The British band Jungle cultivated an air of mystery when they came on the scene in 2013 with a fresh take on classic funk and soul.
• Jungle leaders Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland—initially known as J and T, respectively—are childhood best friends who grew up next door to each other in the Shepherd’s Bush section of London.
• The group’s breakthrough 2013 music video for “Platoon” features a six-year-old girl named Terra showing off her sick dance moves. The viral clip built considerable buzz around the wilfully enigmatic collective.
• Their 2014 self-titled debut album impressed critics with its futuristic lounge-funk sound and was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize.
• Jungle don’t star in their own music videos. Instead, Lloyd-Watson directs single-shot choreographed dance clips in the style of “Platoon.”
• For live performances, Jungle hits the stage with anywhere between seven and 30 musicians.