RatKing Announces Album With "Canal" Single

RatKing is an act I couldn't seem to hear enough about throughout last year. The New York trio took the indie music scene by storm in 2013, en route to playing Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, Tx., and booking a set for this year's Coachella in Indio, California. The eclectic and begrudgingly different group, led by artist Wiki whose solo music was the first whiff anyone had of Ratking initially. Today, the crew announced the release date of their highly-anticipated debut project, So It Goes,  due out on XL Recordings with production allegedly coming from the likes of Young Guru. April 8 appears to be the day the masses can expect a proper release from the group, but they offered up their latest single, "Canal" to hold listeners over for the time being. Take note, Ratking will be around for awhile.


[Video] King Krule: "A Lizard State"

King Krule is a weird guy. From his voice to his style to the music he makes, everything has a bit of a different feel to it. That sensibility is on display in his latest visual, this one for his track, "A Lizard State" from his latest project, 6 Feet Beneath The Moon, which made waves when it dropped late last summer. The video opens with a scene out of Alfred Hitchcock's Dial M For Muder, with Hitchcock walking sideways on a wall, explaining that the following story is about "An undertaker and who he undertakes" before cutting to a phone and a growl from King Krule, who then jumps into the somewhat haunting, 60s-inspired song. The whole video has a bit of film noir to it with dark shots and shadows throughout.

According to Director Jamie-James Medina: "Archy and I both love Hitchcock and we've spent a lot of time away from music talking about his films. When I heard the phone ringing over the intro all I could think about was Dial M For Murder and the scene where Grace Kelly answers the phone. That really started the conversation. I had this idea of Hitchcock introducing King Krule. I've seen every episode of Hitchcock Presents and every introduction that he gives is brilliant - you could use any episode and it would work. We loved the idea of Archy defying gravity and that being the setting for his performance. But right up until shooting we didn't know if we'd get permission to use the Hitchcock footage - to have him appear. Its such an honor that the Hitchcock estate gave us the opportunity. And then at the very end he said, 'and the room is full of lizards', so we had to find a set of lizards and managed to get a guy who entertains at children's parties."

Check out the latest from Krule below and catch him live on tour now.

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Best Music Projects of 2013

Photo by Bryan Lamb

With new projects from established musicians like Daft Punk, Kanye West, and Neko Case to up and comers like Chance the Rapper, Lorde, Disclosure, 2013 was a huge year for music. Through a very scientific method, the Ruby Hornet staff has gone through the eclectic mix of 2013's various project releases from hip hop, R&B, indie rock, soul, techno, EDM, and more to deliver our definitive list of 2013 music projects. Check out our list below!


King Krule Photo Chicago Nolis

[RH Photos] King Krule in Chicago (12/11/2013)

Photography by Nolis

On a blistering cold Wednesday night on the North Side of Chicago, everything I thought I knew about British indie artist King Krule was blown away. The 19-year-old artist, formerly known as Zoo Kid, took the stage in front of a sold out Lincoln Hall crowd that seemed to be almost frothing at the mouth for him to play just a note. Cat calls from women likely twice his age rained down on him as the young artist sang with his deep baritone voice, resolute and certain in a way that permeated inner confidence. It felt like a small miracle every time he opened his mouth that Krule could produce such a powerful voice from such a slight package.

King Krule has the most intense, radiating crop of red hair I have ever seen. As if showing it off, the lights continually strayed from the artist's face, masking it in shadows as his hair became highlighted, almost illuminated by the cascading, colorful lighting. Introducing his first song, Krule simply said, "This is a song about me." For his next song: "This is a song about living under a sea." And another was introduced by simply saying, "This song is about reptiles," before tearing into a library of songs that ranged from blues-y stories of loss and disappointment to uptempo surf/punk jams that seemed to leave the crowd wondering where the kid who made the self-titled, ambient electro-influenced project earlier this year went. Confused, but interested, the crowd gravitated to Krule, reacting to every pluck of the string and nasally-deep melody. From the get-go, the crowd was Krule's.

The thing I noticed almost immediately during my first King Krule show was that he seems to cover every genre. Not musically, per se, but from the punkish-intonations in his voice, the hip-hop influenced way he grips the mic when not on guitar, to the frenetic foot and head movement that makes him look like he's at a SBTRKT set at Bonaroo. At 19, Krule appeared more self-assured and confident than men three times his age, forgoing petty chit-chat between songs to dive headlong into each arrangement, his deliberate movements and passionate intensity keeping the crowd nearly silent, save for applause.

King Krule's star has risen exponentially throughout 2013, and he's poised to rise even higher in the coming year. If his set at Lincoln Hall Wednesday was any indication, though, we'll be seeing (and hearing) a lot from King Krule for a long time to come.


[Video] King Krule Performs on Letterman

King Krule is beginning on his American odyssey. Stateside for his North American tour, the 19 year old indie rocker stopped by The Late Show to his track "Easy Easy" for David Letterman and the crowd. Since releasing his debut album,  6 Feet Beneath the Moon on 24 August 2013, Krule has been plastered on seemingly every music outlet and website as his deeply-centered vocals and ambient playing have caught the ears of listeners near and far, young and old. Watch the performance here.

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[Video] King Krule: "Church of Nobody"

British sensation King Krule is one of the biggest up and coming artists in the world right now and recently released the second episode of his "Church of Nobody" series with Willis Earl Beal. Krule performs an acoustic rendition of his track, "A Lizard State", "Border Line", and "Out Getting Ribs" from his album 6 Feet Beneath The Moon, for which he begins a North American tour in support of soon.

http://youtu.be/I0RFCQEZL4M


King Krule announces North American Tour

King Krule, the 19-year-old baritone-voiced British artist is the latest in a long line of talented experimental electronic/indie artists to emerge from the other side of the pond over the past few decades. A list that includes the likes of Thom Yorke and James Blake, Krule certainly is in good company. Today, he announced his first headlining North American tour in support of his album, 6 Feet Beneath The Moon,  taking place over two weeks in December and beginning with a date in Connecticut and stretching across the continent to Los Angeles. Krule touches down in Chicago at Lincoln Hall on December 11, marking the halfway point for the tour. Check out the dates, as well as the video for "Easy Easy" below.
http://youtu.be/hRzlbh4or3c
12/03 @ The Space - Hamden, CT
12/04 @ Webster Hall - New York, NY
12/05 @ Brighton Music Hall - Boston, MA
12/06 @ Rock & Roll Hotel - Washington, D.C.
12/07 @ Johhny Brendas - Philadelphia, PA
12/09 @ Lee's Palace - Toronto, ON
12/11 @ Lincoln Hall - Chicago, IL
12/13 @ Fortune Sound Club - Vanouver, BC
12/14 @ Barboza - Seattle, WA
12/15 @ Doug Fir- Portland, OR
12/17 @ Independent - San Francisco, CA
12/18 @ Fonda - Los Angeles, CA