Jungle Maps (self-titled)
LABEL: self-released

Two years ago I dragged my best friend to a Rishloo anniversary show at El Corazon in Seattle. Now, I am always the person who shows up when the doors open, always in the front, always standing around on the floor looking at pedals with my only company being the sound guy and whoever is unfortunate to be my companion for such shows. Most people skip the openers and sometimes it’s for good reason. Usually it isn’t. That night, a really peculiar local two-piece opened the gig. A drummer and a guitarist. That was it. I almost audibly moaned. And then my head got blown off.

“They get beyond heavy without the use of saturated distortion, use vocals sparingly (without the hardcore growl)...much catchier and to the point than their post-rock cousins.”

To say I was impressed by the two-man Jungle Maps would be an understatement. I hadn’t been that emotionally impacted by a set since my first Isis show (and that night still stands high on all-time great shows, only behind Swans). How Hans Twite and Will Andrews managed to enrapture and captivate the small early audience that night boiled down great performers and great songwriting. I never felt like anything was missing. Twite’s expert (and tasteful) use of a looper and Andrews’ frenetic percussion tore the air apart in El Corazon.

Jungle Maps create something like a bent echo of artists like Pelican, Jodis, with twinges of King Crimson. The choices Jungle Maps makes, however, steers them well clear of the generic. They get beyond heavy without the use of saturated distortion, use vocals sparingly (without the hardcore growl), and their songs are much catchier and to the point than their post-rock cousins. Jungle Maps are impossible to categorize. It’s just intelligent and beautiful rock at its rawest form.

Since that night, I had been searching for an album from them to no avail. And somehow, under my nose, they released a free digital version on Bandcamp of their early self-titled album with drummer Max Kunz (who Will Andrews later replaced). It’s hard to top seeing the band live, but the production of the album stays faithful to the band’s organic sound. Twite’s live looping of his quirky baritone guitar adds a wonderful tone and darkness to the record and both the drums and guitar launch off into extreme energy while still hanging on to delicate and beautiful melodies.

Seattle is demonstrating some premier rock acts that seem to be evolving outside of the immensely popular post-rock camp while still incorporating a lot of the genre’s best qualities. In Lunar Blue and Rishloo come to mind, but Jungle Maps are definitely the least known and best example of the breed. Their sound is their own and while they seem to be only appearing for scarce moments, it’s tremendously worth it to one who does. Their self-titled Jungle Maps available for free over at Bandcamp is an excellent first glimpse of this visionary band.


REVIEWED BY NEIL LEVENS
NEIL’S FAVORITE TRACKS: “Lacuna” • “Ladders” • “Charlie Horse”


+ Preview & download for free on Bandcamp