Nine years ago Gravity & Other Myths appeared at the Fringe presenting a slick acrobatic show with a lark-about vibe and a heart-stopping finale. Back then, it seemed as if they were at the top of their game. Now, it’s clear they were not even close, as quickly becomes apparent when watching The Pulse.

It's not only that the ensemble has grown, from a handful to 30 acrobats, but the creativity, ambition, and hair’s-breadth-precision the troupe manage to achieve with all those bodies working in harmony is mind-blowing. Matching them in power is the National Youth Choir of Scotland – again, 30 of them - creating a cathedral of awe-inspiring sound that mirrors the feats being enacted. 

^{Pictures: Andrew Perry}

They move around as human towers, tumble like boulders falling; you will come away believing people can fly. At one point, backlit in flame red, one dancer ascends a human staircase made from the entire troupe. Then there are the moments of pure expression, a solo dancer whose contortions are reflected in the vocal acrobatics of a solo singer.

Geoff Cobham’s lighting sometimes makes the troupe’s silhouettes look like cave paintings; at other times they are intricate patterns of binary code. As well as the physical feats, director Darcy Grant’s vision is full of twinkling, arresting motifs. There are no props, no instruments, no tricks. The only magic is the pulse running through the veins of the performers. 

It’s a work of breathtaking magnitude; an absolute masterpiece, one of those shows you will remember for the rest of your life. 

Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh Playhouse, 9 August, 7.30pm.