King No-One is one of the most promising bands from Manchester at the moment. With their newest single ‘Manchester Rain’, they are proving this promise all over again, setting the tone for their upcoming music with a unique and new sound.
As the band explains in their newsletter, the song came to life after lead singer Zach had written a poem about being proud to live up north in England, and how the Manchester rain is something that is very significant and inspiring for the whole band. In the meantime, their guitarist and producer Joe had written a beat that Zach heard and immediately fell in love with. The band ended up finishing the song the same day all together in their flat, with the Manchester skyline and rain in mind as their inspiration, which you can definitely feel when listening to the song.
The sound of the song is different from what the four-piece band has done before. Starting off with a little piano intro, the song then quickly switches to a heavy beat which is accompanied by a very talk-based lyrical part. The melody can make the listeners feel like they are in this movie-like scene, while a heavy guitar breaks the verses apart.
Just before the bridge, a voice message is played, which then leads into a beautiful instrumental part that makes you feel like you are in the very Manchester Rain that the band is talking about. The song finishes up with a more sung bridge that honors the city again, which makes this song a beautifully balanced composition of a more poem-based part and a heavy sonic part.
Talking about the lyrical part, Zach’s poem talks about how much pride he feels to be from up North and how much growing up in the city means to him.
He tells the audience how all the old “giant factories” are now “workspaces or flats for artists like himself”, and goes on to explain how it will always be the same in Manchester, just like the rain (‘those that have stayed wouldn’t have it any other way. ‘Cause it’s always the same in the Manchester rain.”).
Going deeper into the meaning, which is common when King No-One puts out a song, Zach also talks about how people in Manchester stand up for their beliefs, and explains that they aren’t just some “rebel punks”, but that they are an “united front against racism and transphobia”, which is a very important message in today’s society.
With the bridge, the band honors Manchester in all its beauty and tells the audience that even if you’re sad, it’s always a beautiful day, because being from Manchester is reason enough to be proud of that.
To conclude: the song is a beautiful and unique tune that is a new addition to the band’s sound. It honors their way of being brought up in Manchester and their love for their hometown, which is all mixed together in a very powerful melody.
Written by: Lara Thissen
Edited by: Marieke Weeda
