For any Manchester band, enduring comparisons to the acts which have gone before them is just par for the course. The Smiths, Joy Division, The Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses, Oasis, and famous destination club the Hacienda have made the city something of a musical urban legend.

Now, Manchester is enjoying a real progressive and identifiable movement. Bands like Delphic and Hurts have been creating a buzz in the national music press during the latter half of '09 for, not only nodding towards the city’s rich musical heritage, but carving out modern and uniquely stylised sound of their own.

Love & Disaster, a new series of EPs brought to you by Dan Parrot, ex-Channel M Music producer and founder of Love & Disaster’s record label and online music channel, showcases the new sound of Manchester’s new renaissance.
“Manchester has benefited hugely from it's incredible musical history but is starting to groan from the weight,” says Parrot. “All the people involved here were too young to go the Hacienda anyway and want to forge their own history without being constantly beaten over the head with the past. Too many times when the outside world visits Manchester the 'old school' are given a platform when unfortunately they no longer have anything interesting or relevant to say.”
The most talked about of the bands featured on the first vinyl EP, Love & Disaster 1, is the synth-driven Delphic. The Manchester band have made it onto every list tipping acts for success in 2010 and their debut album Acolyte currently sits at number two in the Play.com Pre-Order Chart prior to its January 11th release.

“Love & Disaster is necessary to show that there's something else coming from Manchester than what you might expect,” says Delphic front man James Cook. He believes, “Manchester has gone through a definite lull since the Britpop explosion. Countless bands have tried to replicate their predecessors in a Manchester scene that can be all too insular.” He adds, prudently, “We're definitely coming out of the storm, and what Manchester now offers is more plentiful than this city has seen in a long while. Whether it’s a significant abundance is yet to be seen or proven.”

Duncan Wallis, from Dutch Uncles, another hotly tipped Manchester act featured on the EP, also battles with the high expectations that come with being a band from a city with such a unique reputation. “We've grown up in Manchester and it’s always been an aspiration of ours to be considered a significant Manchester band, if not a talented one,” he says. “The only mentions that get tiring would be comparisons to other bands, in our case the Smiths or Joy Division, because it's just a sign that the person isn't listening enough.”

Love & Disaster 1 featuring Delphic, Dutch Uncles, Jo Rose and Airship is out on January 11 on 10” vinyl/digital. It is available through all good independent record shops or online at www.loveanddisaster.co.uk. It is also available digitally from 7digital.