Zoo Kid

I've been thinking about what to write about Zoo Kid, a.k.a. Archy Marshall, for a few days now. I've been struggling to find the words to describe him.

I watched his YouTube video not expecting much at all. In fact, I was expecting a squeaky little voice and some form of emotional baggage.

SHOCK. SURPRISE.
He opened his mouth, and I was not expecting THAT.

His voice is so deep, and mesmerising. Although he is singing about how he's 'beaten down and blue', it sounds a little less painful coming from his mouth. The greatest music comes out of mistakes, and the false start and mumble of 'Sorry' don't hurt his reputation. Like the moody younger bother of Jamie T, Zoo Kid creates emotion without even having started singing. His sound is nostalgic, but apart from that it leaves me in a constant state of confusion with not knowing what to call it. Music that silences me could never be a bad thing.

Without sounding too patronising, he makes it very hard to believe he's 16. It takes other artists so long to find a sound that actually suits them and that is believeable (take note Kesha). Though, being honest, age wouldn't make a difference in this case. It just adds to the admiration you feel for him when pressing play for the 5th time on the video.

He gives me faith in our generation.