The three acts took to a spectacularly damp Piano Stage as part of the label's takeover and birthday celebrations, with the Icelandic artist Högni up first, stripping his high-concept music back to its bones for a particularly thrilling showcase. Gone are the atmospheric electronics and abstract blooms of noise - all that remains are core components and the results are stunning, with his Two Trains material transformed into soulful, sparse R&B brilliance.
Pianist/producer Douglas Dare came to the Piano Stage for the first time as a proper booking, after admitting to jamming off the cuff on the piano while visiting End Of The Road in previous years - the moment has been a long time coming for Dorset-born Dare, who grasped the opportunity with both hands. The emotional display saw Dare at his typical best - and the refrains from "Caroline" delivered while in amongst the crowd (and totally unaccompanied) will be a memory to cherish.
Collective Penguin Cafe rolled up last, spilling out of the stage and hitting hard with their warm folky tones - despite the miserable drizzle splattering down, the crew drew one of the stage's biggest crowds of the weekend.
