The words ‘geek chic’ could have been invented for electronica artist James Yuill. The spitting image of a chemistry teacher from the 70s, you’d be forgiven for expecting him to whip out a lab coat and Bunsen burner on stage instead of a keyboard and laptop.

Having released his debut album ‘Turning down Water for Air’ in October, Yuill is currently touring with Post War Years and arty threesome Wave Machines.

But he found time in his busy schedule to headline Twisted Licks last week, a live music night popular with East London’s trendy rave set. Formerly hosted by The Last Days of Decadence on Shoreditch High Street, Twisted Licks has now been shifted to Hoxton Street’s most notorious bar, The Macbeth.

Best known for its old landlord’s role in the court case surrounding Amy Winehouse’s husband, The Macbeth was typically packed out as Yuill took the stage, with regulars (who know the venue’s sound system leaves a lot to be desired) surging towards the front (and the speakers) in anticipation.

For a boy from Eastbourne who modestly describes his music as “someone messing about with acoustic guitar and laptop and things,” Yuill is a considerably talented performer. Resting behind his technical equipment, he looks like a schoolboy playing at being Squarepusher or Aphex Twin (both of whom, incidentally, he names amongst his influences), but when the music begins, he doesn’t disappoint.

With its mixture of soft guitar, lovelorn lyrics and modern electronic beats, Yuill’s music has been called ‘folktronica.’ But such a label misses the depth of his sound. The melancholy of the overlaid vocals (Yuill’s own) and acoustic rhythms is contrasted and strengthened by intriguingly dirty synths and baselines.

Sounding like French electro kings Justice at their most melodic, Yuill has created a genre which, whatever you want to call it, is at once soulful, danceable and strangely powerful.

September’s Single, No Pins Allowed, stood out for its punk, distorted tones. Ending on a noisy remix that slipped the set in a much dirtier electronic genre, Yuill showed that his technical skills stretch beyond singer-songwriter and to accomplished DJ.

But whilst his album was released to much critical acclaim, Yuill has yet to become a big commercial success. Managing to get a packed bar in East London that excited, though, is a very decent start. The single No Surprise is currently out on Moshi Moshi – enjoy.

Alice Woolliams