Girl Group @ Nice N Sleazy, Glasgow, 30 Jan

Liverpool-based five-piece Girl Group released their first proper single less than a year ago but already look and sound like the finished article. Songs, image, stagecraft, attitude – they seem to have it all figured out.

Their short, assured 30-minute set contains an unbelievable run of hooky songs. Flink Pike buries its message about female exhaustion and expectation under sugary harmonies with a deceptively joyous looping chant of 'All the things, I’m all the things', while Your Fantasy is more electronic, fizzing with synthy texture. Their debut single Yay! Saturday is a straightforward ode to a really good night out which plays out over a groovy bassline. Some of the strongest moments of the night come from their upcoming EP Little Sticky Pictures. SuperDrug is pure bubblegum pop, but shares Flink Pike’s blink-and-you-miss-it feminist messaging ('Why can’t you girls just take the pill and move on?')

The group are musically ambitious, writing, arranging and producing material that pulls influence from a lot of different places. Groups like Wet Leg, The Cardigans and The B-52s come to mind. Nonetheless, they called themselves Girl Group for a reason and the biggest nod of all is reserved for classic girl band heritage: the singalong choruses, the moments of synchronised movement, the way they line up and pose on stage like they’re halfway through a music video.

There is real Smash Hits energy on display here. The vinyl for their EP Think They’re Looking, Let’s Perform even comes complete with stickers of the five girls for DIY customisation. And with the band members each taking turns to sing lead, it really does serve as an introduction to the whole girl gang. As with all great girl bands, you catch yourself thinking: “Right, which one’s my favourite? Am I more of a Lily or a Thea?”

The crowd skewing young and mostly female feels entirely right for the bright joyful energy of the night. Many of the audience hang about after the set to chat with the group, pose for selfies and pull setlists from the stage floor, souvenirs that scream “I saw them before they became massive.”