The next chapter of The Jungle Giants

THE Jungle Giants are heading back to Australian stages after five years of international touring, bringing their latest album and trademark high-energy live show to the Barwon Heads Hotel next month.

The Brisbane indie rock favourites will turn the Barwon Heads Hotel into a dance floor on 8 August as part of their Experiencing Feelings of Joy tour.

With close to half a billion streams and a reputation for lighting up festival stages, the four-piece have built a loyal following with hits including Sending Me Ur Loving, Feel the Way I Do, Heavy Hearted and On Your Way Down.

Fronted by Sam Hales, The Jungle Giants have continued to evolve while holding onto the dance-pop hooks and explosive live energy that first made them a festival favourite.

Now, as the winter chill sets in, Hales and his crew are headed to Barwon Heads to turn up the heat.

“Winter has just arrived and it’s crazy, you can really feel it in the air,” Hales said.

“I’m in my adventurous era right now and I love getting as close to water as I can, so getting to Barwon Heads and into the winter beach vibe will be epic.

“We’ve got the show really on point at the moment, with plenty of new excitement, and we are all a sucker for a classic pub, so we can’t wait.”

Released in May, Experiencing Feelings of Joy followed one of the darkest periods in Hales’s life.

The album pairs dance floor-ready tracks with a melancholy edge.

Lead single Tell Me How It Feels reflects that more vulnerable approach, while Where Can I Put All My Love?, All The Time In The World and The World’s Getting Smaller each reveal a different side of the record.

Hales said he’d been thrilled by the response since the album’s release.

“I love the way it’s been received,” he said. “The number one feeling you want is you yourself really liking it. To be honest, my favourite song keeps changing.

“I also forget lyrics all the time, and I’m not here. It’s less metaphor and more real of what I’m singing about.

“It’s super awesome people are enjoying it. There’s acoustic guitars, piano and strings, alongside pop and disco feels.”

Long-time fans can also expect a healthy dose of classics, with Hales promising the setlist reaches right back to the band’s earliest releases.

“The show is essentially one song, it just continues and continues and has new projections,” he said.

“We are bringing back some old songs that we haven’t played ever, including some from our very first EP. We do medleys of old ones just to spice it up too.”

Supported by The Tullamarines and Tear Drive, The Jungle Giants will perform at the Barwon Heads Hotel on 8 August.

Tickets are available through Oztix.