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London W1 Project

[B]Ange[/B] is a star in waiting and that alone makes this work.

London W1 Project

Appearances have rarely been so deceptive. One look at wild-eyed singer Ange Dolittle and you automatically prepare for mangled noise and frantic crowd-surfing. It's not just his extravagant tattoo or the mop of frizzy dreadlocked hair, but the way he shudders unpredictably, engrossed in his own thoughts as each song rumbles on around him. Any moment, you reckon, the shouting should start.

ButBig Yoga Muffin (please, laugh now and be done with it) have something far more intriguing up their sleeve. One minute, the band are hammering out the attitude-riven 'Come To Huggy', the next it's a song like 'Me And Libby', where Ange croons his way between layers of wistful loveliness that are more Talk Talk and lullabies than musical fury. It's the shock of seeing such deep, soothing tones come from Ange which really makes the pleasure complete. He may still be shaking and scanning the crowd for someone to pick a fight with but, endearingly, he's laughing at himself too.

Suddenly, it no longer matters whether Big Yoga Muffin have the catchiest choruses (they do) or the right haircut. Ange is a star in waiting and that alone makes this work. It might not make much sense but, on this evidence, confusion has a certain charm.

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