Tom Krell is a student of Kantian philosophy who splits his time between Brooklyn, New York and Cologne, Germany.
He was born in Colorado and enjoys '80s and '90s hip-hop. He's a blogger. He is also the indie-lo-fi producer of the 2010 breakout solo act, How to Dress Well.
After building anticipation for his albums with five EPs throughout 2010, Krell came out of the musical woodwork this year the way Justin Vernon literally came out of the woods a few years ago—casually, but powerfully.
Krell's debut album "Love Remains," released September 21, is a compilation of his EPs and an indie-soul album if there ever was one.
In fact, it is so full of guttural emotion that it is sometimes painful to listen to—in a good way.
Listening to "Love Remains" is like eating spicy Thai food—part of what makes the whole experience enjoyable is the pain. Yup, I went there.
Not that that's what Tom Krell intended when he compiled the 14 tracks on "Love Remains." He just went about making the kind of music he enjoys, a mixture of indie rock, hip-hop and electronica.
Krell says Cologne is the place that has really allowed him to come into his own musically. Though he grew up playing guitar and singing in various bands, only when he embraced his love for R&B did he fall into his distinct style.
This style is a complex one. His music sounds like he took Bon Iver's voice, Deerhunter's lo-fi sound, some Kanye West covers, and Girl Talk's style and placed them in a blender at level 1 for about 15 minutes.
What comes out is a below-fi concoction of hip-hop beats, strange, homemade sounds, and some beautiful ambient falsetto singing that is really quite moving and ethereal.
Krell's lyrics are barely discernable beneath the ambient-buzz and reverb, but the layering of sounds somehow adds to the profundity of his concoction.
Though Krell attributes his unique unrefined sound to a lack of funds, the music sounds so good that any listener is likely to attribute it to Krell's own genius. And I don't think that's a radical assumption.
None of the tracks on "Love Remains" are too long, which is fitting for his music. Since Krell's songs feature so much layering and repetition, the shorter length of his songs prevents any risk of his music becoming overwhelming.
"Lover's Start" is my favorite track on the record, with its slightly more upbeat tempo, and the vocal harmonies layered inside. Playful "uh-oh" flutterings and "aahhhs" are layered over the base harmonies beautifully and repetitions of "You have a lover's start" and other barely discernible lyrics.
The song finishes off with a repetition of "down, down, down, down."
Standout tracks on the album include "Ready for the World," a track complete with looping female vocals, a steady base, and a layer of Krell's vocals and droning "oos."
A high-pitched cry and what sounds like the poor cable transmission punctuate the middle of the song, followed by a series of sharp claps toward the end.
The short track, "Can't See My Own Face," is another stand-out, with its layering of soul bass, a catchy chorus ("with my eyes I won't see my own face"), and piano.
The song raises questions about Krell's conception of the body, a consistent theme throughout his album.
"Endless Rain" is a happy, bubbly tune from start to finish. I have no idea what the lyrics are, but the piano and bass beat are bouncy and pleasant and satisfying.
Once the music itself stops, the singing drones off at the end, as if Krell was at one point singing with a crowd that left without him noticing it.
There's a humor to this song, and it's a nice break from the other, more serious compilations on "Love Remains."
Perhaps the most club-ready track on the album is "Walking This Dumb," a slightly more electro-pop variation to his other songs.
With its dub-step vibe and faster pace, complemented by lo-fi vocals and sound, it sounds like a track one would hear in some dark, dank, sweaty basement in Germany, which is probably where it was conceived and where it belongs anyway.
Get this album if you like hip-hop, Justin Vernon, getting lost in your own thoughts, Deerhunter, feeling melancholy and/or existential, if you're sick of "typical indie music" or if you like sitting in dark or partially-lit rooms. Oh, and if you like incense.