From the Jungle to the New Horizons

The 1983 follow-up to Johnny Warman's Australian hit, Walking into Mirrors, but not destined for anywhere near the attention of its predecessor, From the Jungle to the New Horizons nevertheless follows very much in that album's electrifying mode, hurling the best in current recording technology into the mix and taking full advantage of his backing band as well — Peter Gabriel worked with several of the same musicians (Jerry Marotta, Tony Levin), and the first few tracks here certainly relish such parentage. But Warman, unlike so many of his peers, was no mere clone, and the comparisons that can be drawn between From the Jungle and Gabriel's then-imminent fourth album (Security) are valid in mood and momentum alone. Like the best of Gabriel's then-current work, From the Jungle astonishes via its breadth and originality, whether it's journeying through the deepest electro-bayou and a swamp-stained cover of "Spirit in the Sky," flirting with Linn Drum-led reggae on "Dream, Dream, Dream," or simply heading into what was altogether uncharted territory at the time via a vast array of gizmos, gadgets, and synths. The eight bonus tracks, meanwhile, continue rounding out the portrait of Warman as one of the era's most adventurous souls, dipping into the sessions not only for this album, but also projects dating back to the late '70s.