Black Marble, Manchester

Black Marble biography

Influenced by coldwave, early-'80s synth pop, and the mighty bass playing of New Order's Peter Hook, Black Marble is the project of singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Chris Stewart. When Stewart debuted in 2012 with The Weight Against the Door EP, he remained true to the frosty gloom of his influences, burying his monotone baritone with layers of echo, reverb, and analog synths. As time went on, however, he let more light and warmth into his music, particularly on 2019's Bigger Than Life and 2021's Fast Idol, both of which reflected his move from Brooklyn to the sunnier climes of Los Angeles. Following the release of A Different Arrangement, Stewart began to tire of living in New York. He planned a move to Los Angeles, but wanted to finish Black Marble's second album before he left. During this time, Kube departed and Stewart was hospitalized with a serious case of pneumonia. These personal and physical changes were echoed on It's Immaterial, a lighter and clearer-sounding set of songs that Ghostly International released in October 2016. After settling in L.A., Stewart began work on his third album. Moved by the landscapes as well as the sense of community in his new home, he wrote more immediate songs that brought his voice front and center. In October 2019, Sacred Bones released Bigger Than Life. The following August, Black Marble issued I Must Be Living Twice, an EP of songs originally by Wire, Robert Palmer, and Grouper that were favorites at the band's shows. On October 2021's Fast Idol, Stewart incorporated the more impressionistic songwriting of his early albums with the brighter sound of Bigger Than Life.

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