Upset The Rhythm put on another great night yesterday, as The Lexington played host to talked-up experimental darlings Mi Ami, a band formed from the ashes of legendary Dischord band Black Eyes.

First up were Cold Pumas, who played an intoxicating set based on pummeling, vital repetition. The tribal percussion and reverb-drenched vocals lent them the air of Drum’s Not Dead-era Liars, while the pounding guitar riffs brought to mind Oneida, as did the aformentioned focus on repetition. Atonal, slippery, no wave guitar lines collided with furious hammering of tom-toms and cowbell, all creating a heady mix that suggest Cold Pumas are an experimental British group to watch out for.

But it was the Americans who were the real force tonight. Set and album opener alike ‘Echononecho’ was physically forceful as it lept into action, with soft-spoken singer/guitarist Daniel Martin-McCormick turning into a shrieking, writhing, shoeless wall of energy it was impossible to take your eyes off.

Much of the set was taken from the band’s recent debut release Watersports, but while the record is at times dark and paranoid, live the songs were raw and visceral. However, the funk and dub influences of the album were still present, in the form of Jacob Long’s wonderfully processed, deep basslines and Damon Palermo’s whirlwind drumming. In true post-punk style it was the rhythm section that often carried the melody of the song, while the guitar was deconstructed into a harsh instrument of noise and texture.

This interplay between the members meant that while standout tracks such as ‘New Guitar’ leaned towards sonic assaults, there was also a kind of twisted, pulsing groove that meant the crowd weren’t just chin-stroking but were moving around and feeling the music. It was truly one of the most impressive, exhilirating gis I’ve been to in a while.

Make sure you check out Mi Ami at the Macbeth in Hoxton on April 30. If you needed an added incentive (because my words can only convey so much of the energy of their live show), there is a video of the band performing on the Quarterstick Records website here.