SHOW REVIEWS

Show Review: JUNGLE at The Echo

Brendon Goldwasser

PHOTOS by VALKYR PRODUCTIONS

This past Monday evening at The Echo, a very fortunate crowd at a sold out show had the privilege of being one of the first audiences ever to hear the ethereal, funky, electronic grooves of London-based 5-piece JUNGLE. It was a perfect venue for them to make their LA debut and let’s be real, a debut performance in LA is a big deal for a group from London who has only released a handful of tracks on Soundcloud and Spotify.

The music started at around 9:30 with the catchy melodies and unique lyricism of the Echo Park art rock group James Supercave. James Supercave consist of Joaquin Pastor (lead vocals, guitar, piano), Patrick Logothetti (synths, keyboards), Andres Villalobos (guitar, backing vocals), and Jaysun Rickards (bass). They are currently in the process recording their debut EP The Afternoon and will be released in full on March 25th via Hit City Records: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/james-supercave/id828740091The EP was made with producer Gus Seyffert (The Black Keys) and also features drumming by Joey Waronker (Beck, Thom Yorke). Their music was really interesting sounding, mixing elements from disco to indie-rock and from brighter poppy songs to darker, more introspective jams. They really got the crowd warmed up for the main act and helped to set the mood.

Their set included a few of their more popular tracks like “Georgian Orange,” “Old Robot,” and one of my personal favorites “The Right Thing.” They also played some newer songs and overall sounded really tight and well-rehearsed.

Next up was the main act…JUNGLE! I had been looking forward to seeing them perform ever since I heard their debut 7” single with “Platoon” and b-side “Drops.” Their music was a breath of fresh air from everything else I had been discovering and it stopped me in my tracks at the time. I couldn’t stop listening to their infectious blend of soul, funk, and laid-back electronic grooves. Before they came on stage, the venue remained dark for a few minutes as sounds from the amazon and wild jungle elements faded in. They performed one soulful jam after the next, all of the songs they had put over the past year, including some new, unreleased songs and their recent hit single “Busy Earnin’.”

Seeing them perform live finally was such a great experience because they’ve been so mysterious this whole time. It was great to actually put some faces behind the music, though the pictures will not do them justice, as they even tried to remain mysterious during most of their show, keeping the lighting dimly lit. It eventually ended up not bothering me much at all because it allowed for the crowd to focus on the music and the vibe that they brought. They sounded clear, clean, and they brought the same energy from their recordings into the packed room at The Echo. I haven’t seen many shows yet this year, but this is already going on my favorite shows of 2014. If you haven’t yet, be sure to treat yourself to the wonderful sounds of JUNGLE and be on the lookout for when they’re playing near you, as this is a live experience you don’t want to miss. Check out more pics below of both James Supercave and JUNGLE.

Setlist:

1. Instrumental Jam Intro
2. The Heat
3. Lucky I Got What I Want
4. New Song – “Son Of A Gun”
5. New Song (Untitled)
6. Drops
7. Busy Earnin’
8. Platoon