Jungle
18th April 2019
Powerstation, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review by Adam Jones. Photography by Chris Zwaagdyk.
At the onset of a long Easter weekend, the chance to see UK’s modern soul collective Jungle is an irresistible opportunity, clearly reflected by the fact that their headline Auckland show sold out well before the band had even arrived in the country.
Heading in to the Powerstation on a Thursday evening, you were surrounded by nothing but good vibes, as people in attendance wore smiles on their faces and emanated anticipation for what was sure to be a night of duelling falsettos, infectious grooves and a party atmosphere.
Auckland locals Imugi 이무기, an electro synth duo comprising of singer songwriter Yery Cho and producer Carl Ruwhiu were tasked with getting the crowd warmed up for Jungle and they did not fail. Despite the venue only being half full as they graced the stage to bird song, they immediately captivated the audience with opener ‘Portals’. For a bedroom act still in their infancy, they are naturals on stage and their synth tinged electronic pop was the perfect way to kick the night off. They immediately followed up their opener with the funk heavy ‘Fade Away’ and were joined by two talented backing dancers for ‘Wandering Recluse’.
Yery controlled the stage, oozing confidence and delivering an exceptional rendition of ‘Paradise’, a song with persuasive messages about self-confidence and empowerment. The two-piece closed with new single ‘Be Here Soon’, a bouncing electronic throwback to 80’s synth pop and their strongest song to date. I’m excited for what the future holds for these two as they continue to grow, hone their skills and develop their sound further. Watch this space.
Tonight marks not only the first time Jungle have headlined in the Pacific but their first show in New Zealand since they appeared at Laneway Festival in 2015. The tour is in support of their newest album For Ever, released to critical acclaim in September and it sees the duo of Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland bolstered to a seven piece for their engaging live show.
As the lights dimmed, Jungle made their way out to rapturous applause and stood firmly underneath their name spelled out in golden letters against a black backdrop, simple but effective. It cannot be denied that they have navigated a sound influenced heavily by soul and funk – a sound which had fallen out of favour – and have re-introduced it to a whole new generation; the moving, rhythmic bodies filling the Powerstation proof that this specific brand of music is certainly back in vogue.
Jungle opened with ‘Smile’, the first track from their new album and it’s a scintillating introduction to their set, closely followed up by the single ‘Heavy, California’. Their failed American venture is a key theme to the newest album and serves as the inspiration for the aforementioned track as well as ‘House In L.A.’. Despite the song exploring Lloyd-Watson and McFarland’s disenchanted experiences of romance and exploration of Los Angeles, it also carries that trademark Jungle flair and the audience were eating it out of the palms of their hands.
‘The Heat’ kickstarted the glitz of the evening and was continued by ‘Julia’, two tracks from Jungle’s eponymous first album. The soul collective was bathed in a gold and red hue as they were illuminated from behind by pulsing lights, creating an almost holy silhouette as they preached to the congregation in attendance. Drummer George Day and percussionist Dominic Whalley particularly shined throughout ‘Julia’, their performances ramping up the energy even further and highlighting the natural chemistry that Jungle has.
The pace was slowed down for ‘Beat 54 (All Good Now)’ and ‘Happy Man’, the lyrics displaying both mature inspirations while simultaneously showcasing broken relationships and disenchantment with the lyrics “I never had enough for you/ But you said someone/ Would come and replace me/ How can you replace me”. ‘Cherry’ continued the melancholic feelings and chilled vibes while the lighting production beautifully complimented the song, drifting between deep reds and blues and stabbing strobes that throbbed in time with the percussion. The optimal visual satisfaction further proof of how polished this act has become thanks to rigorous touring since finding success in 2014.
The energy never stopped at any point and fan favourite ‘Casio’ had everyone singing along to its silky-smooth choruses while dancing to the delicate lines of groove; Rudi Salmon flourishing as her solo closed the song out whilst fellow backing singer Andro Cowperthwaite oozed cool alongside Lloyd–Watson and McFarland.
As the set closed with ‘House in L.A.’ and ‘Drops’ it was clear no one was ready to call it quits just yet, the fans shouting for more and giving the band no choice but to re-embrace the stage for an intimate encore only minutes after leaving.
The evening finally came to an end after storming versions of ‘Busy Earnin’ with its addictive chorus fused with catchy grooves and ‘Time’ which closed with blistering guitar work. These were the songs that led to the band first breaking out and it’s easy to see why.
Delivering a five-star performance last night in Auckland, one that was full of emotion, Jungle demonstrated themselves to be a well-oiled funk machine who will only continue to garner more mainstream success. And judging by the looks on their cult of fans present they’ll undoubtedly be welcomed back here with open arms in the future.
Were you there at the Powerstation to witness this neo soul showcase? Or have you seen Jungle perform live some other time? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Setlist:
- Smile
- Heavy, California
- The Heat
- Julia
- Happy Man
- Beat 54 (All Good Now)
- Cherry
- Pray
- Lucky I Got What I Want
- Platoon
- Crumbler
- Lemonade Lake
- Casio
- House In L.A.
- Drops
- Busy Earnin’ [encore]
- Time [encore]
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