A Mote of Dust / Finn LeMarinel @ The Hug and Pint, 31 Jan

When does a Finn LeMarinel track end? In a hot and airless Hug and Pint – the Celtic Connections banner no doubt aiding a sell-out – and it’s very difficult to tell, each distended (and frequently dark) narrative unfurling in delightfully lazy patterns, as if he too is taken by surprise at song’s conclusion. Barely-there vocals backlit by his unconventional way with an acoustic – percussive flourishes, wafted arpeggios and even the occasional flamenco flavour – and whilst there are moments when each journey he embarks upon can arrive a shade over-intricate (playing seated on a low stage also has its drawbacks for those at the rear of the room), there’s very much a coy vivacity at play.

Finn sure holds the audience’s attention – itself a rarity when ignorants blethering through gigs is such a regrettably common occurrence – but it’s nothing compared to the observance afforded Craig B as A Mote of Dust; well done Glasgow for providing such a knowledgeable, respectful crowd. With Graeme Smillie’s electric piano adding lilt to Craig’s picked guitar and gracefully subdued vocals, the tracks from the recent album represent gripping studies in contemplative spatial awareness (with tonight’s rendition of The Circus in particular genuinely moving).

Yet it’s not all about the present; with Aereogramme and The Unwinding Hours both still much loved, a sprinkling of Craig’s previous activities are welcomed as warmly as his onstage praise for small, independent venues. Hence reworked versions of Black Path and closer Yes – the latter successfully solicited from the punters – ooze remote beauty. But it’s his incredibly evocative version of The Unwinding Hours’ Solstice that underlines what a special talent he is.