Bat for Lashes @ The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, 23 Aug

The frenzied excitement of Edinburgh’s ongoing festivals can be felt on the long stretch towards the Queen’s Hall as tourists seek their next adventure and frustrated drivers struggle to find an available parking spot. A queue has already formed outside the venue, and the live music from a nearby bar keeps us entertained under what is thankfully, though temporarily, a clear sky. 

Inside, the space has been turned into an exclusively seated room. A simple stage is backdropped by a flag depicting a colourful design and symbols of astrology, and before too long Bat for Lashes take to the stage, with her two bandmates, adhering to the Edinburgh International Festival's advertised start-time of "8:30 prompt". 

The opening track, At Your Feet, is an understated ballad. Khan floats and flutters her hands with the grace of an interpretive dancer as the audience sit motionless, immediately entranced by her expression and the haunting power of the ensuing harmonies. Khan is both talkative and charming, often regaling us with an anecdote about the next track, its inspiration or conception; whether it be the adoration for her young daughter, her experiences with motherhood, or her memories of taking a spontaneous dip in the English Channel. 

Image: Bat for Lashes @ The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, 23 Aug by Jess Shurte for Edinburgh International Festival

A stalwart of the art pop scene, Bat for Lashes starts to revisit tracks from what is now a pretty decently-sized discography. The Dream of Delphi, the title track of her latest LP, drifts towards a crescendo that is punctuated by Khan’s rhythmic beating of a drum. Fan-favourite Daniel is reintroduced as a slower and more subtle version, and while it lacks the punchy accessibility of the original, it's still an arresting reimagining. The uplifting Lilies is exclaimed by the passionate cries of the track’s motif, ‘Thank God I’m alive!' By contrast, Kids In the Dark feels like an anticlimactic conclusion to the set, reflected by the inconsistent smattering of people who take to their feet as the rest stay seated in a confusing and noncommittal gesture. 

Khan returns to the stage, initially alone, to perform the second of two poems – with an ambient backdrop of keys. These are surprising highlights of the evening for their tender simplicity; it’s as though the experienced theatrics of Bat for Lashes are replaced by the honest vulnerability of Natasha Khan. The final track of the encore is her most acclaimed single, Laura. Applause breaks out for the delicate intro, and by the time the echoes of ‘You’re more than a superstar’ have finally ceased, those who were previously seated are convinced to take to their feet and join in on the ovation as the trio share a bow on the stage.