On one of the most self-assured albums you’ll hear all year, English producer-singer Nia Archives finds herself coming of age within jungle music on the aptly titled Emotional Junglist, out via Island Records.
Since her project’s inception in 2020 (by way of a student loan), Nia’s been at the forefront of reviving jungle music while balancing between respecting the genre’s heyday and incorporating other sounds in the process. Serendipitously, the decision to gravitate towards jungle aligned with ’90s house music’s general reemergence, allowing Nia to take off even further.
So, it’s only right that her follow-up to 2024’s Silence Is Loud proudly announces Nia’s allegiance to the genre and manages to elevate a sphere in music often sidelined. While sophomore albums can sometimes be hard pivots into new territory, Nia cultivated her sound to explore how she’s matured over the past few years through vulnerable vocals and stellar production.
“To be an Emotional Junglist is to feel everything and nothing all at once,” said Nia. “Being in your mid-20s, you’re figuring out who you are, exploring your sexuality…I think people kind of get stuck in girlhood, but really and truly, I’m 26 and I feel like I’m entering womanhood.”
What made Nia special from other artists and groups experimenting with similar sounds – the ability to contrast hard-hitting beats with softly sung vocals – remains true on Emotional Junglist. The previously unveiled “Vertical” is undoubtedly inspired by ‘90s breakbeat. At the same time, it’s an anthem for hopeless romantics, with Nia’s sultry singing – about the honeymoon phase – being enough of a sudden switch-up to give whiplash in the hands of another artist.
However, Nia never tips the scales in one direction or another, maintaining that perfect harmony between the instrumentals and her voice. More impressive is how she uses her voice as an instrument on songs like “Get Me Down” featuring Jorja Smith and “Feelingz Go Numb.” The latter track has enough punch in its bass to hit you like a machine gun alongside the ricochet, chopped vocals.
At the same time, simply describing the album as a jungle album leaves out the other styles of music Nia experiments with. Whether it’s the radio-friendly pop of “Dance With Me 2nite,” the nighttime R&B of “The Darkest Hour” featuring Sampha, or the bouncy combo of jungle and indie rock/pop-punk on “There Goes Ma Head” and “Boys In Blue,” Nia isn’t limited in scope.
In the spirit of the album’s appropriate title for Nia Archives’ role in music, her own project name speaks to her encyclopedic knowledge of electronic music and way of pulling from her inspirations to create something new.
Emotional Junglist by Nia Archives is out on streaming services. For more on new music and tickets to upcoming shows, check out her website.
This post may contain affiliate links, and Grimy Goods may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our independent, fan-powered media network.
