Jungle Studios Launches a New Chapter In Creative Sound with ‘Jungle Music’

Whilst Jungle has always been involved with music production as a peripheral activity to its main work of crafting world-class sound design, the official launch of Jungle Music sees the London-based studio offer composition and musical production as part of its core activities. With clients increasingly asking for various production services rather than simply booking studio time, the move feels like a natural progression given the Jungle team’s collective musical backgrounds. 

“Why Jungle Music?” That’s the question Sean Mahoney, asks himself aloud before answering it. "Increasingly, we’re being asked to incorporate music into our sound design work. So Jungle Music isn’t about creating a standalone brand but integrating music more visibly within the studio’s existing DNA.”

Removing Barriers

The decision to combine music composition and sound design under one roof is as practical as it is creative. Sean explains “By creating bespoke music composition alongside sound design from the outset, we ensure a cohesion that can be difficult to achieve when these elements are handled separately. In addition, if everything is integrated we can make adjustments quickly and ensure the sound design and music work seamlessly together.”

This holistic way of approaching things is particularly beneficial when working to picture. “Editors often cut to a temporary track, but the final music isn’t chosen until later,” he says. “When we are in full control of the music, being able to adjust tempo, pitch, or timbre at that later stage makes it easier to match the music with the visuals.”

Sean tells me about a recent project where the music initially provided by a client wasn't quite hitting the mark. “Having worked with the client for some time and knowing the sound of the brand so well, we were able to create our own tracks with the particular sound we knew they were after - the client loved it.”

One of Jungle Music’s defining features will be an emphasis on collaboration. “We frequently work with clients who have a distinct musical and sonic identity in mind,” says Sean. “That familiarity allows us to create something that aligns perfectly with their brand.”

This collaborative ethos is applied beyond traditional advertising projects. Sean recalls a project working with the artists Jords. “We were asked to collaborate on a track raising awareness for communities affected by conflict. It required mixing an amazing-sounding choir as well as incorporating some sound design elements.”

The team’s musicality often bubbles to the surface in unexpected ways. Sean says a recent radio ad project required a choir singing carols at a front door. “We didn’t hire session vocalists; Maya, Philla, and I ended up being the carol singers.”

For Sean, the launch of Jungle Music is also deeply personal. “Music has always been a part of my life. I played in bands in my earlier years, touring with friends who are now doing really well in their musical careers. Music was my first love, and it eventually led me to sound design.”

Sean points out that this passion and understanding of music extends to many of the existing Jungle team. “Graham, our managing director, is currently working on a project with producer Phil Harding. Kit is an amazing drummer and musician, which proved invaluable on a recent job that required authentic Middle Eastern rhythms. Maya is a fantastic vocalist and guitar player, and one of our sound designers, Stuart, is an incredible beatmaker and electronic music producer,” Sean tells me. "Plus, Philla, our bookings producer, has a great voice. It's very useful and speeds things up immensely at the demo stage when we’re exploring early ideas.”

As Jungle Music takes its first official steps, the team is optimistic about what lies ahead. “We’ve always collaborated with our clients on music projects,” Sean tells me. “Now, we’re at a point where we’d like to highlight and celebrate this part of our work.”

“Music has always been a personal passion,” he says. “And now, it’s an official part of Jungle Studios.”