Exitmusic, XOYO, London

Led by married couple Aleksa Palladino and Devon Church, Exitmusic seem to have something special. Having been a relatively big time actress in Boardwalk Empire, and being mates with Scorsese, it’s natural to be sceptical of such a drastic change in occupation. From Hollywood to the dingy depths of Shoreditch? Yet this is far from your standard ‘actor and/or actress does music because they think they can ‘cos they’re famous and it turns out to be a huge flop’. This is actor and/or actress does music because they know they’ve always wanted to and know they’re actually pretty bloody good at it.

Tonight, their haunting melodies and vast soundscapes engulf XOYO. It’s impossible not to be drawn in and engaged by her vocal and the massive-minimal (yes, that’s definitely a thing) sound. Opening with EP lead track ‘The Sea’, you already get the impression that this band has a winning formula. The obvious comparison would be a more upbeat Portishead, but at no point does it sound overly familiar. Although they rarely venture away from this sound, it never becomes boring. ‘The Modern Age’ is another stand out moment. Its simplistic beat combines wonderfully with Palladino’s wobbly vocals to spine-tingling effect.

What we have here then is an already incredibly accomplished band. A band whose live performance does almost perfect justice to recordings from their ‘From Silence’ EP. Why they’re only the support for Braids tonight will baffle me for quite a while. Tonight, Exitmusic are the standout act. The only disappointment is the length of their set, but this is the perfect teaser as to what this band could offer in the coming year or so. You’d do well to keep an ear on Exitmusic.