It’s only been a year since London Grammar catapulted into the charts, but already they have a huge fan-base and are in the midst of a second, longer and more widespread tour. With a new album If You Wait and a nomination for the Brit Awards 2014 for Best British Breakthrough Act, the group is most certainly on the up.

As always with bands that feature distinct electro sounds, it is intriguing and nerve-wracking to see if the groups can match their album quality. London Grammar did not disappoint, performing their songs with an identical level of excellence and even improving certain songs. Wasting My Young Years featured faster-paced final choruses, adding an energetic touch to the lilting, ethereal song. 

Their opening track, Hey Now, met instant applause and recognition. The song started slowly with the distinctive melody and Hannah Reid’s deep, soulful voice. Her vocal quality remained professionally consistent throughout the entire concert. Sight and Shyer both featured electrifying vocals from the powerhouse vocalist.

Guitarist Dan Rothman and keyboardist Dominic ‘Dot’ Major performed with equal aplomb, particularly Rothman who added an unexpected guitar solo to Flickers giving the song an extra bold layer. It also served to punctuate London Grammar’s signature ballad style.

The only cover on If You Wait is a rendition of Kavinsky’s Night Call. Originally a funky, Daft Punk-esque song made famous by the film Drive, London Grammar transforms it into a slow-building, hauntingly minimalist song. The introduction of a guitar, percussion and backing vocals in the latter part of the song creates a rich, layered electro ballad reminiscent of Massive Attack. The live performance is equally accomplished - the abovementioned layering is irresistibly infectious. 

The group has been criticised in the past for two things: a uniform sound on their album and bad stage presence. Firstly, the songs on the album are subtly different but with an individual stamp on each song. This made for a cohesive and engaging live show. Secondly, the group did speak to the audience, mostly to express their gratitude, but otherwise there is no need for grand theatrics or big egos on stage. London Grammar’s body of work speaks for itself, so the unusual lack of interaction with the audience is not a hindrance – in fact, it is an asset.  It allows the audience to appreciate the music in a continuous performance.

Although the group did not perform their whole album, the hour-long snapshot of their work provided an evening of sublime music.