It’s now been four year since Jungle released their debut album on XL. The self-titled release was proceeded by top class dance-featuring music videos and a couple of marquee singles in ‘Busy Earnin’ and ‘Time’.
There were rumblings of new music and festival dates so we knew it was coming.
Even over the course of the debut, their sound of falsetto-laden soulful electronic pop with sun-kissed grooves and bright vistas showed some creaks of repetition. Still, their seven-piece live band really worked on big stages.
As for these two new songs, both from the band’s second album to come, it’s a mixed bag thus far. ‘Happy Man’ is exactly the Jungle you’d expect a choral of R&B pop that works well and is pleasant but lacks something extra to feel other than a cutoff of album one.
The video by JFC Worldwide features new Jungle member Zangi dancing in the video though it’s less-impactful and less focused than previous videos.
‘House In LA’ is the song performed on Carson Daly and taking its inspiration from the band recording their second album in the Hollywood Hills (I can’t decide if that’s a “fair play” or cliché situation) but the song’s sleepy psychedelics feels like a new shade for Jungle.
Watch the ‘House In LA’ video directed by Charlie Di Placido:
The songs both feature on a 12″ on pre-order.
