Culprit 1

The Big Chill House, London - 22 Nov 2007

by Jon Fletcher

Welshman puts in a full blooded performance in an empty bar

"The Big Chill House is empty tonight and we can only blame England’s graceless exit from Euro 2008 at the hands of Croatia for the poor attendance. Fools"

The Big Chill House is empty tonight and we can only blame England’s graceless exit from Euro 2008 at the hands of Croatia for the poor attendance. Fools. Those in mourning for glories past would do well to puff out their chests, lift their heads, raise their umbrellas and troop through the drizzle to King’s Cross, because inside The Big Chill House, Culprit 1 is knocking out a set to die for.

An unassuming Welshman, Culprit 1 has inexplicably failed to garner widespread UK support for his understated but excellent debut, ‘Running In Order’, although he’s apparently big in Japan. This despite having a raft of big name remixes under his belt.

He may be suffering from poor timing – his soulful electro owes a great deal to sounds from a decade ago and will struggle to satisfy the ADHD hunger of the glo-stick present, but it’s still bloody great. Tonight his knob twiddling is supported by a cellist, viola and percussionist and the combined sound brings out the soulful rich textures of the album.

It’s a testament to the quality of the live show that some of the key vocal tracks on the album, such as ‘Sway’, are still packed with feeling despite the absence of a live singer. That Culprit1’s residency at the Big Chill House should end in such an understated fashion is a tragedy – for the lucky few who made it, he’s a saving grace on an otherwise eminently forgettable evening.

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