“Somebody say party here!” A vocal sample commanding as such was the first thing the crowd heard last night as Groove Armada took to the stage at Hollywood’s Henry Fonda Music Box Theater, and they didn’t need much encouragement in this area. Groove Armada has always had a vociferously dance-fanatical crowd, thanks to big-beat hits like “I See You Baby.” However, no one expected Groove Armada to release something like Black Light, the U.K. duo’s latest full-length release, which is a contender for album of the year. Black Light is an evolutionary leap forward like no one expected, packed with enthralling electronic-rock hybrids that recall LCD Soundsystem at their most passionate, and neo-electropop pop diamonds that would’ve been hailed as sheer classic if they had come out in the ‘80s. Above all, Black Light holds songwriting that’s the strongest Groove Armada has ever released, with performances that are equally as passionate; it’s a damn-near instant classic.

Of course, much of the audience wasn’t entirely familiar with Black Light at the band’s first Los Angeles show in half a decade, but Groove Armada had a secret weapon to help them go along with the program: SaintSaviour, the vocalist who provides many of the intense, soulful vocals making the album as great as it is. The moment SaintSaviour came on the stage littered with pulsing lights, awe-inspiring green lasers and mirrorballs, flanked by Groove Armada main men Tom Findlay and Andy Cato, as well as guitars and drums and synths, it was clear the crowd was in for a ride. Wearing a gold outfit Grace Jones might wear to a Native American ceremony, SaintSaviour embraced her sequined camel toe, and let rip into “Look Me In The Eye Sister” with a vivid non-stop performance full of angular dance moves and virtuoso vocals. In concert, SaintSaviour comes off as a cross between Annie Lennox, Robyn, Karen O, Siouxsie Sioux and Fever Ray, and truly made Black Light come to life even more than the recorded versions. She more than held her own on the male-vocalled songs, but was helped out admirably by Ben Duffy of Brit buzz band Fenech-Soler on Black Light’s slamming “Paper Romance,” giving the song a jolt of jilted-lover authenticity (Fenech-Soler’s earlier electrotastic set was good, too).

Groove Armada acquitted themselves admirably on the older material, too, busting out a live trombone for the chill-out classic “At The River” and bringing the band’s dope toaster/M.C. M.A.D. for a number of songs. M.A.D. proved a real party-starter, his bubbly charisma a fine contrast to SaintSaviour’s edgier vibe. And when M.A.D. ripped into his vocal on “Superstylin’,” Groove Armada’s biggest and finest hit, for the encore, it proved a perfect climax, bringing the nostalgia of yesteryear smack into the band’s innovations of today. All in all, Groove Armada provided one of the shows of the year to follow up one of the albums of the year.