A Certain Ratio

A Certain Ratio formed in Manchester in 1977. They started as a post-punk band but quickly developed a sound that mixed funk, dance, and Latin rhythms — unusual for the time. They were signed to Factory Records alongside Joy Division and had a string of independent hits in the early 80s.

Songs like 'Shack Up', 'Flight', and 'Do the Du' became club favourites. They never had mainstream chart success but were hugely influential on the Manchester scene that followed.

They kept going through the years, reforming and touring well into the 2010s and 2020s. A Certain Ratio are one of those bands that never got the commercial recognition they deserved, but anyone who knows Factory Records knows their name.