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CRITIC REVIEWS
90
Mixing warbly bass lines with angular rhythms, breezy atmospherics and an eternal falsetto, these 12 tracks come off both strikingly original and familiar.
80
Comprising 12 tracks of superbly-constructed neo indie-disco, Jungle is a work that’s conversely perfect to either dance or relax to.
80
Jungle have done what Disclosure did so well last year – make electronic music with human heart, marry underground cool with main-stage appeal, and do it with vision and conviction.
80
Heavy on the party-catalysts and sonic Frankensteinery, it promises to be a sublime addition to DJ sets, house shindigs and general knees-ups.
80
They sound like two guys having the time of their life, even if it’s a life spent following a rulebook.
80
It's difficult to gauge whether they have another album of material in them or if they've used it all up in their debut, but it's still a fantastic record that managed to live up to the hype that's surrounded them since day one.
80
‘Jungle’ is a record designed to seep from barbeques the breadth of 2014, an ultra-modern rewiring of funk for Generation Y.
70
When you see Jungle live, it takes very little provocation for them to extend their songs into euphoric, funk-laden, instrumental prang-outs that mesmerise your mind’s eye. Unfortunately, the album lacks a little of that psychedelic deviation, and instead chooses to quite politely proffer 11 great and concise songs, with a whistling instrumental mid-point.
70
The details of bandmember identities and backgrounds quickly become extraneous in light of the wealth of intriguing sounds presented on this incredibly well-constructed debut.
67
Aside from a smattering of strong tracks, though, the album is too sleek and too wrapped in its own crate-digging influences to be more than an agreeable summer album.
65
The end result is an undeniably slick but ultimately superficial album.
62
Too often, Jungle’s shimmering surfaces belie the flimsiness of the songs themselves, which buckle under any sort of weight.
33
Jungle is a polished debut, but there’s no sense that J and T (or whoever is actually singing here) feel any sort of commitment to their lyrics, their arrangements, or anything beyond producing neatly packaged songs that slide them into festival slots.
Now this is what modern day neo-soul should sound like. Jungle’s debut perfectly exhibits well-crafted rhythm sections, grasping basslines, glittery synths and irresistible hooks and vocal melodies that all form this wonderful sonic landscape that the band don’t seem to venture far out of. Nevertheless, the songwriting on display is just so damn good it’s hard to discredit anything on this record at all. Whether it’s more relaxed and deeper cuts like Son of a Gun or ... read more
As the first album from my favorite band ever, yeah I really love this, not their best, but god is good.
This is enjoyable, essentially summer drive kind of music with accessible and smooth grooves, that sometimes elevate such as their well-known Busy Earnin and the fantastic synth beat that kicks in. But overall it feels a little one-note for it to really stand out. But definitely a nice listen.
As the first album from my favorite band ever, yeah I really love this, not their best, but god is good.
A groundbreaking album in electronic music. Jungle did something that had never been seen before. They would create a new sound that artists such as SAULT and Franc Moody, would be inspired by. Even future collaboration artists such as Priya Ragu & Bas will be heard to use similar hip-hop and soul sounds in their music. This album didn't just shape Jungle's carrier but many other artists as well which is what makes this album so special.
Favorite tracks
1. The Heat
2. Busy Earnin'
3. Drops
4. Time
5. Lucky I Got What I Want
6. Lemonade Lake
Contributions By
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Track List
| 1 | The Heat 3:16 | 91 |
| 2 | Accelerate 3:04 | 78 |
| 3 | Busy Earnin' 3:01 | 91 |
| 4 | Platoon 3:12 | 78 |
| 5 | Drops 2:53 | 81 |
| 6 | Time 3:33 | 89 |
| 7 | Smoking Pixels 1:47 | 72 |
| 8 | Julia 3:15 | 83 |
| 9 | Crumbler 3:02 | 78 |
| 10 | Son of a Gun 3:28 | 79 |
| 11 | Lucky I Got What I Want 4:16 | 88 |
| 12 | Lemonade Lake 4:19 | 88 |
Total Length: 39 minutes
Year End Lists
| #7 | / | Fopp |
| #7 | / | Pigeons & Planes |
| #9 | / | Digital Spy |
| #11 | / | Time Out London |
| #14 | / | Clash |
| #25 | / | Gigwise |
| #27 | / | NME |
| #29 | / | Rough Trade |
| #50 | / | Q Magazine |
| #85 | / | Under the Radar |
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Added on: June 20, 2014