The Hours - Ali In The Jungle

Formed by Pulp and Elastica collaborator Ant Genn and former Black Grape keyboardist Martin Slattery, the sound of The Hours' first single, 'Ali In The Jungle', is surprisingly upbeat and anthemic. The days Genn and Slattery spent touring with Joe Strummer's Mescaleros shows strongly. So do the pop influences of mid-90s Pulp. Closing in on piano-driven, punk-influenced rock 'n' roll, 'Ali In The Jungle' is big, sweeping and somehow uplifting and honest - a strong single that, somehow, manages to communicate something simple, and almost carnal to its listener. [Neil Ferguson]