Say Lou Lou return to London with an increasingly eye-catching performance

They may have changed their name, but absolutely nothing is different about the buzzing interest that surrounds Say Lou Lou.

The striking Swedish/Australian sisters celebrated the launch of their second single ‘Julian’ last night with a typically excitable White Heat show at Madame JoJo’s. The Soho venue swarmed with an eclectic mix of fans, following an accomplished set from London lounge trio Tropics. Cluttering the stage with equipment, including two sizeable sets of drums, the anticipating hubbub grew towards their appearance.

A crescendo of noise from an FX-heavy guitar, pulsating synths and shimmering cymbals soundtracked the twins’ entrance and their strong, deliberate poses immediately served to signal some new-found professionalism. Since their last appearance in the Capital the whole Say Lou Lou outfit have added thundering drums, intuitive guitar punctuation and, most notably, greatly improved vocals; singing in unison throughout the pair sound stronger, and leaning away from microphones, they add high notes to their brilliant debut ‘Maybe You’, which remains one of their best.

Ambiance and emotion is momentarily put to one side when the sets highlight ‘Everything We Touch’ came blasting out; it is their most upbeat and energetic offering and, with an ear-worm of an 80s chorus, it deserves to be a single to show their versatility and ability to get a crowd dancing. ‘Julian’ packed added punch, with the deep toms pounding throughout, ensuring the tracks restless chorus carries as it does so well on record.

Admittedly, there were dips in the performance, as not every song held our attention quite like those aforementioned moments, but there is quite undeniable potential for this stunning pop duo, who have an obvious knack for songwriting and you can’t help thinking there’s a Say Lou Lou size hole in the mainstream awaits.