Nottingham based, British-Ugandan singer-songwriter Daudi Matsiko has returned with the his new album The King Of Misery, via Really Good. The album comes on the heels of his recent appearance on the Adam Buxton Podcast and a short tour with GoGo Penguin.
Ahead of the album, Daudi has released four tracks titled “Hymn”, “I Am Grateful For My Friends”, “oMo (Man)”, and “Fool Me As Many Times As You Like” which have received high praise from the likes of Gilles Peterson on Worldwide FM and BBC 6 Music as well as Lauren Laverne, and have been featured in several Spotify editorial playlists including The Most Beautiful Songs in the World, The Other list, The Listening Post, and Fresh Finds.
Having released just two independent EPs – A Brief Introduction to Failure and The Lingering Effects of Disconnection – to date, Daudi has toured with GoGo Penguin, Keaton Henson, and Portico Quartet, whilst also being a participant of the Red Bull Music Academy in Montreal 2016. He also received a standing ovation at this year’s The Great Escape Festival and plays as a member of Do Nothing’s live band, who he has recently been on tour with.
Through his unique brand of modern albeit reverent folk, Daudi Matsiko continues to offer his listeners a space for understanding and introspection. Deft, melancholic picking reminiscent of Nick Drake is tempered by contemporary percussion and instrumentation. Matsiko’s vocals derive their strength from their seeming fragility. With every song, his confessional lyrics cut to the marrow.
Musically, The King of Misery is a raw yet beautiful listen, with evocative and fragile guitar work those ebbs and flows around Daudi Matsiko’s gentle vocals, permeated by saxophone, harmonium, cello, pocket pianos, bass synthesizers, and more. The album also features guest appearances from the likes of friend Keaton Henson who appears on and co-wrote, “King Of Misery”, alongside Canadian artist, Danielle Frick, who features on backing vocals. Elsewhere, Divorce’s Felix Mackenzie-Barrow appears on “Hymn”, “Annihilation”, and “I Need You To Stop Calling My Phone”, which also features Nick Blacka of GoGo Penguin on double bass. Various members of Daudi’s family also appear on backing vocals, adding both vulnerability and strength to the moving subject matter of the tracks.
Speaking on the album, Daudi continues, “‘The King Of Misery’ is essentially me wrestling with and finding hope along my journey with bipolar affective disorder. It is a bit of an existential diary entry. Exploring personal themes of racial trauma was something that I felt compelled to do whilst making the record too. The album is a snapshot of who and where I was while I was making it. Moving from guilt to gratitude. I hope I have made something genuinely life affirming.”
How are we feeling about The King of Misery?
