The space cadet, also known as King Krule, has evolved his approach once again!
King Krule typically communicates a more recollective romantic message in his music resembling remorse. Songs such as Baby Blue, Out Getting Ribs, and Bathed in Grey from King Krule’s 6 Feet Beneath The Moon album, portray Krule as being tied by an anchor of regret while being forcefully plunged into an ocean of angst. This ocean is further explored through the submerged view we are given with his The OOZ album. If King Krule began sinking with 6 Feet Beneath The Moon, then The OOZ describes the feeling of drowning that Krule has had to endure in this ocean of anxiety and heartbreak. Songs such as Slush Puppy, Cadet Limbo, and Midnight 01 (Deep Sea Diver) develop a liquid scenery that envelops his listeners through dark heavy production and the complex addition of piano and various brass instruments. Krule describes his turmoil in The OOZ’s Cadet Limbo as being “lost in space” and the dark bass-heavy production beautifully covers the listener’s mind with a sense of submersion that I have fallen absolutely in love with.
So of course I was extremely excited to see how Krule would approach his latest album, Space Heavy, as his production, lyrics, and vocal tones all create such amazing projects. The first track of the album, Flimsier, touches on the duality of the heart as you come to terms with life after heartbreak. This theme reverberates throughout the album, while sounds from Pink Shell echo the bitterness and frustration that comes with it. The anger heard in Pink Shell is accompanied by a staccato beat that is aided by that dark bass that we love. The bass is then contrasted by an upbeat yet smooth saxophone that also connects it to the next track, showing Krule’s bitterness was more of a fleeting feeling.
From Seaforth to Flimsy (tracks 3-7), we are given a beautiful emotional short film that covers his stages of grief and depression. Seaforth reflects on the suddenness of heartbreak but also the sadness of realizing your partner has stopped loving you. The emptiness that follows heartbreak is then covered by That is My Life, That is Yours. As Krule touches on the search to find happiness during depressive episodes he asks a florist for help finding his love, the florist responds with “Maybe your inside“, showing that you need to learn to love yourself again before you can look to give love or even feel it. Yet, Krule hasn’t accepted independence so he needs to give up on the love he had for his past partner before he can love himself. Through the titles alone, the next two tracks, Tortoise of Independency and Empty Stomach Space Cadet stand out tremendously. Krule beautifully describes the slowness of getting used to independence while also mentioning how painstakingly hard it is to constantly remember the beautiful moments you used to have with your past partner with a gorgeous transition to Empty Stomach Space Cadet, he shows how bleak the world becomes through the denial of heartbreak as you enter the rabbit hole of existential dread.
Our space cadet is deep in the ocean right now. Maybe he could say wassup to that billionaire…too soon?
Anyway, Hamburgerphobia and From the Swamp is a literal descent into madness and self-deprecation as he is barely resisting the urge to drown in his ocean of angst. Yet it is through this maddened state that Krule finds somewhat of a solace in not dealing with his emotions and throwing away the thought of his past love. One might think that it is unhealthy to run away from emotional confrontation but in Seagirl Krule explains the dark rabbit hole that the thought of her brings him. Our Vacuum expands on this by emphasizing that rather than just running away from her, Krule’s thrown her away from his heart as he describes the relationship between them “In between us is a grave in a field far away”. Even though Krule no longer has love for his past lover, in Space Heavy he describes a state of misery that leaves a heaviness on his body but I think that this is emotional fatigue or the toll of dealing with this barely bearable heartache.
Emotional wounds take years to overcome and King Krule beautifully conveys this with Space Heavy. Similar to previous Krule works, this project describes the inner turmoil of heartache like an underwater mirror into the mind but unlike the others, this album reflects a gorgeous light of acceptance.
It is undeniable that Space Heavy is King Krule’s most complete album. It’s addictively good!
Delivered by Julian Bugg
