aaamusic | On 21, May 2012

Wow. Just… wow. Gaggle’s ‘Army Of Birds’ is a lush, disorientating beast. Listening to it for the first time, not only am I clouted round the ears by a huge hip-hop stomp of a beat, but I’m surrounded by a skewed vocal tapestry that seems built from African vocal chant, Amanda Palmer post-riot grrl attitude, Slits-style lyricism and caustic honey tones, and a massive female invasion of the otherwise male-dominated hp-hop style. And the best thing? It all works! If there is a single fault in this track from its jittery intro, its swaggering verses, and its off-kilter harmonised backing vocals that bring to mind a girls’-school choir on a rampage. And to cap it all off, the lyrics themselves, without for a second preaching, are a powerful boost to any woman who hears it. Anyone who thinks “wimminz moosik” or whatever they call it is all acoustic and guitars singing about periods (and I would beg to differ here) should get an earful of this and be converted. The simple yet striking animated video to accompany it is the final piece of the jigsaw. Quite simply, pure excellence in a three-minute package.

★★★★★

Katie H-Halinski