Eager to promote his new album Beyond Skin, Nitin Sawhney's performance at the V&A resembled a Victorian trade show rather than pop concert. But by appearing at the museum, Sawhney expanded upon Prince Albert's maxim of "a new starting point from which all nations would be able to direct their further exertions".

Sawhney is well aware that he is showing contemporary Britain in it's cross-cultural element. Opening with Bengali Song, he takes the keyboards, flanked by vocalist Jayanta Bose. Singing in Bengali, Bose creates vocal patterns that waft in and out of the contemporary British r'n'b style drumbeats. Aref Durvesh's tabla can be heard faintly, weaving it's own pattern.

Sawhney is skilled at marrying opposing traditions. The former accountant applies mathematical precision when joining disparate rhythmical elements,brilliantly creating an interface between different traditions. The Conference exemplifies this. Bose and rapper JC001 begin a trill call-and-response motif which is taken up by bassist Shri and Durvesh, in which the latter beautifully recreates a Jungle track with the tabla's voluminous tones before drummer Marque Gilmore propels the song into a crescendo.

Before this Sanchita Farruque, clothed in a chic sari, defies stereotypes by singing classic British soul music. Her voice, heavy with emotion, is one of many highlights. But not all Sawhney's cultural fusions work: Rapper JC001's rapid-fire raps ramble incessantly like a never-ending MC. Letting Go vocalist Tina Grace, borrowing heavily from Portishead, also disappoints. And Sawhney's set order, rather than segueing fluidly, resembled a collection of ad hoc artefacts lined up together. Sometimes the eclecticism seemed so self- conscious it hindered the emotional momentum.

The audience was not overly concerned by this, knowing that Nitin Sawhney's music provides a template for Britain's culturally diverse future.