Bristol-based four piece Spiro are one of the most enigmatic and enthralling acoustic ensembles to have emerged in recent years. Whilst their instrumentation (accordion, violin/viola, acoustic guitar, and mandolin) and the origins of much of their repertoire would most readily identify them as a folk group, their music might fittingly be described as minimalist, or "systems" music, as their guitar player Jon Hunt prefers to call it. Their beautiful webs of sound in many cases began life as simple folk melodies, the band demonstrating, as an example, how their densely textured piece "Shaft" had

been developed from the melody to Bobby Shafto.

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Spiro's iconoclastic style is the product of eclectic influences: Fiddler Jane Harbour studied modernist classical violin under the eminent Shinichi Suzuki, though thanks to the suggestion of a friend says she has come to see the potential string combinations of her instrument as akin to a drum kit. Jon and mandolin player Alex Vann are heavily inspired by their backgrounds in punk rock – perhaps most directly obvious in the energy and movement maintained by the whole band throughout the performance.

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The group began life in the early nineties as the "Famous Five" but the name was invalidated by a line-up change. Before settling on "Spiro", they considered "Shards of Glass" and "Wormhole", hinting at the progressive sound the group were searching for. Translating from Latin as “I breathe”, their name wonderfully portrays the dazzling and expansive textures produced on pieces such as "Yellow Noise", in which the group simulate a delay effect I would never have imagined to be possible without the use of electronics. Much to my delight (and enlightenment!), this was succinctly

explained and demonstrated.

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When asked whether they ever improvise, the group expressed an admiration for musicians who do, but emphasised that they place a higher value on playing tightly together. The impressive coordination of rhythmically complex parts has become the calling card of the group, and they refuse to designate a clear "lead" instrument in their arrangements. In an anecdote they fondly described the one time they had made an exception to this policy – when a towering Croatian singer was determined to perform with them (and who would blame him?).

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The group performed material from across their five albums, providing intriguing backstories to the origins of their tune titles. The nursery rhyme-esque "Thought Fox" is named after a poem by Keats, for whom accordionist Jason Sparkes expressed great admiration. Their early composition "Lost in Fishponds" (originally released on cassette) was inspired by an unexpectedly lengthy drive to a gig in what turned out to be the wrong direction. Perhaps it was on such a journey – which, we were told, was quite typical for the band – that they discovered their mutual love of moths, inspiring "The

Vapourer". With tunes from the driving "I Am the Blaze on Every Hill", to the yearning and sweetly sentimental "We Will be Absorbed", this was a spectacular set from an incredible group, greatly enriched by their entertaining and informative commentary.

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