The Tallest Man On Earth @ O2 ABC, Glasgow, 20 Oct

As The Tallest Man On Earth, Kristian Matsson’s discography has shown a gradual swelling in scope over the course of his four-album output, with each record accumulating assorted instruments and backing vocals in support of the singer-songwriter’s rich, plaintive voice and acoustic guitar. This thickening of sound culminates on this year’s Dark Bird Is Home, which features the artist’s most complex arrangements to date. It’s a sonic expansion that is also neatly reflected at tonight’s swollen O2 ABC gig, as the ironically diminutive Swede carries the mass of enthusiastic punters through a set that mirrors his stylistic progression.

Matsson begins as we perhaps know him best – alone, with only his finger-picked guitar and ‘adolescent Bob Dylan’-toned vocals to echo out over the dark room. Despite looking almost vulnerably small on such a cavernous stage, his wistful voice has a bewitching quality, particularly during the rapturously received Criminals. Little Nowhere Towns, arguably Dark Bird’s standout, likewise enchants with a glorious, choral wave of keys, before lights illuminate the stage and reveal a concomitant guitarist and backing vocalists who lend the ballad a heartfelt swell.

The expansion continues as The Tallest Man On Earth moves into more upbeat territory and a backing band emerges from the gloom. King Of Spain is the populist choice, a crowd-pleaser that sees more than a few gig-goers launching into Mumford and Sons-esque jigs of delight, momentarily sacrificing nuance for the sake of revelry. In contrast, it’s The Dreamer, the first in a two-song encore, that proves the most haunting, radiant summation of the singer’s talent. The muted guitar chords and restrained drums allow Matsson’s heartrending lament to reach straight to the heart of the crowd, eliciting an earnest sing-along. Though the show has been steadily and purposefully moving towards grandiosity, where a full band and twirling lights form a rousing climax, tonight’s most poignant moments are when Matsson holds fast to his roots.