Nourished by Time @ The Art School, Glasgow, 22 Nov

Depending on the way the light hits them, the draperies on Laura Groves' two synth stations are illuminating and shimmering, or else have the look of clinical, utilitarian clear plastic. And this sums up her performance in a roundabout way; her voice is a thing of obvious beauty, capable of hitting superlative highs and shining a light on her weary, reflective lyrics. But Groves has been plying her trade for near 20 years now, and while this set only occasionally reaches explosive peaks, the entire thing is spellbinding in its thoughtful composition and ability to wring emotional intensity out of fairly meagre raw materials. When it works it's fantastic, but even the quieter moments serve a higher purpose.

Marcus Brown, aka Nourished by Time, has been riding a steadily ascending wave of popularity and acclaim since the brilliant Erotic Probiotic 2 in 2023, capped off by the release of the equally excellent The Passionate Ones in August of this year. His music is wonderfully helter skelter; a sort of post-R'n'B that uses textures of dance, post-punk and new wave to create something shockingly original. And if the bass-heavy, synth-flecked arrangements weren't enough, there's Brown's voice: a rich, honeyed baritone whose sweetness masks the uncomfortable home truths of our decaying world that his lyrics speak to.

The first few songs set out the stall for the evening, with Shed That Fear an early showcase for Brown's laconic existentialism and Idiot in the Park his scenery-chewing vocals. But it's Daddy that sparks the dance energy that will carry through the majority of the performance, limbs flailing at the front and heads bobbing everywhere. Not since Ratchet by fellow XL alum Shamir has apathy and anxiety felt so hedonistic, especially when you can collectively belt out the iconic refrain, 'I say: I love you / You say: Whatever'.

From there, lowkey song of the summer 9 2 5 hides equally ponderous concerns about late-stage capitalism within a dancefloor-ready piano line and rubbery bass. Brown is getting into his groove, ducking and weaving around the stage between the strangely stoic guitarist and synth player that round out the live band. The fatigue of a gruelling tour schedule melt away during these undeniable bops and Brown exudes a pure joy in being able to deliver these songs to a baying audience.

The Fields and Max Potential just about maintain the vibe, before Tossed Away dips the energy for a short breather. Crazy People re-enlivens things with its conversational flow before BABY BABY shatters any veneer of respectability in its desperate wails. Hell of a Ride ends the main set in euphoric synths.

A quick shoutout to The Blue Nile (an unlikely vocal comparison) precedes the sole encore song – When The War Is Over. It's a slight tempo change, but fits well as a closer with its message of love and perseverance in the face of adversity (while still very much being a jam). Much of tonight's set felt like a dizzy 'fuck-it-all' weekend rush, but this finale is an important reminder that the party we're fighting for requires commitment, love and support, even in the cold, sober light of day.