Psychic TV, Yoko Ono and the Human League walk into a pub...no that’s not quite right, but I’m not sure I’m going to get any closer.

Okay, Forgive my 40 year-old band references, but things are very different in music today.

In my day geography was important to forming a band, not least because all the members had to be picked up in the same Mini Clubman to get to the practice rooms on a Wednesday night.

Transatlantic collective Superorganism are different. They were never actually all in the same room until they released their first single. They now all live in the same East London house yet still make their tunes by sitting in their separate rooms sharing via Facebook. Well I guess that’s what happens when you start life on the internet (grandad).

I have to say, it seems to be working very well for them indeed, though. You should believe the hype. Their show at the O2 Academy last Tuesday, was weird, wonderful uplifting and fun.

First up were a four-piece female punk band from Japan called Chai. I only caught the last couple of songs,but I’d have picked them out at half a mile as being the most likely support act to Superorganism. In matching outfits, they belted out high energy new wave offerings with pounding basslines. They were good and they were hardcore – and I regretted not getting there earlier.

They were the perfect warm up to the headliners who emerged to the sound of cut up voice recordings, cloaked in gold and silver and clutching bright white glowing spheres, like a cult from the future.

They start with Sprorgnsmand the atmosphere is already electric; the band and the crowd are up for it. We get It’s all Good followed by Nobody Cares – brilliant!

These guys are more than just a quirky synth-pop band, there’s theatre along with the rave and there’s all sorts of things in between – spangly guitar, low low bass, heavily modulated and wobbly synths robotic voices and organic sound effects that sound like they’ve come from a radio station’s basement. Most importantly, there’s also the deadpan vocals of diminutive but oh so cool Orono Noguchi.

She has a subdued but captivating stage presence. Maybe she appears restrained because of the contrast to the flamboyant technicolour antics of the three singers to her left

She switches back and forth from being static at her keyboard and delivering beautiful lackadaisical vocals, to swinging round to the crowd and getting them all to join in with middle finger salutes in a slightly teenagery but, nevertheless, heartfelt and loving exchange.

Then there’s a break in the songs and she starts to talk to the audience. It’s a strange few minutes. She says that sometimes she’s sad and sometimes happy and that she’s feeling weird today – and then the tears come and the penny drops that this isn’t on the set list; she’s actually doing some very touching sharing with the audience.

It could have gone wrong, if there had been the wrong sort of heckler in the house, but the Oxford crowd give her love back. And although the tears don’t actually stop for a couple of songs, (The Prawn Song and Everybody Wants to be Famous) There’s a connection that’s been made.

Then the music powers on with Relax.

They all leave the stage together then return, this time with the support act in tow, to play out brilliant single Something for your Mind.

There are so many people on stage now, it’s like watching an after party in full swing.

Superorganism pull you into their world and take you on a journey. It’s bright and sparkly and fun, it’s got grooves and it’s a bit emotional – but it rocks and you leave happier than when you went in. And given the state of the world outside, that’s got to be a good thing.

RICHARD CAVE 5/5