Artist profile · Drum & bass
Emba
Deep in the music.
Closer to the artist.
Emba is Dave Wilson, formerly of Dexcell, whose solo drum and bass pairs soulful vocals with piano-led writing and a close connection to Spearhead Records.
Behind the music
About Emba.
Emba is Dave Wilson, a drum and bass producer who spent more than a decade as one third of Dexcell before setting out on his own. His solo music has a strong liquid centre, with piano, melody, and vocal collaboration shaping many of its most personal moments.
The change brought a fresh enthusiasm for both production and DJing. Encouraged by BCee, Wilson built a steady run of music for Spearhead Records, including Move Steady alongside DRS. The self-titled debut album followed in July 2022, bringing those first solo years together.
The record’s guests include Catching Cairo, Lucy Kitchen, L.I.T.A., and Tempza. All Our Years began with a piano loop that Wilson sent to Tempza, who returned a vocal the next morning. It is a small example of the direct, instinctive way many of these songs came together.
Wilson told UKF that the album captured a period of change: leaving a long-running group, moving house, becoming a father, and making music through lockdown. The songs give that experience a melodic shape without requiring the listener to know the backstory. His decision to use the name Emba was equally straightforward: he liked how it sounded.