King Krule Has Spearheaded a New Suburban Pop Revolution

Amane, the latest signing to Rinse FM’s label, is staring out the window of a flat in South London. He looks out on to a concrete emporium, cement and steel meshed tightly together in a labyrinth of tiny roads that buzz with the sound of Oyster card bleeps, police sirens and arguments. It may not seem like much, but for the musicians of Southwark, Lambeth and Lewisham, this is a fertile habitat.

Ever since 19-year-old Archy Marshall, aka King Krule, became internet famous, he’s been giving a leg-up to his friends and schoolmates with small appearances, side projects and collaborations. Archy has helped build a scene of sub-urban brooding producers centered around the grey streets of South-East London.

Amane moved to London when he was only 16. He spent his days combing the back streets of the West End with a pair of headphones for company. Soon, he started writing music to accompany him on his city wanderings. “It’s quite lonely living here, particularly on your own,” he says, twitching his fingers as he sits on his bed.

Amane has played in King Krule’s band on occasion and is also a main figure of Jamie Isaac’s live set-up, lending his hand to sax and keyboards when needed. But his focus is on his own forthcoming EP, his first release with Rinse.

Amane is just the latest King Krule collaborator to start making music on the terrace-house-lined roads of Peckham. He lives just a few streets down from another former Krule band member turned solo artist, Jacob Read.

Read more about these South London troubadors on Sound + Rhythm