While it’s fair to say that 2016 hasn’t been a vintage one for the world at large, these past 12 months have been eventful and successful for Lost In The Manor. We released a sumptuous second EP, ‘Through The Deep’, by Japanese ambients The fin., who, never ones to stand still, are putting the finishing touches on the next album while prepping for dates at next year’s SXSW showcase. We also signed Cocoa Futures, whose ‘Blue’ EP is out now, gaining the band thousands of fans globally (just clock their current Spotify plays), alongside a series of enthused reviews and features, including this entertaining photoshoot for The Line of Best Fit. CHILDCARE were the other signees, releasing the boss ‘Film Club’ from their EP (out early 2017), and playing to thousands at arenas nationwide on a support tour with Bastille. They were also subjects of a great recent photoshoot, published on Bitter Sweet Symphonies.
We’ve been busy on the gig promotion front, too, putting on hundreds of shows, packed with the best breaking bands, in several venues across the capital. Lost In The Manor also curated a stage at the Great Escape festival in Brighton, allowing The fin., Young Native, Labradoor and Isaac Lee-Kronick to perform for assembled movers and shakers. Then there was Blogtober, a month-long festival at The Finsbury in north London, in which a different music blog curated the bill each night, comprising their favourite upcoming acts. This was such a success that we’ve already blocked out the calendar to repeat the event next year. On the subject of blogs, our own online magazine has undergone a hugely positive transformation, thanks to the editorship of esteemed young gunslinger Tim Hakki.
Finally, there are our press campaigns, boosting the profile and generating online coverage and industry interest for a range of fantastic acts, among them Jasmine Rodgers, Mangoseed, Escapists, Adam & Elvis, James Edge, Natalie Bouloudis, Sonitus, Quiet Quiet Band, Scarlett Saunders, Saints Patience, Brothers Rasputin, Lewis Fieldhouse, SALT and Thom Worth. Expect to hear a lot more from these and others in 2017 as Lost In The Manor continues to fight the good fight and inject a little positivity through great music. Watch this space for news of an expansion into management, further label signings and, of course, the best live music in town.