The Phantom Band / Found @ Dingwalls, London

“We’re trying to create the illusion of popularity here”, exclaims The Phantom Band’s frontman Rick Anthony, in response to the revelation that they had recently played to a vastly under-populated venue in Denmark. His tone belies the fact that touring immense second album, The Wants, has seen critical warmth morphing into rapturous receptions, largely based on the strength of their transfixing and polished live show.

Fellow Chemikal Underground signees and tour support Found open tonight in fine style, their drum machine beats contributing a mechanical edge to their scratchy garage rock. Their set peaks with ‘Machine Age Dancing’ which manages to do something new with the ‘Be My Baby’ beat; the spacious, bass-heavy track taking a familiar reference point into dark, industrial territory.

The six-strong headliners pack a punch live, their new drummer’s driving beats central to a shamanic riot of a set list. The brooding electro-pop of ‘O’ is an early highlight, the tight vocal harmonies (which are notably similar to Beth Ditto’s ‘Heavy Cross’) leading into first album highlight ‘Folk Song Oblivion’. This track sees the boys strap on the guitars and momentarily ditch the array of unusual and home-made instruments strewn across Dingwalls’ cosy stage.

Theremin and Wurlitzer organ pepper ‘Everybody Knows It’s True’ and ‘Into The Corn’ adds hypnotic beat and electronic touches, to what otherwise sounds like typical highlands folk fare.

Kraut-rocking album opener 'A Glamour' sees the band step up a gear, the gig taking on a similar feel to the pulsating, electronica-heavy live shows of State-side contemporaries Animal Collective or Yeasayer. The hardcore fans down at the front lap up ‘The Howling’, jerking their bodies around in a feverish demonstration of their appreciation.

When they drop it down a notch for the gentle, acoustic likes of ‘The None Of One’ the crowd stand stock still, focused on every word Anthony offers in his rich Scottish burr, attention which is momentarily lost during the painfully long, Neu!-influenced instrumental which precedes the encore.

This is, however, a rare misstep during a fine gig which confirms The Phantom Band as one of the finest live outfits currently around, regardless of what the Danes think of them.