On the Jungle Floor

Van Hunt is a serious musical anomaly. He is an extremely talented Songwriter, Producer, and Musician, but his music, though extremely easy to get into, is difficult to describe. It is a blend of Funk, R&B, and Bedroom soul, with a pinch of Prince and dash of Zappa. What becomes apparent listening to Van Hunt's 2004 album On the Jungle Floor( Capitol Records), is that Hunt is a musicians musican, and a producers producer.

Most of the instruments on the album are played by Hunt himself and the album is extremely eclectic mix of everything from Garage Rock("Ride Ride Ride") to Prince-styled synth funk ("If i take you home"), demonstrating Hunts ability to write catchy pop hooks in a wide array of musical vernaculars.



Hunt's voice(both musical and physical) are very distinctive and he has set himself apart as a songwriter who is not afraid to experiment( musically and lyrically). Lyrical content on the album is wrought with wordplay and double entendres forcing the listener to pay attention to Hunt's subtle wit(Especially evident on "Hot Stage Lights").

Hunt's take on the obscure Stooges song "No Sense of Crime" shows that he is willing to explore any genre of music and has a large range of influences. It also indicates that Hunt will be a very interesting artist to watch, because OTJF gives the listener the sense that Hunt is not about stop experimenting anytime soon.



Listening to this album on headphones is a very strange experience. The music expands into another dimension and the production really shines, but there is a very strange feeling that accompanies this. It makes the listener feel like a voyeur...like what Hunt is saying was meant for himself or his diary and that by listening to it you are privy to something that you should not be.
In short, It is a headphone masterpiece.




www.myspace.com/vanhunt

Check out the song Man of thre Year...it is unbeliveable.