The Jungle

The Jungle is the operating handle of Seattle producer, Troy Jagan, who debuts a listen to his new Wild Things Vol. 2 EP. On it, the party gets shaken up and out of sorts with “Groove Disturbed”, that percolates like a bubble-jetted hot tub the size of an Olympic swimming pool. As soon as the raven riding heavy roller of “POE” kicks in with those thick bass synths, you know the EP has officially begun. Other key choices dot hollowed-out wooden notes over steady rollicking rows of programmed percussion dipped into the noir of a hundred moonless nights. The technical bag of production gets bused out on the faraway vocal sea-faring synth stew, “Rise”. On this cut, you can almost hear the sun rising. Mixing and switching up rhythm kits, “The .22″ arrives like a neat parcel package that’s ready to hit the dancefloor.

Haunted Hollywood and LA ghosts bounce from the piano parts on “Val Verde” that usher in the beat slaps, ready for a roll-call session or someone to lay down some lyrical magic. “We The Trouble” taps into the trade routes where Troy’s knack for drum-and-bass-centered audio arrangements recall EU/UK high-tides of high production caliber electronic music. We had the pleasure of chatting with Troy Jagan, immediately following this exclusive stream of Wild Things Vol. 2. - Impose Magazine

The Jungle is the project of Seattle resident Troy Jagan who seeks the carry the torch of funk heroes of the past while also creating some history of his own.

With The Jungle he has a funk-electronic hybrid, taking influences from artists such as Toro y Moi and Miguel. Combining heavy basslines, drums, ambient melodies and tropical vibes, such as on the vibrant and catch track “.22″ you got a fun track that will be hard not to move along to.

“.22″ comes from his debut EP Wild Things, which was released last week. Give it a stream below. - We All Want Someone To Shout For

On July 1, Troy Jagan, better known as The Jungle, will release his new EP, Wild Things, Vol. 2. The six-track project follows-up his first Wild Things EP, which came out in April and showcased the Seattle resident's penchant for ambient melodies, harmonized vocals and electro-funk production. On his new song, "Rise," the producer/singer/songwriter continues to perfect his sound, which some have grouped in with the likes of Toro y Moi, Blood Orange and Miguel. Listen below to see if you think the comparisons are justified. - HYPETRAK

The Jungle – Wild Things EP Review
By Kevin Tshiamala
In their new EP, Wild Things, The Jungle blend together a mixture of funk, jazz, pop and ambient adding to the conversation of an ever growing genre critics call funk-electric fusion. The EP is composed of four well flowing songs reminiscent of works by Blood Orange, The Weekend, Toro Y Moi and some have even gone as far to link them to Prince – a comparison we’ll shy away from. Nevertheless, the EP is a stage five clinger. The catchy, yet unique songs linger around when necessary, but continue to circle around your head even when unwanted. Regardless of whether you view that as positive or negative is irrelevant, for what makes a piece of art successful, is its ability to make you think and feel. Wild Things not only does both, but also makes you dance.

Multi-instrumentalist, Troy Jagan, was inspired by Upton Sinclair’s book, hence the name of the band. You can feel the despair from the book in songs such as “Black Rose” and “Firewalk.” Other than Sinclair, Troy looks up to the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. As Troy stated, “James is Funk. We want to bring people that same energy because as long as we’re committed to the sound, James and funk will never die.” The funk fusion is clearly evident throughout the entire EP, such as in the song, “Paradise.”

Unexpectedly, The Jungle’s EP, Wild Things, is a front runner for best new sounds of 2014. As Veggie Fans stated, “The Jungle made the most of their four tracks and we look forward to following their sonic evolution for years to come.” We couldn’t agree more.

Wild Things EP is available for purchase on itunes

For more information please visit The Jungle’s official website: thejunglevines.squarespace.com

For social media please visit: https://twitter.com/the_jungle_deep - Hear Magazine

While Toro Y Moi has moved on from Chillwave to experiment with sounds, it looks like Troy Jagan, aka The Jungle, is breathing live back into the sub genre. He will release his new EP, Wild Things, Vol. 2. Stream his latest single “Rise” above. Head over to The Jungle’s official SoundCloud page to hear more from him.

Wild Things, Vol. 2 is out July 1st, 2014. - The Sampler.Net

On July 1, Troy Jagan, better known as The Jungle, will release his new EP, Wild Things, Vol. 2. The six-track project follows-up his first Wild Things EP, which came out in April and showcased the Seattle resident’s penchant for ambient melodies, harmonized vocals and electro-funk production. On his new song, “Rise,” the producer/singer/songwriter continues to perfect his sound, which some have grouped in with the likes of Toro y Moi, Blood Orange and Miguel. Listen below to see if you think the comparisons are justified. Peep it below. - Chest Rockwell

Producer/singer/songwriter Troy Jagan, better known as The Jungle, will release his new EP Wild Things, Vol. 2 on July 1. In the meantime, enjoy this funky cut. - RhymeStreet

Carrying the torch of the funk heroes of the past, Troy Jagan seeks to create a new history of rhythm with his funk-electric hybrid, The Jungle. Taking cues from new age pop contemporaries like Toro y Moi and Miguel, Troy blends an ever changing mix of thick basses, heavy drums, ambient melodies and harmonized vocals that congeal to give an essence of what has come before and a glimpse at what the future holds for funk. Once graduated from high school, Troy relocated from Sacramento to Seattle, looking to find his beginnings in the Emerald city’s fertile music scene. Troy got his start in the rock/funk outfit NorthSound, which later turned into a funk/jazz fusion band called Hi-Fi Reset. After playing nearly 90 shows throughout the Pacific Northwest, Troy left this group in search of his next musical venture. It was a chance re-reading of Upton Sinclair’s book, *The Jungle*, where Troy began to formulate the idea of why *The Jungle* plays such a big role in their music. Wanting to echo the spirit of Sinclair’s vast and moving portrait of a city in transition and crisis, Troy looks to the original godfather of soul, James Brown for continued inspiration on where the band should go next. Troy states “James is Funk. We want to bring people that same energy because as long as we’re committed to the sound, James and funk will never die.” - Northern Transmissions

For his fascinating funk-electric project, Troy looks to godfather of soul James Brown…He explains: “James is Funk. We want to bring people that same energy because as long as we’re committed to the sound, James and funk will never die.”

thejunglevines.squarespace.com - Fame Magazine

On their EP Wild Things, Seattle trio The Jungle combine elements of pop, funk and world sounds to create rhythmic music that can only be described as “chill.” Multi-instrumentalist Troy Jagan was inspired by funk legend James Brown as well as the classic Upton Sinclair novel The Jungle. This aesthetic can be heard throughout the EP as the band incorporates the possibility and menace of a big city into their groovy tracks.

“Black Rose” builds steadily throughout its near seven minute running time. The light vocals, enhanced by just the right amount of auto-tune, evolve into a murky darkness before reaching a climactic falsetto. The Jungle ease listeners out of the track by highlighting the funky rhythm that it at the heart of the song. “Paradise” is bouncy with a 1970s vibe sprinkled throughout along with a touch of modern cynicism.

“Firewalk” pairs African percussion with a jazz flute and funky bassline. Before long, airy synths engulf the song in a blanket of wonder. “Horizon” is exploratory and vast. As each musical layer is added, the song becomes an infectious jam that encourages dancing.

Wild Things is an intoxicating EP that leaves listeners wanting more. The Jungle made the most of their four tracks and we look forward to following their sonic evolution for years to come. - VeggieFans.net

Receiving inspiration from James Brown and Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, the group - The Jungle - offers captivating rhythms on theirfunk-electric hybrid EP, Wild Things. From the overflowing ambient melodies to the harmonized vocals, lovers of chill electronic and soul will find the four tracks emanating musical ingenuity and energetic inspiration.

"Horizon" is a jazz fusion filled vibe with band members, Troy Jagan, Dave Schurman and Josh "Beatstock" Orion, instrumentation providing a moving ambiance, while "Paradise" is abundantly packed with drums and synths, percussion and Jagan's vocals cascading throughout. It's essence is otherworldly and definitively expresses the band's take on electronic music and what they are capable of producing.

"Firewalk" offers heavy rhythms and gives the listener the feeling as if they are indeed in the jungle, with its lounge feel and combination of percussion and keyboard effects. "Black Rose," the last cut on the EP sounds as if it could be used to rap over with its hard-hitting, funk driven cadence.

The Jungle's start began when Troy Jagan moved from Sacramento to Seattle to immerse himself in the electronic music scene. Yearning to do something different from what had been done before, Jagan along with Schurman and Orion, started the band with the hopes of redefining, revamping and perfecting the electronic music genre. Taking their cue from the original godfather of soul, James Brown, Jagan adds that "James is Funk. We want to bring people that same energy because as long as we’re committed to the sound, James and funk will never die."

With these four Wild Things, the band gives a glimpse into how they are impacting the genre already and how they fit into the electronic funk puzzle. There is something about the Jungle that will leave you speechless upon first listen - and not too many bands leave that impression the minute their songs are played.

Final Grade: A

To listen to the Jungle and learn more about them, visit these pages:

http://thejunglevines.squarespace.com
http://Facebook.com/thajunglemusic

Follow The Jungle on Instagram at the_jungle_deep and on Twitter@the_jungle_deep - Examiner.com

Named after the classic novel by Upton Sinclair, The Jungle is the electronic funk brainchild of Troy Jagan. Aided by Dave Schurman and Josh Orion, the band has just released their debut EP, Wild Things. The Jungle takes the most eccentric sides of artists like Toro Y Moi and Prince and siphons it into their own hazy, wandering creations.

There’s a wonderfully dreamy quality to their sound. It’s as if you played Prince at one end of a long wind tunnel and listened to it from the other end. Yes, a lot of it is ambient, but it’s as if it’s only ambient from straining any superfluous qualities of funk and electronic, leaving the purest, permeated essence behind. The vocals pass by so lightly they’re just as intangible as trying to grasp at a gentle breeze and instruments weave in and out as if they’re merely memories, but they’re simultaneously so irresistibly catchy.

The clearest evidence of why this all works is their song “Firewalk”—the closest thing to a traditional club song—is actually the only one that doesn’t work as well. Unfortunately, the addition of flutes make it sound like something one would except to hear in the background of the Weather Channel, but there’s still enough interesting eccentricities and patented style to make it enjoyable enough.

Among the four tracks here, it’s almost all solid, but “Black Rose” is the best and most fully visualized song here. Wild Things is now available from the band. - The Big Takeover, Cody Conrad

Troy Jagan seeks to create a new history of rhythm with his funk-electric hybrid he is calling, The Jungle. Jagan blends heavy bass lines with sick drum beats and ambient sounds resolving around beautiful vocals. His music creates a futuristic sense that also reflects upon current pop trends and ties us in to current times.

After graduation Troy moved from Sacramento, California to Seattle. He wanted to find himself and find new beginnings working in the music business and local scene. He got his start playing rock which later turned into funk fused jazz with his band called Hi-Fi- Reset. This was back in the 90s when Troy was just starting out. Shortly after he left his band to start a solo career on his own. Troy Jagan took inspiration from the godfather of soul, James Brown. He wanted to bring people and give people that same level of excitement and energy, that is his passion.

As of now Troy is set to release his new album “Wild Things” his new debut EP on April 22.

If you want to check out some of his music take a logo at his social media profiles and his website below.

Websites:
Official: thejunglevines.squarespace.com
Facebook.com/thajunglemusic
Instagram: the_jungle_deep
Twitter: @the_jungle_deep - COXILLAH

If you’re looking to incorporate a little more funk in your life, you’ve come to the right place. The Jungle is a Seattle-based duo with a passion for making instrumental funk with a hint of blues and rock. Progressive Man learned a little more about The Jungle’s creation, their soon to be released EP, and how they got their funk.
Hey guys, thanks for taking the time to speak with us. First off, how did the band come together? Have you known each other for a while or did you meet, like many other bands, through Craigslist?
Thank you for featuring our work! It’s good to know that we can be a part of independent media which in turn supports the independent music community. But to your quesion I’ve known the various folks in the group over various periods of my time in Seattle. But if we had to put a timeline on when this project came into fruition, it wasn’t until Sept-Oct of last year that we turned conversations into songs, and songs into the idea of what “The Jungle” would ultimately represent.
It’s funny you mention Craigslist because that’s where I started looking when I first moved here. I just wanted to play, with anyone, so I posted an ad like “Hey! I play keyboards, and I like Stevie Wonder and stuff, so if you wanna jam, hit me up!” And that led me to my first band, NorthSound. I played in a few more groups after that, but then in 2010 I stepped away from bands completely to focus on school, and once that was done-I felt that I was at a place where I had the best opportunity to create the best music of life, without restriction, and thus The Jungle began to take form.
How did each of you first get into music and what instruments do you each play? As an instrumental band, each of you probably take on multiple roles, right?
I’ve been playing music since I was 9 or 10, parents didn’t play but I was always listening to whatever was being played around the house. My grandmother worked as an usher at her church, and on the mornings I’d go with her, I had a chance to watch the band set up and get ready for the service. I just remember being amazed at how they took care of their instruments; the delicate nature in which they removed, tightened, adjusted-all just to beat and wail on these items with no mercy. That was maybe the first time music spoke to me outside of an auditory sense that these tools were to be cherished and respected when not being used to move souls.
The first time I put those feelings into practical use was maybe a couple years later when we relocated from San Jose, CA to Sacramento. My grandmother had a piano in her home, and I remember tinkering around on the out of tune keys for hours trying to piece together any songs I could hum from memory. Then it happened. My father, being the Prince fanatic he was, showed me “Purple Rain” for the first time. Needless to say, it changed my life. But there’s a scene where Prince’s character finds his father’s old compositions and begins to transpose them on his piano, which would later become “Purple Rain” and give the movie its musical climax. I replayed that part over and over, to the point of wearing down the VHS tape so that it showed thick wear lines across the screen, but after a couple days I had the melody to Purple Rain.
It wasn’t anything more than the first few bars replayed, but I remember being proud that I had taken a sound that I liked, and was able to play it back. I guess it was by default that I turned to piano because even if there were another instrument around, my curiosity would have probably lead me to it regardless.We mentioned that your music is instrumental, and contains various elements of funk, jazz, ambient and rock. Is that blended sound a product of what you grew up listening to? Do you guys classify yourselves as any one particular genre?
I think that’s the beauty of living in 2014, there’s so much rewriting of what genres should be and allowing young artists to not be defined solely on their predecessors. With that said, I stand proudly when I say that our music is Funk music. As you stated before, our musical interests vary among what were raised listening to, and what we’ve come to discover as young adults, but if I’m being honest the main folks who shaped my sound are: Prince, Herbie Hancock, Stevie, George Clinton, Pharrell and Michael.
It wasn’t until I was older that I started taking a deeper look at their discography spoke to my own fledgling musicianship. But there always someone new taking my focus to their orbit, the latest being jazz pianist Robert Glasper. He’s the next Herbie in my opinion
In terms of defining ourselves, I’ve always wanted anything I play to have a funk flair. It’s a music that ?estlove describes as “the bridge between 60’s soul and 70’s disco and pop”. I feel like that bridge is still being traveled today: those walking baselines, grooving synths and electric pianos, and a pulsating backbeat. One could argue that EDM as it currently stands is a splinter of funk, just as funk and R&B were splinters of the blues.
I know that people are going to put our sound into whichever category speaks to them most, and that’s fine, but I want people to know that as ever-reaching the sounds may be, they still come from that well of funk goodness
Alright, it’s always fun to know how bands came up with their name, how did you guys come up with yours?
This is where the concept of The Jungle came from. I had been re-reading Upton Sinclair’s book of the same name and something about the imagery of Chicago’s meat packing district in the 1920’s, a time when depression had the nation by the throat and people were forced to anything to survive, no matter the corners cut or integrity dissolved. And that’s where I think the state of music is in.
The internet has provided liberation to ideas and art that can now be instantaneously digested the world, which for indie artists like ourselves, was the best thing that could’ve ever happened. But while all this music is now available at the push of a button, it forces listeners to traverse a musical “jungle” to find what will speak to them the rest of their lives, no matter how much is being pushed in their faces and told is clean and nutritious.
I’m not saying our group is the holy grail or above anyone else’s work or grind because it’s not, it’s all still a part of the Jungle, but what I hope our music can be is the machete which gets people excited to wander the jungle and ultimately remember the experience forever, like good music is supposed to do
You currently have 10 songs available for your fans. Do you guys have any plans to release an EP, or maybe even a full album, in 2014?
There’s few songs on our soundcloud and facebook pages but we’re only choosing 4 for our first EP: FireWalk, Black Rose, Paradise, and Horizon. It’s titled “Wild Things” and set to release on April 22nd, just in time for spring. After that, we’ll drop another at the beginning of summer and tour them both this August. I’d like to release a full length album by the end of the year though
Tell us a little bit about “FireWalk” and its inception. How did the song come to life?
This song was the result of a “Twin Peaks” binge watching session.
I love that show, crazy as hell-a detective solving the homicide of a prom queen in a fictional Washington mountain town. The show is a mash up of all things we love about television: mystery, drama, quirkiness- with just enough at the end of each episode to leave you wanting more. God bless Netflix. But the detective came across those two words “Fire” and “Walk” and would later use those in his deductions to solve the case.
Now the show doesn’t tie directly into the music, but I liked the idea of mashing up a bunch of shows to give people a fresh take on the tv detective story, so in turn that’s what I wanted to do with the music, give people something that wouldn’t resonate as being too foreign, or too modern.The Jungle: Fiery Funk That Lights The Soul
Posted By Nader Ahmadnia on Apr 15, 2014 | 0 comments

https://www.facebook.com/thajunglemusic - Progressive Man Magazine