Splashh @ Hug & Pint, Glasgow, 24 Apr

It’s almost summer, and nothing says summer like sun-drenched, effects-pedalled indie pop. At The Hug and Pint tonight we’re already gearing up with the visit of shoegazey bliss merchants Splashh, although the band themselves don’t quite deliver on this promise. Fauves kick off the evening with their unique, magnetic sound. Orange Juice-style post punk, plus a gravelly, soulful voice and a shockingly funky bassline equals good vibes. They’re followed by the similarly entertaining Homeslice, who deliver more summertime indie laced with just a hint of something harder. Like Mac DeMarco, with sharper teeth.

It’s a shame that Splashh let down the sunshine vibes somewhat. Their sophomore effort – Waiting a Lifetime – hardly set the world alight on release earlier this year, and a fair portion of this crowd are here to relive the glory days of their 2013 debut, Comfort. For a band in this position, Splashh are far too familiar with the phrase “and this is another new one”. Heckles for old cuts hint at the restlessness of the crowd, but in the end the band play only a handful of older numbers, missing out some of their more successful singles.

However, their new material is by no means all bad. The krautrock-influenced Look Down to Turn Away is a highlight, with its slow build and ominous spoken word sample. It’s during these long instrumental build ups that Splashh are at their best, guitar and synth dancing around each other in a rewarding soundscape.

The unveiling of early single All I Wanna Do hints at what might’ve been tonight. 'All I want to do is sit by the pool today and drink with you' sings Sasha Carlson, around woozy synths and droning guitars. The change in energy in the room is palpable, but the band don’t capitalise, returning instead to their new album for a few tracks before ending with fan favourite Need It, embellished with another long, exhilarating build up. By the time Splassh leave the stage, the venue's disco ball is still swinging across the ceiling after being headbutted by a passing crowd surfer; a testament to the strength of the band's old material and their potential as a live act, but not to tonight’s setlist.