Raising the roof: NZCA LINES live in Brighton

Since Michael Lovett's debut album as his then-solo project creeped out under that moniker one year later, things have slowly and interestingly evolved. Infinite Summer, the recently released follow-up, saw Lovett joined by solo artist and former Ash guitarist Charlotte Hatherley along with Sarah Jones, who had previously been part New Young Pony Club and Hot Chip. Tonight's show at Brighton's Sticky Mikes was one of a handful of appearances since their re-emergence as a trio.

The band's expansion resulted in an arresting album that marries sci-fi futurism with real life personal intimacies, but tonight (15 February) NZCA LINES prove that it can work just as comfortably in a live environment.

Comparisons with Daft Punk have not been uncommon in recent weeks, which may in part be due to the song they choose to open with inside tonight's his low-ceilinged basement venue. The strong French speech and sullen strings of "Approach" do have a certain Gallic flair to them, but it's one much closer to the synth driven music of electronic composer Jean Michel Jarreo. As it does on the album it's lifted from, here it acts as a forewarning for what's to come.

The three members of NZCA LINES are positioned in a horizontal line across the stage in white dressage that helps signify a strong united front. It's reminiscent of Hot Chip and particularly Metronomy, but though both may have opened doors and awoken people to the idea that it’s possible to unite electronic music with emotional feeling, NZCA LINES are just as much masters in creating electronic pop that's distinctively British in character.

They reach their highpoint on the "Jessica", with its steady, dance-inducing beats and catchy chorus making for the type of song that should be a mainstay on mainstream radio. "Persephone Dreams" oozes into a laid back pop groove that sees beds of synths and funk-flecked bass pour themselves over propulsive and partially broken beats, while heartfelt vocals and flared guitar solos intertwine to form arresting melodies.

Tonight's restrained performance beguiles with both charming and understated pop. Set closer "Two Hearts" - a highlight of Infinite Summer - is a real gift to the audience, its blend of layered synths, squelchy underpinning bass and interlocking melodies basically being house music for the indie masses. The crowd are left in a state of flux at its tail end as there’s confusion over whether they'll return or not, but when they do, they do so seemlesly, catching the majority of the audience off guard to encore with the groove heavy "How Long Does It Take?".

NZCA LINES excel at producing keen pop songs rich with character. Venues this intimate, and with ceilings this low, won't be a fixture of their future.