Beach House – Village Underground, London 24/05/12

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Photograph by Minh Le

Whilst many of our compatriots set forth for the nation’s shores to enjoy that most unexpected and transient of things – the lesser-spotted British summer – a select few eschew the allure of sea, sand and the ill-advisedly shirtless to enjoy a Beach House of a different kind. Currently promoting their fourth album Bloom, the Baltimore duo’s star is very much in ascedence and tonight’s impressive performance can only consolidate their inexorable rise to the highest echelons of indie-dom.

Their new offerings don’t deviate dramatically from what has gone before; the well-worn but comforting template of shimmering synth-led dream-pop, Victoria Legrand’s gently rasping alto and Casio drum beats remain fully intact. But that’s not necessarily a criticism, even if a few songs lack enough punch to distinguish themselves from the general milieu. Beach House continue to do what they do very well, and as the clamour for them to throw away their keyboards and embrace dubstep/nu-metal fusion appears to be limited, why fix a formula that ain’t broke?

In any case, it would be unfair to say that the band hasn’t evolved at all since their eponymous debut. Their recent material is more polished; their melodies more substantial and memorable. Those who witnessed them five years ago may recall a nervous, uncharismatic duo, fumbling their way through their songs with the panache of sixth-form recitalists. Half a decade on, and they’ve transformed into a confident, accomplished live act, successfully recreating the gorgeous, hazy splendour of their albums with, if not electrifying charisma, then at least enough stage presence to complement the atmospherics.

Setlist-wise, the ethereal “Gila” and the majestically wistful “Walk In The Park” are early (if predictable) highlights, with “Myth” standing out as the strongest of the new songs, but it is ultimately the strobe-laden, fuzzed-out take on “10 Mile Stereo” that showcases the band at their immersive, iridescent best. There’s still room for improvement – a touch of awkward banter, the occasional duff note – but by and large, Beach House’s swoonsome sounds make a stifling Shoreditch brickhouse the coolest place in London.