Jungle
The jungle is a wilderness, but London groove collective Jungle, led by Tom McFarland and Josh Lloyd-Watson, are masters of control. Everything is in its right place on their debut album, from the dance moves to the horn stabs, as they update \'60s soul (plus two-tone and trip-hop) with a crisp, modern touch. Aching falsetto tops off a spine-tingling mix of driving electric bass and swirling organs, while sirens and dub echoes make the noir nightscapes all the more vivid—seductive, but a little bit dangerous, too.
In the summer of 2013, an anonymous UK production duo only known by the initials of J and T released a 7" under the name of Jungle. They've since dilated to a seven-person live band, but their self-titled debut for XL retains the original duo's constricts, favoring the bantamweight soul reminiscent of early '80s British acts like Imagination, Fun Boy Three, I-Level, and Fine Young Cannibals.
If anything, Jungle knows how to market itself. In 2013, the London-based collective whose founding two members mysteriously referred to themselves as “J and T,” debuted with an expertly choreographed video for its single “Platoon.” In it, then 6-year-old breakdancer B-girl Terra spins and dances to the smoky, future…
London's most hyped and mysterious duo unleash the beast that everyone's been waiting for - and frankly, it's a blast.
The lead-up to U.K. indie/neo-funk act Jungle's self-titled debut album was one of highly calculated mystery.
Jungle are that rare type of group that already possess the rock solid musical knowhow alongside the resourcefulness that usually comes from the exuberance of youth; maybe it's because the UK duo wear their influences so vibrantly on their sleeves.
Nothing to do with the genre of the same name, this west London specialise in smooth disco-funk, writes <strong>Kitty Empire</strong>
Review of Jungle's new self-titled LP, coming out July 14 on XL Recordings, the first single from the album is "Busy Earnin" Jungle play 7/27 in Queensland
Jungle seemed pretty mysterious and exciting when they first emerged, but over a whole album they seem a bit lacking, writes <strong>Paul MacInnes</strong>
Rising London elecrtronic duo don't quite match their hype. Review by Thomas H Green.