BBC Sound of 2014 Poll - Jungle - The Heat

The annual BBC Sound of 2014 poll is always a fascinating read. The winners will often have great success. Last year's winners were HAIM and they have certainly have had a good year, with an UK number 1 album. The longlist was revealed earlier this month and for me the most intriguing of all the acts was Jungle. On their Soundcloud page they list their tracks as "Electronic Soul". They are still a bit of a mystery, but the 2 main people behind whatever they consist of seem to be two people named T & J. If that is them really skating in the video they are great roller-skaters as well as talented musicians!

The police-siren and the laid-back nature of the groove remind me of London on a quiet summer afternoon. In "The Heat". I also think the background noises such as what sounds like a kid playing and radio commentary stages add to the atmosphere they have sought to create in the track. But the main thing that makes it stand-out from the crowd is the Curtis Mayfield like vocals, which kick in at 0:25. There is something great about a vocal that sounds multi-tracked. You can almost imagine a live performance where the whole band is grooving along and singing at the same time.

The video is great because it looks like London. It's simple, but mesmerising because you are kept glued to the screen by the choreographed roller-skating routine. It's a grimy scene lit up by the creativity  and talent. That's something you see around London so frequently.

Knowing how these polls work it's unlikely Jungle are going to win the whole thing, but they may get a top 5. I hope they do and that 2014 is a really successful year for them. Whoever they are!