Jungle - Loving In Stereo
Electronic/Soul – Released August 13, 2021 – 14 songs, 40 mins
*****LUNDI’S PICK*****
LUNDI
Usually anything that makes me think of cardio workouts will leave a sour taste in my mouth but alas Jungle and their Peleton commercial backing tracks have come along to buck that trend. Though after numerous listens to their third studio album Loving In Stereo Peleton commercials are far from what resonates with this album. Instead it’s a music lovers dream come true.
First off everything about Jungle as a band stacks on top of each other to make their output so damn impressive. Formed as a duo in 2013 Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland pretty much do it all including vocals, piano, bass, guitar, synthesizer, keyboard, and sampling to which they themselves take and produce on their own independent record label. Read that slowly once again. *mind blown*. If that isn’t enough for you they also write every single lyric, direct their own music videos, and take it upon themselves to teach five other musicians their music so it can be reproduced in a live setting as it simply was not challenging or organic enough for them to use backing tracks for touring. Finally and most importantly of all the output is really fucking good.
The musical blend on Loving in Stereo is unlike any other as Jungle mix elements of New Orleans soul with old European Disco and tie them together into a unique take on new age electronic dance music. The album can wow you on first listen with tracks like Keep Moving and What D’You Know About Me? but also reward multiple listens with more complex songs such as Romeo and Can’t Stop the Stars. The album is filled with groovy bass lines and sharp yet subtle guitar riffs that just make you feel good. Just simply cannot say enough about how well executed each and every component is put together across the 14 tracks.
A particular element that may be overshadowed on Loving in Stereo is the overall message and meaning behind the lyrical concepts. In a musical world where 90% of songs are built on sadness and the majority that aren’t come off as corny and forced, Jungle provide messages of hope, togetherness, and happiness with nearly every word. As a guy who’s Spotify library is filled with the saddest of sad songs, it’s a refreshing change of pace that can fit any situation.
Loving in Stereo is damn enjoyable. Unique and soulful. Jungle simply knocked it out of park. An absolute pleasure to listen to.
Overall Rating: 9.3/10
Favourite Song: Truth
ROZ
A new week, a new artist, a new album. Let’s cut the foreplay and dig right in.
The album starts off strong, with Dry Your Tears preluding Loving in Stereo’s hit single Keep Moving. Here we get transported back to 1960’s disco and all of the good that comes along with it. The bass guitar refuses to be denied and lays down an incredibly tasty lick (a common theme that will show itself throughout the track listing) which is further complemented by the additional instrumentation and airy vocals that seem incredibly weaved into the mix. All Of The Time keeps us in the 60’s with it’s crispy analog sizzle and killer bass grooves, a sentiment shared by tracks such as Bonnie Hill, Talk About It, No Rules and What D’You Know About Me. The lyrics emote a certain sense of optimism and hope while the music itself makes you feel as though you have the windows down in your car as you drive through a big city on a warm night - definitely a vibe.
Loving In Stereo impresses its listeners further by refusing to stay a period piece and moving into other genres. Collaborator Bas completely tears it up on Romeo, a hip hop track that displays the type of intricate sound design that you’ll only find with electronic producers that know their tools and know them well. The Jungle boys maintain many elements of their disco venture by incorporating the guitar, bass and backing vocals in order to keep their signature sound regardless of tempo or style. The genre-bending continues as we move to Truth, which felt like a special take on surf rock and has a wicked guitar solo to boot. The album takes a breath with songs such as Lifting You (a flute solo and sax solo?!) and Goodbye My Love (the latter featuring artist Priya Ragu’s beautiful singing voice), only to swing around and close out the show with another strong disco track in Can’t Stop The Stars.
We’ve come full circle: Loving In Stereo is a blast from the past with a modern twist. Producers Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland have outdone themselves on this effort, showcasing not only their talent as producers but also their ability to call back to genres long in the past while adding their own signature flair. Their ability to switch from disco, to soul, to hip hop, to surf rock and to all of the things in between is absolutely mesmerizing. Jungle is an immense talent that no doubt has a bright future ahead of them - one that is very much deserved.
Overall Rating: 9.3/10
Favourite Song: Keep Moving
REID
Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland are the architects behind British electronic band, Jungle. The childhood best friends from London boast a wealth of musical talent as both split vocals and play bass, keyboards, synthesizers and samplers. Mix in some guitar and piano by Josh and you get a funky, modern disco-like sound that requires anywhere from seven to upwards of thirty musicians to reproduce in a live setting. Their third album, Loving in Stereo, has a cover displaying their name in black font on a beige background with a black outer frame. Satisfyingly consistent with their first two releases.
Loving in Stereo gets off to an electrifying start. The build-up in Dry Your Tears and pay off in Keep Moving is an amazing first impression for new listeners, making it damn near impossible not to keep going. With an appearance from rapper, Bas, Romeo has summertime feel good jam written all over it. The album has great progression, with each new song offering a different twist to keep you boogey-ing in place throughout. Lifting You provides ‘grocery-store shopping cart’ vibes while Truth sounds like something you’d hear playing on a Mario Kart map. No matter how you break it down, J and T mix in a plethora of instruments and keep things upbeat and infectiously groovy. Just Fly, Don’t Worry and Goodbye My Love slow things down near the end. The latter adds a sultry element of jazz with a guest appearance from Priya Ragu, a welcome addition.
Jungle’s foundation was built on a desire for true friendship, collective energy and team spirit. As a shout out to the beginning of the 2021 World Series between Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros, Loving in Stereo hit it out of the park.
Overall Rating – 8.4/10
Favourite Song - Romeo