Afro Celt Sound System
Barbican, London

EVER since founding member Simon Emmerson's innovative idea in the early 1990s to fuse both traditional West African and Irish music with electronica, Afro Celt Sound System has proven to be an inimitable force.

Always a colourful affair on stage, the group's core of guitarist Emmerson, Guinean kora and balafon player N’Faly Kouyate and Dhol drummer Johnny Kalsi — formerly of Transglobal Underground — are joined by a host of others representing global cultures for this gig.

Indeed, as Koyate lists all the many languages the group collectively speak, he muses that, if this collaboration of cultures were mirrored by states, the world's problems would be solved overnight.

Tonight's special show sees the act perform two sets, with the first largely showcasing recent releases The Source and new album Flight. It begins with the upbeat Sanctus, featuring the Amani Choir, before closing with the sombre and ritualistic hum of Night Crossing, both from Flight, led by powerful singer Ríoghnach Connolly.

Another highlight is Magnificent 7 from The Source, a lively collaboration with the Dhol Foundation founded by Kalsi.

After the interval, the group launches straight into more familiar territory with Release, taken from their second album of the same name. And, of course, fans were not going to take the likes of Whirly 1 and Dark Moon, High Tide, from classic first album Sound Magic, sitting down.

A large section of the more extrovert and hip punters were on their feet dancing near the front of the stage for almost the entire second half, a testament to the group's devoted fanbase and the infectious energy of their music.

Great night.

Flight is available from ECC Records, eccrecords.co.uk.