John Roberts

Ohio-born John Roberts appeared on stage, looking like an electronic Jesus, and launched straight into "Palace," the second track from his excellent new album, Fences. Roberts played tracks on the night from both Fences and his debut, Glass Eights, and the big surprise was that, considering how different the two albums are, he managed to stitch them together into a seamless set. More beat-driven and more techno, Roberts upped the intensity, elevating the album tracks to a perfect dance floor set, a nice manoeuvre given that his recorded work borders on the headphone experience. The sounds were beautifully crisp, especially on tracks such as "Calico" and "Bleach." "Navy Blue," one of the standout tracks from his debut, added some emotion to an already warm performance, ending on a banging version of "Dedicated." It was a fantastic set from an underrated producer who has definitely found his stride live.