Simon Reynolds’ ‘Retromania’ has fascinating implications for brands, but it’s a much more conscious nostalgia that’s driving culture forwards.

(Yes we know they’re not the actual lyrics, but let us have the headline.)

As summer in the northern hemisphere begins in earnest, the sound of the amen break is filling the airwaves at festivals, parties, and BBQs; Jungle is back, and Nia Archives and Sherelle are the icons of a new generation of Junglists. 

For the uninitiated, Jungle is the music genre that was the precursor to drum and bass. Born out of hardcore and techno, Jungle took the energy of early raves, introduced half-time basslines from dub and reggae, and took lyrics and samples from ragga and toasters to create a distinctly British dance music that went on to influence global music culture, as well as leading to UK garage, dubstep, and footwork. 

But Jungle was also a reaction to the social, cultural, and political climate of Britain in the early 1990s, and with this latest mainstream resurgence, it has similar echoes. However this time around the dominance of male producers and DJs has fallen to the wayside, and the charge is being led by artists like Nia Archives (who’s debut album is currently in the UK top 20), and Sherelle (who recently secured a peak time BBC6 Music show). As with Marina Correia and skate culture, Jungle has evolved to become more diverse and inclusive – and as we look to the subculture of Jungle in the CultureIndex, we can see an increasing prevalence of female, LGBTQ+, and working class artists (which Nia Archives also nods to in her recent Resident Advisor interview). 

Oh, and Nia Archives got a co-sign from Beyonce last summer, opening for her on her blockbuster world tour. 

But what does this tell us about popular culture more broadly? The resurgence of Jungle is part of a broader reimagining of nostalgia (or ‘retromania’, as Simon Reynolds would call it) that’s seen 90s fashion, food, sports, and design make a resurgence. While the early 1990s marked a moment in popular culture that was reactionary and almost nihilistic, this latest evolution is focused on connection across generations, dissolving unnecessary boundaries between people, and being led by inclusive ‘multi-hypenates’ like Sherelle (who runs two radio shows, a record label, workshops for LGBTQ+ artists and creators, is a DJ and artist in her own right, a festival founder, and a mentor). 

• Understand that ‘retromania’ doesn’t mean an exact replica of what came before, and in many cases is a more inclusive evolution. This should be a key consideration when thinking about how your brand communicates – and should emphasise the importance of understanding the values and beliefs at the heart of a given subculture or community, as even those soaked in nostalgia may have evolved beyond the stereotypes of yesterday.
  
• The new guard of many of these (re)emergent subcultures are multi-hyphenate creatives, who are putting optimism, connection, and community at the heart of their work. Demonstrate that your brand values are aligned with theirs by helping them to explore cross-cultural partnerships and projects – and thinking creatively about how you work with and commission creatives. 

• Beyond a few edge cases, funding for the arts has been drastically cut across most of the world. Becoming a patron of the arts and the creatives that drive different areas of cultures forward is a surefire way of creating a much-needed platform for this generation and generations to come – programs like Red Bull’s Music Academy are shining examples of what can be done when brands and communities come together in partnership. 

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