The Sounds at Pressure Point

Where have I heard that before? The Sounds' mix of edgy punk guitars and catchy electro-pop is without doubt homage to Blondie.

The Swedes open to a raucous reception from skinny-tie wearers and teenyboppers alike, as lead singer Maja Ivarrson belts out Painted by Numbers, a synth-led pop song with an irritatingly catchy chorus.

As she invites the crowd to Paaaarrrrtyyyy, I am suddenly reminded of a Eurodisco I went to while on a French exchange trip in 1987.

Luckily, the band has more up their sleeves. Aside from catchy choruses and 80s electro-beats, they do a good line in overdriven guitar to add rowdier hooks.

Ivarrson sounds like Debbie Harry after a night on the Superkings and her throaty vocals add a bit more depth to pop ditties that are, at times, a bit thin.

During sexed-up, synth-led hit single Tony the Beat, Ivarsson struts across the stage like she owns it.

Strangely, at this point the crowd seem to be entirely made up of blokes with their tongues hanging out.

Although their tunes are undoubtedly catchy, there's not much below the glossy surface, and it's Ivarsson's style and sass that holds the audience's attention. Without her, The Sounds are ultimately just four nondescript blokes.

By the end of the set, the crowd are all singing along to a string of similar sounding new wave pop anthems, and I still feel like I'm trapped in the changing rooms at Top Shop.

'We'll be the same tomorrow, cause we've all been painted by numbers.' shouts Ivarsson. She's right. They have.