First up in Tigmus' acoustic-guitar-based program was Finlay Leslie, possessed of a fantastic voice which with its Folkestoneian vowels inhabits folk as easily as indie and straight-ahead pop. The only unnecessary thing was a hint of bashfulness when introducing a Taylor cover. Seek out her forthcoming second single '20 Cigarettes', a side-effect-free audio stimulant.

Next, The Lost Art took the stage, and I wondered why they'd not yet come up on my radar. Beginning with some Kings of Convenience smoothness and Dirty Projectors vocal interplay suggested they'd be unpindownable stylistically, and this proved to be the case. They also pulled off the trick of covering a familiar song but disguising it until the chorus – Radiohead's 'Climbing up the Walls' - maybe one fewer style would better establish their place in the scene, but their musicianship and immaculate arrangements mean I'd happily listen to an album of their work.

Luke Daniels' oeuvre was the only one I was aware of – his deep knowledge of folk traditions is held lightly enough that the results are never predictable. Though he opened with three songs on guitar & voice only, in which his vocal tone was as dark as the subject matter, the most unique feature was to follow.

Daniels introduced the polyphon, a rare 135-year-old instrument with which he's touring. A fireplace-sized Victorian music box that plays huge records perforated like piano rolls, the polyphon was Heath Robinsonly hitched up to amplification, pedals and laptop in a modestly steampunk way. Daniels himself had created these records which either featured transcriptions of Victorian songs, or original commissioned compositions. The results chimed like Björk's incidental pieces on Vespertine and resembled a marimba at its bass end. How great to see this lesser-spotted instrument, too high-maintenance to become the next hipster accessory.

As this was a well-constructed set, Daniels' guitar, vocals and melodeon were then accompanied by the polyphon, eliciting heartiest applause. This was clearly a feat, as this timbrally charming clockwork contraption was much more fallible and delicate than a mere backing track. The ballad 'Canadee-I-O', made famous by Nic Jones, was strangely affecting, rich longing for a distant place being brought out from a rather slight story. While Daniels goes to pains to preserve traditional practices, he shows tradition to be heterogeneous and that preservation can be undertaken with inventiveness and heart. A great show put on by Oli Steadman's company.