Balance of Acoustic, Dance by Everything but the Girl

English duo Everything but the Girl built a compelling set on stark contrasts at the Hollywood Palladium on Wednesday, fusing the cold, futuristic rhythms of “drum ‘n’ bass” dance music (a.k.a. “jungle”) to warm, traditional pop melodies. Drawing heavily from the group’s current album, “Walking Wounded,” the performance gave that material an organic immediacy not found in the slick recording.

Given their jazz-pop roots, it’s natural that singer-guitarist Tracey Thorn and keyboardist-guitarist-singer Ben Watt are drawn to jungle, with its strong bebop and Latin undertones. The veteran team has collaborated with trip-hop icons and drum ‘n’ bass heavies, increasing its exposure in the dance world. Concurrently, EBTG’s recent hit “Missing,” from 1994’s album “Amplified Heart,” helped push jungle deeper into the pop mainstream.

At the Palladium, bassist Danny Thompson and percussionist Martin Ditcham added texture and dynamic tension to a well-paced show that balanced upbeat dance tunes and lower-tech acoustic numbers.

Dripping with understated sensuality, Thorn’s deadpan, hypnotic alto at times recalled Portishead’s Beth Gibbons, particularly on the pulsating torch song “Single.” Against lyrics preoccupied with yearning, loss and change (reflecting Watt’s recent bout with a near-fatal illness), her vocal style provided yet another contrast, playing somnambulant sensuality against brokenhearted mournfulness.