Tuesday 08/02/11 The Go! Team @ Heaven, London

When The Go! Team's mastermind Ian Parton set out in search of a frontwoman for his Brighton-based outfit in the early noughties he simply placed the following on a message board: “old skool female rapper wanted”.

The reply which came back was equally succinct and to the point: “old skool female rapper found!” Seven years after the release of their Mercury Prize-nominated debut 'Thunder, Lightning, Strike' and Ninja remains the most captivating, thrilling and downright compelling frontwoman in British music.

Back in the capital for their first London date in aeons to promote their latest and third release, 'Rolling Blackout's, the sextet showed just why they remain a live force to be reckoned with.

Kicking off with the opening track from their new long-player, 'T.O.R.N.A.D.O', it proves a prophetic starting point for a whirlwind trip, which - once the muffled sound is sorted out - tips a hat to the best soul, hip-hop and scuzzy indie-pop from the last three decades.

Ninja's fears about London audiences paling in comparison to their more boistrous northern counterparts earlier in the tour are soon dismissed, particular when the killer 'Ladyflash' is unleashed. Sparking a true carnival-like atmosphere with the audience's post-song chanting stirring Ninja into an impromptu dance-off in front of the speakers, I doubt there was a venue in the country having a better time on Tuesday night.

The Go! Team are a team in far more than name though and when Ninja takes a breather super-loose guitarist Kaori Tsuchida lays her sweet vocals over low-fi Sonic Youth-esque riffs on 'Secretary Song' and Chi Fukami Taylor abandons her flashing drumkit on 'Ready To Go Steady'.

With bassist Jamie Bell bouncing around like a kid in a Haribo factory, comeback single 'Buy Nothing Day' and they Run DMC-inspired 'The Power Is On' keep the tempo turned up to 10.

Where Mr Parton's mash-up of styles may come unstuck at certain points on record, there's no doubting it makes total sense live - that message board has served The Go! Team well.