Manchester has long been a hotbed of creativity for music types. Its history needs no reiteration here.

Here are a selection of artists who are putting their minds to creating their own musical vision in a range of genres. Take a peak at some of the brightest talents the wonderful city of Manchester has to offer.

J Chambers – 2.18

J Chambers is a Mancunian rapper who has released several high quality EP’s over the years, including his superb New Levels New Devils EP. He has played support to the excellent Mouse Outfit, played a storming show at Manchester’s Deaf Institute, and generally has excellent vibes flowing throughout his music.

On his latest effort, 2.18, he takes the reggae/dub route. A short, shrift piece which features the late reggae artist “2Nice” (its actually the last collaboration he ever did). The song explores the black British experience and talks about some of the positive and negative experiences that people go through trying to navigate through society.

This theme is represented in the production as it is a mash up of my Jamaican heritage and my British heritage. Its part of a bigger body of work entitled ‘Escape The Kingdom’ which is scheduled for release in winter 2019.

J Chambers on 2.18

Take a look at the video for 2.18 below, courtesy of Global Faction.

J. Chambers: Twitter / Instagram

EMBLM – Young

EMBLM’s new single, Young, is a dreamy slice of alternative pop that evokes a sense of latter day Bon Iver. The production shimmers throughout and the slight sounds of the extraneous piano sounds make for an intimate listening experience.

This is the kind of music that you can get lost in and really tugs at the heart strings. The emotion put into the vocals alongside the warm piano sound is the perfect concoction for the cold winter months.

The cover art is captivating and really tells a story alongside the melancholic musical tone.

The girl on the left in the photo is actually my great, great grandmother; we think the picture was taken in the summer of 1915 and it’s up on the wall at home. I wrote ‘Young’ a few years ago, at the piano in that house, where I grew up. It’s probably the saddest song I’ve ever written but also possibly the song I’m most proud of, and I can’t wait to share it.

EMBLM

You can listen to Young via the link below.

EMBLM: Twitter / Facebook

Fourth Man – Say Something

Fourth Man has been self producing music out of his home studio in North Manchester; writing and recording all the parts with the occasional cameo from some of his favourite session players that he has worked with in his ‘day job’ as a producer/writer for other artists and theatre shows.

Having grown up in Lincoln, he relocated to Manchester 12 years ago to study and has never left.

Say Something is a track that has a lot going on. Guitars, off kilter rhythms, multi-layered vocals and soft synths. To produce something with this depth out of a home studio must be challenging. Modern technology is great and all, but to get it right and have the ear to put it together is something. Say Something largely hits the mark and is a tidy pop song put together with a real love of the genre.

You can listen to Say Something on your chosen digital streaming platform, here.

Fourth Man: Online / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram