Like Artie Fufkin from Spinal Tap, I go back with these. I first saw them in 2023 at a Sonic Cathedral event at The White Hotel where they quietly raised the roof. I bought a tape of their debut single at the merch table and chatted to the band about working with Rudy Tambala (of A.R Kane/MARRS) – and they dropped some hints about a big support slot that was in the works. Sure enough, next time I saw them they were supporting the revived Slowdive on a massive stage. They clearly gathered a lot of supporters on their travels on that tour and here they are on a smaller stage but with a full house and – from the off – a lot of love in the room.

Their debut LP had some fine tracks on it, but didn’t quite capture the majesty of their live sound or their range and potential for me. The new one ‘Sunlight Echoes’ definitely does. It has heft, emotion, and is bursting with oceanic melodies that are beautifully played and sung. This is Dream Pop and – that word again – Shoegaze – but more influenced by the Slowdive comeback than the 90s era, and Cocteau Twins when they were into their latter phase – Four Calendar Cafe era. They’re veering into a level of Pop sophistication and worldliness that belies their relative youth as a band.

This is one of those gigs where everyone is here to see the band rather than lig and chat, it’s a mixed crowd of young and old who know they’re catching something special. The band look ice cool but warm and engaging at the same time – bassist Vannessa Govinden radiates attitude and her driving bass is the heart of the band as the swirling reverb of guitars and chiming chords swells and envelopes us.

The four piece draw heavily on the new record tonight and although the music demands a lot of concentration on FX pedals they do look up and engage with the audience – not least the talkative drummer Jagen – who does a lot of the in-between song chat as a hidden voice – if I have one bit of advice for the band I’d say arrange the stage so he can sit forward so we can see him and watch him play, at least until they’re headlining bigger venues which I’m sure they will.