Gaggle - From the Mouth of the Cave

East London collective Gaggle may have been dismissed by some as a novelty act, but if from the Mouth of the Cave, their long awaited 2012 debut long player is anything to go by, they're possibly one of the most unique musical ensembles plying their trade at this moment in time. Formed in 2009 by Deborah Coughlin and Simon Dempsey - formerly of indie outfit 586 - the all-girl choir whose numbers usually veer anywhere between 15 and 23 (most of Gaggle hold down full-time day jobs) have been regular fixtures on the UK festival circuit for some time now. Although not Svengalis as such, Coughlin and Dempsey's roles as arranger and songwriter respectively shouldn't be underestimated. However, when all's said and done, the final judgment call will be made on how the record sounds, and for the most part here, Gaggle have more than exceeded expectations.