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Brixton Academy is a venue where I have experienced many of my ‘firsts’ — most I can’t mention here but last Friday I experienced a rather unexpected one. As I stood swaying slowly to the sounds of the Gotan Project I couldn’t help thinking — it would be nice to sit down.

Now I’ve always known that one day I would reach a time in life when sitting down at a gig would become the done thing, but being in my mid twenties I always imagined that point to be at least a decade away. Having spent the past week trying to prove my youth in every way possible, hoodies and alcopops included, I have satisfied myself that it wasn’t me but the music that was to blame.

Gotan Project consists of Swiss born Christoph Muller, the Parisian Philippe Cohen Solal and Argentine Eduardo Makaroff. Their sound is electric tango, a complex blend of traditional Argentine sounds with elctrinica, trip hop and broken beats. It’s intelligent music; cool exotic, hypnotic but sadly not exciting.

Their blend of tango is rather ironically one that can’t be danced to.

For the encore GP were joined on stage by rapper Akala — who within one song had injected more passion into the show than either GP or the ten-piece band that joined them on stage had managed all night. His energy was instantly infectious and while his quick-fire vocals would sound out of place being listened to at home, they provided the missing element to an otherwise soulless live act. He provided a glimpse of what GP could be.

Gotan Project’s sound is sensuous and rich but falters when elevated to the stage — it is not a criticism but mere fact. Some music works live, some doesn’t. Buy their album not a ticket to see them.

www.gotanproject.com