Jungle’s Sunshine Is Beautifully Predictable
Daniel Corretjer Rios
Writer
August 20, 2026
Since forming in London in 2013, Jungle has become known for its warm production, catchy grooves, and laid-back sound. After finding major success with “Back on 74,” the duo returns with Sunshine, their fifth studio album, hoping to keep that momentum going, welcoming Lydia Kitto, the lead singer for the track, to stay with them for the creation of their fifth studio album, Sunshine. Impulsive moves like these don’t tend to work out in the long run, but Jungle defied the odds by dropping this lush, warm, and groove-driven record.
The opening two tracks are an immediate declaration of the direction the album will be looking to go in. The former, “Come Back to Me,” is a beautifully constructed introduction. It’s layered with delicate background vocals and flute work while portraying this feeling of being right by the beach, with the wind brushing your face. The latter, “Sunshine,” follows, and although very similar to the opener, it still carves out its own identity. It contains a deep bassline, excellent drumming, and a call-and-response vocal dynamic, which adds this playfulness that keeps the momentum alive.
Then “Where Are You Now?” arrives, and the formula Jungle is using starts to become more and more apparent. It sounds beautiful. Jungle almost always sounds beautiful. But the blueprint is almost identical to what came before, and that peaceful beach setting starts to feel like a loop.
“Move Like You Do” is a breath of fresh air, as we start to make a shift toward a house-influenced pulse stemming from a repeating 808 that gives the track its own unique energy in the context of the album, even if the overall mood doesn’t necessarily change. It’s a small pivot, but still a change. Then comes “Romeo II,” featuring Bas, where the album finds one of its most exciting moments. Jungle’s groovy instrumentation turns out to be a perfect foundation for Bas’ flow, and he takes full advantage of it. He delivers smooth and effortless bars, sounding completely at home in the sonic world the band has built. Not to mention, the chopped-up vocals offer even more detail that wraps the song up perfectly. This track clearly shows what Jungle is capable of when they let something new into the room.
“Carry On” is another peak, building from this simple acoustic foundation before the drums and strings arrive with a quiet touch, and the heavenly vocals on the chorus are moving. But after that, Sunshine settles back into its groove and stays there. “The Wave,” “Someday Somewhere,” “Reflection,” and the closer, “Heavy on My Soul,” cycle through the same formula, diminishing the impact of every song, even if they sound somewhat decent. “Someday Somewhere” has a nice, soft, and effective guitar solo, and “Natural” briefly breaks the formula by tapping into a different vocal tone and energy, but these changes aren’t enough to truly give these songs their own identity.
The frustrating thing about Sunshine is that the talent is never in question. Even though their production, harmonies, and vocal performances are consistently gorgeous, their consistency is where they fall short. Overall, the album fails to demonstrate enough artistic direction to make each song feel truly distinct.
Edited by: Jade Read
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