POLAND is rarely deemed cool, at least by those too lazy to investigate what lies between the funky decadence of Berlin and the stag night havens of the Baltic.

All too easily dismissed as a land of beetroot and mullet-sporting plumbers, the stereotype is as wonky as the sneer that jazz is the preserve of bearded old men with a penchant for real ale.

True, if the 02 could be bothered to serve a decent pint of the foamy stuff, it's likely the sparse audience who turned out for this showcase of Polish jazz and electronica would have been more inclined to patronise the bar rather than hover around the small tables and stalls set out in the old Zodiac.

But at least half the attendees were women, most were under 40 and only a smattering were Polish emigres determined to fly the flag. In fact, while beards were hard to spot, more than a few dreadlocks and facial piercings were in evidence.

That said, the set - interspersed with short, vaguely surreal film clips - was hardly calculated to win over the uninitiated.

First up were Contemporary Noise Sextet, whose material veered from the sort of pecussion-heavy, ambient electronica that might attract a Talkin' Loud aficionado, to the opaque squawks and introspective keyboard stabs that only those fascinated by 'free form' would appreciate.

But it was energetic throughout - something sorely lacking in Jacaszek's dirge-heavy performance. While the laser swirls were at odds with the group's fusion of string sounds and laptop-generated twiddles, at least it gave us something to gaze at.

There was a flash of deja vu as Sing Sing Penelope moped on stage, because half the line-up had previously performed as Contemporary Noise Sextet. It came as little surprise that the band's sound was similar to CNS, albeit a little more uptempo and accessible.

As expected, a night primarily for the party faithful, but quirky and amiable nonetheless. As the man from the Fast Show would say: niiiice.