Song Stories: Jungle: Busy Earnin

In 2014 Jungle burst onto the UK music scene with the infectious single "Busy Earnin". With its pulsating rhythm, funky grooves, and anthemic message, the song not only cemented the duo’s reputation as innovative musicians but also captured the essence of a generation striving for balance in the relentless hustle of modern life.

The song is layered with instrumental sounds and hypnotic beats, that blend old school funk with modern electronic production. It was for many including myself our introduction to Jungle, and the sound created on "Busy Earnin" has perfectly come to symbolise just what Jungle are. 

Jungle made up of Tom McFarland and Joshua Lloyd-Watson had made a number of attempts of music since meeting as friends, but with Jungle they took everything they had learnt to create one of the best pop songs of recent memory. This song is a party track but it has a much darker under tone to the song, a tone of inner-city malaise, romantic ruin and psychedelic alienation to a raft of its tracks that speaks to those modern urbanites feeling screen-wiped and robbed of opportunities, busy earnin’ for nothing. It’s the sound of a 21st Century.

"Busy Earnin" was arguably the song that launched Jungle to where they are today. The song featured in numerous TV shows, and was famously on the FIFA 15 soundtrack. This song was the soundtrack to millions of peoples FIFA menus for a year. It's certainly where I first heard the track. Its a brass filled anthemic banger, that a decade later still sounds fresh and modern, it's a song that has a real timeless feeling. The song is still a main stay in the bands setlist, on the bands recent tour in support of their 2023 album "Volcanoes", the song was used to open the show.

Jungle however are so much more than this song, the bands self titled debut album recieved a Mercury Prize nomination and was loved by critics and musicians a like. Noel Gallagher has famously said that the bands self titled debut is one of his favourite albums of recent memory. A  carefree summer party record, with a subtle darkness within the songs.

A real well rounded pop record, with a soulful feeling, that's both funky reflective, ecstatic and bleak, purposeful and party.

Thank you for reading x

Jack