Jungle - Jungle

Source: Allmusic

There's a certain simplicity that exists within Jungle's music which is, surprisingly, difficult to see; it's so full of so many different components, making the music swell and grow, that it very cleverly disguises the most integral part: the bass. The bass is constantly present. It may ebb and flow with the growth of the music, but ultimately, it's always there. It represents something so intrinsically dancey, so chilled, so smooth about Jungle that it's hard to resist the urge to get up and wave your limbs like a madman.

Everything that Jungle is about centres around dance. All of their videos are showcases of incredibly talented dancers, which just makes you want to die of shame when thinking about your particularly awful dad moves that you unadvisedly whipped out last Saturday night. None of their videos actually feature any of the band members, forcing you to appreciate Jungle for their music and not for their image, which is commendable in an industry obsessed with 'the look'. Most notable among their videos is Platoon, featuring an unbelievably talented six year old girl who could put anyone to shame. This simplistic style of filming suits Platoon in particular, because it forces you to really feel each beat of the well-timed vocals, guitar, and twinkly tambourine-y things, not simply passively listen to it. The way the girl starts putting on her armbands and beanie when the music builds up again reminds you that something impressive is coming. The visuals, rather than detract from the quality of the music (as often happens with elaborate, movie-style music videos) add to it in a brilliantly crafted way.

Busy Earnin' is one of their songs that particularly stands out as being something slightly spectacular among all of their slightly spectacular tracks. It allows you a bit of respite with the siren noises at the beginning before plunging straight into a heavy beat and an energising melody line. The layering is perfect in this song; the right bits drop out and come back in at exactly the right time to add emphasis to the best bits, and add decoration to the bits that need it most. The second verse becomes much more diversified, adding never-ending interest in unexpected places. By keeping you on your toes, Jungle manage to stay one step ahead of their listeners all the time. They know they're in control, and the flair with which they play exhibits this perfectly.

Source: Flickr

Another one that grabs you by the ears, spins you round and drops you off at the other end of the planet is Time. There's just something so fascinating about it; how can something with such a comparatively sparse drum beat be so compelling? The truth is that the sparsity of the drum beat allows you to locate the rhythm a lot more easily, and leaves space for other instruments to create grooves over the top of it without letting the focus be taken off the main beat. It's a genius tactic, really, and it lends itself perfectly to the breakdown, where all that's left is clicking, unidentifiable synth sounds and the vocals. The contrast is just a little bit beautiful.

Jungle have slightly crept onto the scene with a highly acclaimed, self-titled debut album. Music journalists are often very keen to draw comparisons between contemporaries ("any female with a guitar is the new Laura Marling!!", "any band vaguely originating from the North who play rock are the new Arctic Monkeys!!!") but that sort of ego-grooming really isn't possible with Jungle. They're fantastic in their own right, and although they're obviously influenced by a huge mix of people, they've chewed them up and spit out something definitively original. It's something so admirable in this day and age that it's hard not to love them for it.

Rating: 8/10

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