Kyle Wall’s voice carries a muted despair, a warbly resignation that belies a streak of independence that runs through his music. Working under the moniker Wharfer, Wall has been readying his latest album The Rattling and it will be officially released tomorrow. One of the offerings from that album is “Architect,” an off-kilter, mournful construction that details the search for shelter, whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual.
Lo-fi piano plinks and finger-strummed mandolin line-up like vertebrae to form the spine of this bony, bedroom track. The stories behind these sounds are intriguing and bizarre—the strumming from a 75-year-old mandolin, the piano was recorded in Williamsburg’s McCarren park in the middle of the night. Ghostly and worn-out as this track feels, those elements are imprints from the way it was made, function follows form as it were.
Above all though, it’s his grainy, wandering voice that brings sinew to the track though, that allows it to move. In lieu of the looming release date, SPIN is streaming the record in its entirety. As of tomorrow it will also be available for purchase through Kyle himself via his Bandcamp and other digital outlets. The Rattling was mastered by Josh Bonati, whose worked with the likes of Phosphorescent and The Tallest Man on Earth. Stream “Architect” below to get a feel for his sound.
