Majestic Casual is a carefully selected collection of things we admire. Discoveries shared with curious minds from around the world.

our artist & talent services company:
https://soundcloud.com/friendsofthenew
https://friendsofthenew.com/

Bookings: ali@warmagency.com 
Management: nathan@menschmusicmanagement.com

The 2 Bears are a London-based musical duo formed in 2009 composed of Joe Goddard and Raf Rundell.

-One of the freshest talents in the UK, he truly has an outstanding voice (Craig Charles - BBC Radio)

-Great sound with a modern twist, we're going to hear a lot more of this guy (Peter Young - Jazz FM)

-Music is the language of the soul, and Myles speaks loud and clear (Dr Charles - 8pistas Magazine)

-Soul for grown-ups. An album all this good would be one of the albums of the year (Chris Wells- Echoes Magazine)

- An impressive and timeless soul statement (Christoph Giese - Jazzthetik Magazine)

-You can't help falling for the charms on offer on this album (Lee Tyler - Blues & Soul Magazine)

The lovechild of soul music Myles Sanko releases his much anticipated second studio album!

UK based soul singer Myles Sanko is something very special and his new album ‘Forever Dreaming’ is quite simply stunning, with a musical quality that is rare indeed today.

Consisting of eleven deep meaningful soul grooves, jazzy musical perfection and a play time of approximately 40:19 minutes, the album has a vintage feel that could easily have been recorded 40 years ago, were it not for it's fresh contemporary twist. Ranging from the melodic Motown sounding title track "Forever Dreaming“ through to the spiritual acid jazz of "Save My Soul“ and the uptempo dancer "Shooting Star, this is a superb album packed with beautifully recorded Fender Rhodes, flute, vibraphone, percussion and all the instrumentation you'd expect from a good soul record.

Myles Sanko's musical output in the last year alone has made him a genuine shining light in an ever-competitive and burgeoning soul music scene. Aside from guest spots with, amongst others, Ed Meme and Chris Read ('Oh Yes I Will' and 'The Magic is Gone' respectively), the release of Sanko's debut EP in April of 2013 has catapulted his status – as I say – amongst a music scene where great artists are certainly not hard to come by, so finding a way to soar above so much else can only happen with genuine talent... which Myles Sanko has in abundance.

A seasoned performer whose music has seen him grace stages across the world, including London’s own iconic Ronnie Scott’s and the Jazz Café – the release of ‘Forever Dreaming’ will complete what Myles's EP started. 'Born in Black & White' is seven songs of horn-heavy, cheerfully-rousing, blissfully sweet, soul music masterfully presented by an artist adept at commanding a packed dance floor with uptempo funk numbers like 'Don't Let Me Down', whilst still being able to tenderly whisk you away with ballads like 'Come on Home'.  Although there are enticing elements and characteristics of the speedy pace and hard beat of classic northern soul amidst his music, it's a technique that is only intended as a respectful tip of the hat to those who have come before and who continue to serve as inspiration (including Bill Withers, James Brown, Al Green and Otis Redding). Myles Sanko's interpretation of soul music is wholly distinctive, unique and he offers a fresh-faced alternative worthy of your attention.

The crowd funded 'Forever Dreaming' will mark Sanko's official full-length album debut, which comes with the backing of awesome funk & soul labels, Légère Recordings & P-Vine Records. Aside from the incredible label backing, support also comes in the form of an eager and fiercely loyal fan base, all passionate in seeing Myles Sanko’s efforts rewarded with the success so richly deserved.

'Forever Dreaming' will be released on the 12th September.

Distributed by Kudos Records/Broken Silence/Zebralution (GSA/UK/BENELUX/IT/US/AUS/JP)

Used to be in a band with my mates. We had a laugh and wrote some songs, some of which were pretty decent (at least we thought so).

Michelle Oakley - lead singer
James Earp - electric guitar (+production)
Chris Westmore - drums + beats
James Clary - rhythm guitar 
Paul Vettath - bass
I’m on keys, synth and harmonies

High (and low) fidelity stereo sounds collected from the cosmos and presented via the medium of audio plastic. JUST JACK WILL EAT YOUR HEAD.

Secretsundaze DJ bookings: 
marc@poem.agency

Spirit of Sundaze Ensemble bookings:
lauren@earth-agency.com 

Secretsundaze is the trademark of forward-thinking, underground house music. As an artist and brand – spanning parties and festivals, a record label, a studio, an NTS residency and a live band project – it’s been operating for over 20 years and embodies the spirit and community of London’s club culture. But it’s never been one to sit still or rest on its laurels; leave that to the nostalgia crew because Secretsundaze always keeps it moving. 

Take this year, 2024, as an example. Right now Secretsundaze is stepping out as an artist proposition in its own right, helmed by producer/DJ/curator James Priestley who’s currently packing a stack of club tracks that will drop across the year and establish the project as a hit factory for DJs and dancers searching for a fresh take on house music that draws on breakbeat energy and trancey euphoria. Priestley is known to take the roof off as a DJ and now he’s adding to his arsenal with sought-after solo productions of his own under the Secretsundaze name. 

As a tastemaker, Secretsundaze sits at the cutting-edge, bringing new heads into the fold and always looking to champion new talent. His NTS residency, which has seen MoMa Ready, Paquita Gordon and Alex Kassian guest recently, is a reflection of the project’s current dancefloor obsessions. The meticulous curation of the Secretsundaze presents parties and Multi Multi festival, renowned for featuring talents such as Ash Lauryn and Carista long before they gained widespread recognition and uniting visionary artists like Toumba, Tash LC and NIKS under a single roof, serves as a compelling testament to Secretsundaze’s commitment in celebrating new artists.

Now for some history: 2022 saw the launch of Spirit Of Sundaze Ensemble, a full live band project that reimagines anthems beloved of those in the know, recording and performing cult bangers like Photek’s ‘Mine To Give’ and Joyce Sims’ ‘Come Into My Life’. The band has already graced the stages of the Queen Elizabeth Hall (Southbank Centre) and the ICA as well as Beat Hotel and Kala festivals, with a debut LP set for release later this year.

This duality of cutting-edge and classic is what makes Secretsundaze so special. Priestley originally cut his teeth as a d’n’b DJ and a promoter of not-so-legal warehouse parties before becoming an annual resident at the legendary Robert Johnson and landing gigs at Panorama Bar and Queen at Smart Bar, which is the kind of gigography that many selectors would happily settle for. But Priestley’s love of underground club culture has propelled him even further and Secretsundaze is now two decades deep, a pillar of London culture that has poured blood, sweat and tears into the city’s music community. 

Secretsundaze begins 2024 as a solo venture with Priestley at the helm, navigating an ever-expanding musical universe that unearths and re-engages with different styles, genres and music scene via parties, live shows, productions, radio and even a new record label.

Martin Pipe is following