She is one of the UK’s most important names in the dance scene. Nia Archives has helped introduce jungle, the fast-paced dance style born out of the UK’s Black rave scene in the early 1990s, to a whole new generation. Being of Jamaican heritage, reggae and sound-system culture played a huge role in her upbringing. It shines through in her music in the best way possible. To make jungle even more approachable, Nia has the rare talent of blending in all her favorite genres without ever letting them overtake jungle as the heart of her sound. We hear neo-soul, Britpop and alternative rock all influencing her hypnotizing beats.
Nia’s latest project couldn’t have been given a more fitting title than Emotional Junglist. Yes, at first listen the music is pure high energy. But listen a little closer and you’ll discover those explosive productions are often paired with vulnerable songwriting. That contrast becomes the thread running throughout the album. Pressing play, we are immediately pulled into Nia’s world with the energetic, almost haunting ‘Feelings Go Numb’. The track repeatedly asks, “What have I done? Because I’m feelin’ so numb. What have I done? Feelings go numb.” It serves as the perfect introduction to everything that follows.
Our favourite moments on the album are, without a doubt, when Nia shows off her ability to seamlessly blend jungle with alternative rock. We already got the perfect glimpse of what that sounds like on the single ‘Boys In Blue’. The explosive, full-on, in-your-face production has all the right ingredients to appeal to audiences that normally couldn’t be further apart. This is unmistakably one of our favorite songs of 2026. Other tracks stepping into that alternative rock lane are ‘Around Tha Bend’, ‘Superlust’ and ‘This Could Be…’. Each of them comfortably sits in the same waiting room, ready to be blasted at full volume.
The very first collaboration of Nia Archives’ career is an iconic one. After Nia remixed Jorja Smith’s ‘Little Things’, the two became friends. It only makes sense that Jorja is the one joining her for this milestone. Nia explains: “I wanted to make something that had trip-hop vibes like Massive Attack and that also has a jungle element. It’s more of a 5am-at-the-afters feeling than being at the party.” The two prove to be an extraordinary pairing on ‘Get Me Down’.
We couldn’t have been happier when we reached our favorite moment on the album. There’s something so compelling about ‘Dance With Me 2nite’. It feels like the answer to one simple question: what would Nia Archives sound like if her only goal was to score a massive commercial hit? The beauty is that she does exactly that without sacrificing a single piece of her identity. That balancing act is exactly why we’re so excited about her. If we ever get married, put this one on our playlist.
Jungle is all about high-energy, uplifting beats. Every now and then, though, we need a moment to catch our breath. Nia Archives gives us exactly that throughout the album. It’s during those quieter moments that her gift for emotionally rich songwriting shines the brightest. Together with Sampha she delivers the angelic ‘Tender’. With him as a feature you can hardly go wrong. He gives the song exactly what it needs to reach another level. Other highlights carrying the emotional heart of the album are ‘Train Of Thought’ and ‘Tha Darkest Hour’.
Nia Archives has delivered one of the most exciting projects of the year. It sounds unlike anything else being released right now. Having an artist like her introducing a once-underground genre to a wider audience feels genuinely important. But most of all, it is bloody good!