Mystery Jets' Jetrospective is a sweaty, joyous celebration

Often bands when bands choose to look back, it's because they've struggled to move forward. Mystery Jets, hitting new heights with 2016's 'Curve of the Earth', are not that kind of band. A celebration of their journey so far, night three of Mystery Jets' residency at The Garage in Islington sees them tackle third album ‘Serotonin' in all its synth-drenched glory. Released in 2010 hot on the heels of ‘Twenty One' and its hit singles ‘Young Love' and ‘Two Doors Down', 'Serotonin' was a consolidation and an affirmation of everything the Jets could do. While it didn't spawn the radio-friendly singles of its predecessors, ‘Serotonin' nonetheless demonstrated the Jets' mastery of the tuneful indie-pop that characterised their early records. Arriving appropriately to opener ‘Alice Springs', the contemplative intro gives way to an insistent chorus that barrels along at a hundred miles an hour, dragging the packed audience with them. The band are in fine fettle, bassist Jack Flanagan returning after his summer sojourn and the stage jam-packed with more synths than you can shake a stick at. If the band is feeling at home with the Garage at their mercy for the week, the same can be said of the fans, with travellers from as far the US and Japan claiming the barrier for their own. Mystery Jets middle child sure has its share of bangers, with ‘Flash A Hungry Smile' bringing a raucous singalong (complete with trademark falsetto ‘wooh-wooh's) and the title track sending everyone's serotonin levels through the (by-now sweat drenched) roof. Both the Jets and the fans are reinvigorated tonight; these seven-year-old songs made vital by the band's boundless energy and enthusiasm for their craft. Deeper cuts provide some stunning one-night-only moments. Introduced as the bands "attempt at a last dance at the high school dance", the piano-led ‘It's Too Late' truly does lift off when the gloriously-80s key change arrives. Set closer ‘Lorna Doone' is a clear signpost to what the Jets would go on to achieve, showing they can conquer a droning epic as easily as a three-minute pop song. Returning for a hip-shaking romp through Count and Sinden collab ‘After Dark', the Jets then treat us to the compulsory ‘Twenty One' classics before seeing out the night with a triumphant rendition of last year's ‘Bubblegum', arguably their finest song to date. That they can end tonight's Jetrospective with a recent song is a testament to their enduring ability to break new ground. With erstwhile bassist Kai Fish even guesting on a few tracks, and the band able to revisit some long-forgotten songs, tonight is a sweaty, joyous celebration.