadile.” In chord progression, vocal delivery, drum performance, and anything else you can think of, Archy goes to lengths to ensure that this track is flawless. Another 10 on the record, this song only further serves to have me enchanted with Archy’s genius and versatility, as this again sounds like nothing else on the entire album. In the falling-action portion of the record, “Out Getting Ribs” is Archy at his best. The most depressing and exposed song throughout the album, one can draw comparisons to “Baby Blue” in most aspects. This track could have acted as an excellent closer, as it has a tremendously satisfying ending with a guitar solo piercing the track altogether. However, I understand the decision to place the more calming “Bathed In Grey” to let the listener down easy from the soundscape of the record. Weaker moments in the track listing occur on songs such as “Ceiling” and “Will I Come.” The former is a listless track with not very much going on musically or vocally, in contrast with the rest of the record. “Will I Come” is an even more limp attempt, with vocals that fall flat as well as an out of place sample near the end of the track that feels thrown-in after the fact. Many tracks throughout the album contain short passages of the duo of Marshall and his guitar. This allows for warm, introspective moments in which he confides in his guitar, as well as allowing his guitar to confide in him. The intimacy provided in tracks by Archy Marshall is something I’ve never seen before on this level, and has opened me up to many new sounds and musical preferences in general. This album is a must-listen for anyone interested in singer-songwriter music or alternative music. My three favorite tracks from this record are “Out Getting Ribs,” “Baby Blue,” and “Border Line,” although I feel that there are even more perfect songs on the album.
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AuthorEnrique Cardenas III Archives
November 2021
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