★★★

Montreal four-piece Suuns are an intriguing, at times perplexing proposition. The band’s Brighton gig is the kind of occasion where the audience goes from wild shape-shifting to confused expressions with each new song – and sometimes in the same song.

Discordant guitar riffs give way to ‘drops’ that wouldn’t seem out of place on an electro banger, and unorthodox time signatures lend the evening an unpredictable air. Just as you think you have settled into the pattern of a song, Suuns jerk you away into disconcerting new territory.

The most striking exception is single Translate from the band’s third album Hold/Still, released earlier this year. Like a lot of Suuns’ songs, it begins with a spindly math-rock riff, but as the six-minute mark ticks by the band find an irresistible groove; a timely reminder of how important simple repetition can be in music.

The presence of a synthesiser allows Suuns to strive for textures not usually available to a band restricted only to guitars, and so it is here. Keyboardist Max Henry is at the heart of some of the most compelling moments in the set, especially in the form of early New Order-esque propulsive beats.

There can be absolutely no doubting the tightness of the band – at one point drummer Liam O’ Neill embarks on an elongated drum fill by way of bridging the gap between songs. At its climax, the other members click into gear like clockwork, merging seamlessly into another number. It is disappointing that the group fails to hit such a swagger for the remainder of the gig.

Perhaps it is unfortunate planning that slinky fan favourite 2020 is placed directly after Translate. When two baggy and inert songs follow, it is difficult to escape the feeling that the peak of the night is behind us. So it proved.