Live Review: The xx, Flume

It is relatively early in the night but already the Forum is overflowing with some severely hyped punters who are foaming at the mouth for The xx. Harley Streten is nonchalantly dealing a slick set of electronic dance music from his laptop. He slides seamlessly between tasteful tech beats to leftfield electro hop and includes a few of his own tunes recorded under his Flume moniker. No one is pulling shapes because it seems all you can hear inside the Forum is people congratulating themselves on how lucky they are to have tickets to tonight's instantly sold-out show. This no doubt leads many to reminisce about how great The xx were when they toured for Laneway back in 2010, and inevitably to friends who missed out.

Experimental dubstep-influenced electronica introduces The xx, as the triumvirate step onto the darkened stage. Opening with Angels, a new song from their forthcoming album, it is immediately obvious that they have taken their live show to the next level. The calm, intimate tone of the song hushes the audience as it projects out across the Forum and is accompanied by dramatic and dazzling lights and plenty of machined smoke that transform the stage into a velveteen wonderland. Out of nowhere a forest of hands, all clutching mobile phones, appears in the air. If you missed this gig chances are you can watch most of it online.

Islands sees the focus shift from Romy Madley-Croft's breathy, husky voice and fluid Cocteau Twins-inspired guitar hooks, to Oliver Sim as he chimes in with his deep, almost monotone drawl and low-slung bass hooks that bring to mind New Order. Madley-Croft can't find the words to tell us how happy she is to be in our city and Sim apologises that it has been so long since they last visited.

Meanwhile, Jamie xx maintains a mysterious onstage presence, providing the booming beats on drum machines and the ubiquitous MPC as well as lush synthetic tones. The sound is pristine but little slips on the MPC keep everything feeling live. Songs from their first album, such as Crystalised and VCR, have the feel of well-worn classics that have many quietly singing along. New material from their upcoming second album, Coexist, has many listening in rapt contemplation, thrilled to be getting this preview ahead of the rest of the pack.

Lush oil-on-water projections in rainbows of muted colours illuminate a giant perspex X that hangs mysteriously at the back of the stage. The light show, although simple enough, imaginatively fills our eyes with intense colours. The sparse arrangements, evoking vast spaces filled with lonely guitar hooks drenched in reverb and plaintive vocals that speak of love and boredom, are hauntingly intimate and simultaneously beautiful. This is The xx at their best. As the show concludes they treat us to new material which provides a glimpse of the driving techno-inspired pop that has been reported to feature on Coexist. It is an unexpected twist to the evening that sees them bounce onto the dancefloor. It creates a much-needed upbeat moment that finds Sim quaffing – nay, skolling – glass after glass of red. As the night ends there is a sense of triumph in the air. After little more than an hour fans seem satiated. Sim promises The xx will be back soon. It seems certain that we can expect some summer festival action from the band once Coexist is released.