PBG Artist Spotlight: Sugar Nova, House of the Jaguar Album Review
- Produced by a Girl™
- Jul 7
- 3 min read
Sugar Nova, House of the Jaguar Album Review
Sugar Nova’s House of the Jaguar feels like stepping into a secret after-hours world, where the air shimmers and every synth glows with its own neon pulse. Denver’s own Rachel Eisenstat and Luke Miller (of Lotus) have always had a knack for blending polished electronic pop with real human warmth, but this sophomore album takes their artistry to a whole new level. It’s richer, deeper, and absolutely alive with creative energy.
House of the Jaguar is built for the dancefloor, but it’s so much more than that. Sugar Nova glide effortlessly through house, disco, soul, downtempo pop, and even gospel-tinged moments, all while keeping the emotional core front and center. There’s a gorgeous patience in the way each hook knows exactly when to shine, when to let go, and when to slip back into the night. These tracks are made for moving, but they’re also full of longing, desire, surrender, and that bittersweet magic of connection you can almost touch.
The journey kicks off with “Garden of Desire,” a bright, percussive invitation that drops you right into Sugar Nova’s lush, jungle-lit world. Retro vocal colors and a groove you can feel in your bones set the tone. “Darkness Turns to Dawn” brings pure disco radiance, with Garrett Sayers’ ultra-funky bass and those sweeping string dives that make everything feel luxe but never over the top. By the time “Stare into the Sun” hits, Sugar Nova are deep in their electronic bag, building a sun-soaked breakbeat into a four-on-the-floor drop that lands with total confidence.
“Cool Me Down” is one of those magical moments, with G. Love & Special Sauce adding harmonies and harmonica that make the track breezy, soulful, and sun-drenched, a perfect exhale in the middle of all the album’s kinetic energy. The title track, split into two parts, shows just how ambitious Sugar Nova are. “House of the Jaguar, Pt. I” brings glitchy vocal textures, neo-soul guitar, and R&B vibes, while “Pt. II” lifts everything higher with gospel house energy, piano, and a driving rhythm that feels like pure joy. It’s the kind of track that makes the whole room feel lighter.
Across all 11 tracks, Miller’s production is sleek but always alive. Rob Murray’s mix gives every vocal, bassline, and synth shimmer its own glowing space, making the whole album feel expansive and lush. Eisenstat’s voice is the heart of it all: warm, vulnerable, and full of soul. She brings a gentle touch to the dancefloor and breathes life into every beat.
The whole album is built around the idea of a secret dance club tucked away in the jungle, and you can really feel that vibe in every track. The music moves between shadow and sunrise, steamy grooves and bursts of open air. Tracks like “Beauty of Empty Space,” “A Better Love,” and “Desert Dancing” keep that energy flowing, while their take on Jefferson Airplane’s “Somebody to Love” closes things out with a hypnotic, Tulum-lit mood.
With House of the Jaguar, Sugar Nova move boldly past the shimmer of their debut, Halogen, into a sound that’s more cinematic, sensual, and fully realized. This is an album for dancers, dreamers, night drivers, and anyone who knows that the best electronic music isn’t just about moving your body; it’s about feeling changed from the inside out.
Connect with Sugar Nova
Written by PBG Press Chief Editor: Mary Knoblock
Comments