Jungle is a British producing duo composed of Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland that recently released their fourth studio album along with a series of music videos. One of these accompanying music videos is for one of their singles, “Back on 74”. This specific music video is gaining traction on the internet due to its very creative choreography and camera movements, along with the tone and costumes of the music video. When listening, Nevaeh Bickerstaff, a Central student, said they,” felt a burst of childlike joy,” when watching. Jungle has been making music and videos similar to ‘Back on 74” since 2013, but this project is the first to get attention in the States.
The track harkens back to the style of 70’s soul but brings in the modern technical style of neo-soul. The lead vocalist is unintelligible due to the pronunciation of the lyrics, but the tone of her voice is the song’s driving force. The mixing of her vocals slightly spikes when she hits higher notes, which gives the impression of old or run-down recording equipment. The lead vocals are smooth yet jagged, and the background vocals are silky and glide through the mix. Also, the use of the faintest cowbell in the mix’s background is masterful and only brings images of Will Farrell in the” More Cowbell” sketch from SNL.
On the front of visuals, the outfits in the music video fit the retro style with their colors and designs while incorporating modern enhancements of certain fabrics and patterns. The outfits’ colors also match the backgrounds of the dancers’, moving from warm tones to cold ones then back to warm. The sets seem to imitate art gallery murals that give the frame greater depth with the multiple layers of the paintings. The hair and makeup department is on point, matching the era’s trends that the song and visuals allude to. All of these elements lend to an immersive and entrancing experience. Alivia Rozier, Central student, says, “It makes my eyes happy.”
The most noticeable aspects of the music video are the dancers and the choreography- showing a genius display of the possibilities of dance to enhance the auditory experience of a song. With the dancers moving so effortlessly in and around the studio space, the camera seems to dance with them. Since the entire music video is shot in one continuous take, the viewer feels the movements and energy of the lengthy performance and the impressiveness of planning a long take with 20+ dancers and all of the technicians. Soul Bounce’s Donte Gibson writes, “We watch the current crop of dancers in several setups throughout the clip that easily amaze and leave us in awe of how they did it.”
The most focused point of the music video is the sequence in which the Red-Headed Woman with the blue jumpsuit is being followed in dance by a group of nine men. People use this clip to set up jokes about ignoring advances and ignoring one’s responsibilities, such as homework or getting up in the morning.
Not only have Jungle made a fantastic music video with “Back On 74”, but they have also made multiple other music videos similar to the one-shot style, such as “Candle Flame,” which has a more animatronic flare in the choreography where the dancers move rigidly yet execute in fluid motions. “Candle Flame” is simply hypnotizing with the style of choreography Jungle went with. Alivia Rozier said, “I want to have the ability to move my body like that.”
The choreographer of “Back On 74”, Shay Latukolan, is a passionate dancer and choreographer from Amsterdam. He choreographed the entire visual album Volcano, the album “Back On 74” is on, along with the songs “Candle Flame” and “I’ve Been In Love.” A Central English teacher, Taryn Smith, said, “I need to learn more about Shay Latukolan!”
“Back On 74” is a spectacular show of how impactful choreography can be to enhance music in a visual form. Jungle’s new album Volcano is out now on all platforms and includes songs “Back On 74”, “Candle Flame,” and “I’ve Been In Love.”
