It’s not everyday that bands from the land of Fire and Ice visit Glasgow, so tonight is something of a celebration — Virgin Orchestra back in town, three years after their first appearance. Nice N Sleazy’s crypt is the perfect venue forthis Icelandic trio; the lighting, mostly red with the odd flash of blue, only adds to the otherworldly pull of tonight’s set.

A Praying Mantis-like electric cello, an effects-laden guitar and vocals make for an unusual lineup, but the post-punk, electronic-pioneer-influenced music feels strangely familiar without ever settling into one shape. Velvet Underground, A Place to Bury Strangers, Warpaint, My Bloody Valentine, The Cure — all clearly in the mix, yet filtered into something that’s unmistakably Virgin Orchestra andnothing else. There are many avant-garde influences at play too, ones I won’t claim to be fully familiar with, but when you live in a place that’s in a gigantic sea, somewhere between New York and Glasgow, your reference points are global — and maybe that helps create a dark, emotionally uplifting wall of sound that goes well beyond the ordinary and everyday. Stefania holds centre stage, her slow, fluid movements as hypnotic as they are mesmerising. Starri’s guitar and soundtrack leads the musical adventure ,as Rún sits almost defiantly at her cello, occasionally leaving her position to take the mic and throw in some genuinely unexpected and joyous interplay. Half thetime I can’t tell if the lyrics are in English or Icelandic, and it barely matters — the immersive effect of the whole thing eclipses the individual parts. Feeling wins out over understanding, and the band is all the better for it.

Virgin Orchestra offer a truly unique soundscape and singular performance thatreally sets them apart , and their latest EP, ‘Let It Burn,’ backs that up — six songs that show real progress beyond their 2023 debut album. This run of shows wraps with a week-long stay in London, where they’ll keep working on the next release, before October sees them supporting Queens of the Stoneage in Reykjavik at the huge Laugardalshöll Arena.

Virgin Orchestra don’t visit our shores often, so keep your eyes peeled and make this one a must-see. They’ve grown into a genuine force, and it’s excitingto think where they go from here.

Words: Nick Tammer

Images: Chris Hogge