Archy Marshall—better known as King Krule—cuts an unassuming figure with his thin frame and carrot-red hair. But his savvy production and jagged baritone voice have always exuded a depth beyond his years. Born in August 1994 and raised in Southwark, London, Marshall had a tough childhood, but he found his way as a musician early on. He was just 16 when he released the languid, Basquiat-referencing guitar ballad “Out Getting Ribs” under the name Zoo Kid. Critics and labels were blown away by his cavernous voice, and soon, amid rising online buzz, Marshall was recruiting his mother to work as his manager. After signing to XL Recordings and True Panther Sounds, he exuded confidence on his 2013 debut album, 6 Feet Beneath the Moon, striking an uncanny balance between Frank Sinatra and New York no wave with his jazzy harmonies and fearless, anguished lyrics. Since then, Marshall has continued to develop as a poet and as a producer, perfecting a mercurial blend of jazz, trip-hop and post-punk on 2017’s The OOZ and confronting themes of violence and fatherhood on 2020’s Man Alive!. And although his songs often come from a dark place, glints of passion and love can also be found in King Krule’s beautiful murk.