Artist of the day - Blue Daisy

Blue Daisy

We've all heard of Donnie Darko. Now meet Kwesi Darko - the man behind Blue Daisy. Like the music that he makes, the information about Darko is shadowy, insubstantial. In the last two years, he has put out two EPs and two joint EPs - hardly a prodigious turnover. Perhaps he has a day job, or perhaps Darko is just making sure he gets what he does put out right. Because, at their best, the releases have been little short of breathtaking. Some in the know compared debut Space Ex to the first release of LA beats scientist Flying Lotus, which gives you an idea of the regard in which Darko was held from the off. In fact, there was huge excitement when Space Ex came to public attention after his music was played by Mary Anne Hobbs. Marked out as the work of a highly experienced producer, even Pitchfork got in on the act about Darko's sound. At the time, Darko was merely a Camden youngster doing his law exams and sending out tracks to DJs and record labels on the side. It's not clear what has changed since then.
But in an interview with Juno Plus last year, Darko said he had not been interested in music until he was 15. Kanye West's College Dropout was the point when the switch flicked. He told the site INTERVIEW HERE that he was a hermit who wanted to make music people would still be listening to in 10 years. The impression is similar to that Burial gives in interviews - of an introverted, poetic musician with serious ideas about the music they are making. Darko said in that interview that he wasn't interested in dubstep - despite superficial similarities with that scene.
Last year's Strings Detached EP evoked Dilla, although the dubstep imprint he says does not interest him is noticeably there. The Raindrops EP - put together with singer Anneka - is more brooding and frankly more interesting - providing concrete evidence that Space Ex was no fluke.
Darko has taken to the festival circuit, and has revealed plans for an album - although he doesn't appear to be in any rush. He said: "I’ve got enough tracks but I’m a pretty fussy guy. The plan is to have 30 tracks and have a selection and pick the album from that. I want to make it a proper album, working with vocalists on most tracks, although there are a couple of instrumentals. When it’s ready, I’ll know. I’ve got the contract with Black Acre, and they don’t rush me at all. I’m totally free in that respect, within reason. They know that you can’t rush these things."
If the LP, when it comes, is anywhere near as good as the miraculous but largely unnoticed Space Ex, it could be very special indeed.