The Jungle Giants | Album Review

Words by Caitlin Dyson

Beloved Australian indie rock/pop band, The Jungle Giants, return with a brand-new album — this time leaning more into their pop side as a band with a synth-heavy body of work. The band explores a new musical side in these bright and bubbly songs, leaving the listener on a high after a feel-good listening journey.

I don’t know what exactly I was expecting when I came into listening to this album, but it certainly wasn't this. Its title rings extremely true — feelings of joy are overpowering when listening to the body of work top to bottom.

Songs like A Moment Like This, are great pop — solid beat, fun and loving lyrics and beautiful synths. Then you’ve got tracks like How Can I Replace You, which are more experimental sonically whilst still being engaging and incorporating those elements of pop that distinguish The Jungle Giants’ identity. By the end of this song, you are transported to the club — sweaty bodies and strobe lights are the imagery that immediately come to mind.

The sonic space that this album sits in is intentional and free — somewhere between dance and pop with elements of rock seeping through at times, paying homage to where the band came from. The songs are so easy to listen to and get hooked on. The riffs are catchy and the beats are engaging and innovative.

The lyricism throughout the album is evidently personal and honest. Each track is written beautifully with attention to detail and emotion oozing. The album comes at a time in lead singer Sam Hales’ life where he has learned to heal from past events and translate the feelings into his music, saying “That’s where the joy comes from, having this unwavering hope even after experiencing adversity”. It is so inspirational to hear artists turn their feelings into art, and this album is a perfect example of that.

There are times throughout the album where it feels as though Hales is singing directly to the listener. The last track, World’s Getting Smaller, starts off with the lyric “I don’t know how to start this song”, showing trust and transparency between the band and the listeners. Moments like this are so important in making the listener feel as though they are a part of the journey when listening to the album. Another creative detail I noticed in this song is the interpolation of a previous track, How Can I Replace You, which ties in nicely considering it is the ending song wrapping up the entire listening experience.

I am such a fan of good pop music, and this album is exactly that. It has come at a time where pop music is in need of something new and fresh to come along, and this album is it.

Experiencing Feelings of Joy is out everywhere.