Gaggle - I Hear Flies

It is fairly safe to say that until now the contribution that choirs have made to contemporary popular culture can be restricted to a brief mention of ITV1 ‘talent’ competitions. We can only assume that they’ve been kept at arms length from pop music because nothing screams ‘uncool’ quite like a large collective of people in matching robes or uniforms working on their vocal harmonies. Just look at the public perception of The Polyphonic Spree if you don’t believe us there. Somehow it seems right that the members of Gaggle have chosen this form to present their music. An all female vocal group with a subtly feminist agenda wearing nu-rave friendly smocks, it is as though they had a meeting to determine how exactly to become the antithesis of rock n roll.

Yet style, genre and number of people in your band means nothing if you’ve not got the music to back it up and with Gaggle the whole set-up is restricted to novelty act status. The off-key chanting supplied by the multiple vocals means that ‘I Hear Flies’ is the sonic sister to Klaxons ‘Isle Of Her’, whilst the minimalist backing track has the feel of a Four Tet dubsteb remix, but without the heart or ability to evoke an atmosphere. Instead the whole production sounds very budgeted and we’re left with something that’s no more than nu-rave kitsch.

The crassness of the lyrics also negates any girl-power agenda that the group might have. “I’m a drunk / I’m a drunk / drink gin / get thin / win win” is more ‘Tubthumping’ than social statement and the implied emancipation and freedom through hedonism comes across more bratty and naïve than it does empowering.

If Gaggle can get themselves together and improve on their delivery and ensure that there’s some content behind the cloaks, faux-mysticism and posing then they may be able to break past the novelty value. ‘I Hear Flies’ is very from doing that and truth be told, it’s quite grating.