2011, Brisband, Queensland, Australia. A former high school band bassist and a former high school band singer team up to make music during University. This is the beginning of the Indie-Pop/Rock band, The Jungle Giants.

All four members of The Jungle Giants attended the same high school in Brisband, Australia. The bassist of The Jungle Giants, Andrew Dooris, was playing in a local band along with drummer Keelan Bijker. The rivalry band of theirs just so happened to be Sam Hales’, who is the Main Vocalist and Guitar man, band. Every member of the band attended a music program through the school, where they would occasionally play together.

While the four were acquainted with each other through teenage years, once University came around, Dooris and Hales formed the band. Casually coming into it was Lead Guitarist Cesira Aitken and Drummer (and Trombone player) Keelan Bijker, as said before.

Lead Vocalist Sam Hales spent his hard-earned money on funding for their first self-titled EP produced by local Yanto Browning. Released in March 2011, the song “Mr. Polite” was a huge deal, at least for an up and coming, newly made band.

Once The Jungle Giants’ second EP labeled She’s A Riot came around, the band had a whole new record label titled Create/Control. The band’s biggest track by far is first shown in this EP. The single “She’s A Riot” ranked higher than a few big-name bands on Triple J Hottest 100 in 2012, ranking 83rd.

Later into 2012, The Jungle Giants toured on the national Satellites tour, featuring main act Last Dinosaurs and secondary act Twinsy.

Following up a few months after, the band toured the Australian Leg of Two Door Cinema’s national tour featuring The Vaccines.

After preforming at festivals, gigs and releasing the single “I Am What You Want Me To Be,” the band announced their first LP release date. On August 30th, a well-rated album was released named Learn To Exist, featuring the big hit “She’s A Riot” and newest single ‘I Am What You Want Me To Be.” The night of the album release, the band proceeded to tweet, “Merry Albmass,” which was an often used phrase that night among The Jungle Giants’ fanbase.

While still with record label Create/Control, the band went on an extended tour for the newly released album. Afterwards, the band continued to play at festivals, even next to main acts such as Blur and Pearl Jam.

As for the lyrical aspects of the band, their music is mainly inspired by common struggles of Hales. Dooris said in an interview that Hales is such an optimistic guy that when he writes something depressing, it turns out to be sung through a happy tune. This twists up the songs, giving them a positive outlook on situations.

The Jungle Giant’s outstandingly successful public image is something that will become more and more. Watch out, 2015, because new things are coming your way and there are only two words to look for: Merry Albmass.