Margate Alt-Soul Duo Collaborate with Philippine Legend Jun Regalado to Create MAR-NILA: A New Genre Born from Diaspora
MARGATE/MANILA – Margate alt-soul duo Thandii and Philippine legend Jun Regalado release ‘Coco Okayo’, out 11th September 2026 via Sama Sama Records. The ambitious debut album represents a landmark cultural exchange: Thandii (Jess Berry and Graham Godfrey) collaborating with Jun Regalado, the Philippines’ most recorded drummer and architect of the iconic Manila Sound of the 1970s.
The Album: MAR-NILA – A New Genre
‘Coco Okayo’ represents the birth of MAR-NILA: a new sonic territory forged from diaspora consciousness and musical heritage.
“This sound we call MAR-NILA,” Thandii explains. “It’s a new genre coming from Filipino diaspora artists paying tribute to the Manila sound of the 70s started by legendary bands such as HotDog, Cinderella and APO Hiking Society, but combining it with modern day post-punk-disco, beat-driven-art-pop music coming from a small East Kent seaside town of Margate. The sound is nourishing and exciting just like Filipino dishes like Adobo, Kare-Kare and HaloHalo.”
Recorded in Manila using period-correct pre-amps, compressors, and instruments that recreate the tones of the 70s Manila Sound era, ‘Coco Okayo’ dances around genres—from OPM to soul, disco-funk and trip-hop—refusing categorization yet cohesive in vision. It’s music born from a transformative creative journey: Thandii traveling to Manila, meeting family, establishing new artistic bonds, witnessing elders at work, experiencing the force of a musical legacy spanning decades.
Focus Track: “Future Lover”
“Future Lover” sits within the album’s exploration of love, connection, and the tender spaces between cultures. The track continues the thematic arc established across ‘Coco Okayo’—moving from environmental consciousness (“Coco Okayo”) through sensual intimacy (“My Angel”) to the romantic yearning that defines human experience across continents.
Like the album’s broader mission, “Future Lover” dissolves boundaries through music—creating space for vulnerability, desire, and the beauty of cross-cultural romance.
Graham Godfrey on Filipino Heritage and the Creative Journey
“Like many 2nd generation Filipino/a/xs, my heritage is an active process of learning, uncovering and becoming,” Graham reflects. “Music has always shown me the right path through a process of doing. Coco Okayo is no different and we have discovered so much in the process of making this record.
From travelling to Manila, seeing family, making new bonds and connections with Artists overseas; it feels so alive with learning. I was able to witness the elders at work, experience their artistic forces at play, it was both humbling and inspiring.”
This journey is embedded in every note of ‘Coco Okayo’—a record that honors heritage while creating something entirely new.
Jun Regaladotand: Legend and Collaborator
“Jun Regalado is a total legend of the game,” Thandii state. “He changed the face of popular music in the Philippines and was a part of a musical movement we now call the ‘Manila Sound’. He was a crucial part of the 70s popular music scene in the Philippines re-recording great American RnB/Funk/Soul/Disco songs for the Pinoy/ay/xy music charts. He was a joy to work with, consummate professional and unbelievably patient and humble.”
Dubbed “the most recorded drummer in the Philippines”, Jun Regalado’s career spans nearly 60 years with over 400 album appearances. His 1977 track “Pinoy Funk” was recently reissued by Soundway Records (2024). ‘Coco Okayo’ marks his first collaboration outside of his contemporaries, cementing his influence across generations.
The Singles: Building the Narrative
‘Coco Okayo’ unfolds across carefully positioned singles that map different emotional and sonic territories:
- “Coco Okayo” (Opening Track) – Environmental consciousness, coral reef memory, ecological awakening
- “My Angel” (7th August 2026) – Sensual meditation on connection, kulintang-driven tenderness
- “Run Run” feat. Ian Santillano (25th August 2026) – Immigrant excellence, generational legacy, funk-rock urgency
- “Future Lover” (Focus Track) – Romantic yearning, cross-cultural desire, vulnerability
Together, these tracks establish ‘Coco Okayo’ as a complete artistic statement: a record about love in all its forms—love of heritage, love of place, love of people, love of music itself.
About Thandii
Thandii (tan-dee) is an alternative-soul duo from Margate, Kent. Jess Berry and Graham Godfrey first turned heads with their 2023 debut ‘A Beat to Make It Better’, a cult favourite earning critical acclaim long after release. In 2024, they released the bold double feature ‘Dream With You’ and ‘Come As You’ (Rough Trade Album(s) of the Month), followed by ‘Halo’ (2025) and ‘FREE UP’ (September 2025).
Operating from home studio HaloHalo with intimacy that makes their music feel like an open diary, Thandii co-writes, co-records, and co-produces. Their self-description as Halo-Halo (Filipino term meaning “mix-mix”) pays homage to Graham’s Filipino heritage. Spotify RADAR Artists of the Month, with support from 6Music, RadioX, KCRW, and KEXP.
Album Details
Album: ‘Coco Okayo’
Release Date: 11th September 2026
Label: Sama Sama Records (UK)
Format: Digital, Vinyl
Recording Location: Manila, Philippines
Featured Artists:
- Jun Regalado – Drums
- Ian Santillano – Vocals (“Run Run”)
- Steve Pringle – Keys (Pigeon)
- Wyn Avillas – Additional instrumentation
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