XX [Import]

The xx | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 18, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Xl Recordings Int'l
• ASIN: B002DESIE6
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (101 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #57,548 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Intro

2. VCR

3. Crystalised

4. Islands

5. Heart Skipped a Beat

6. Fantasy

7. Shelter

8. Basic Space

9. Infinity

10. Night Time

11. Stars

Editorial Reviews

Review

(The xx are) making hauntingly beautiful music with its electro pop-soul jams and emotive lyrics. --Nylon

Fully formed and thoughtful. (8.7 Best New Music) --Pitchfork

The xx are worth the hype. --NPR, All Things Considered

Product Description

2009 debut album from the London-based quartet who combine beautiful, hushed vocal duets and a brilliantly inventive use of samples and low-end frequencies to produce stark, sweet melancholic Pop. Comprising Jamie Smith, Baria Qureshi, Oliver Sim and Romy Madley Croft, The xx came to prominence with their gorgeous 'Crystallized' single from earlier in the year. The song was possibly the best dueling boy/girl vocal track since... 'Nothing Better' by The Postal Service? 'No Hope For Us' by Arab Strap? Not like we're keen on hyperbole or anything, but The Big Pink and Micachu and the Shapes have both taken the band on tour with them, so they clearly share our excitement over this lot. XL Recordings. 2009. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

67 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Favorite Debut of 2009 So Far, August 25, 2009

By 

S. Barr (Charlotte, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: XX (Audio CD)

The xx have been all over blogs for a while now, and I first caught a track from them when their demos were leaked online. It was "Crystalised" and I was totally in love. When XX was released last week, I immediately bought it, and it has been playing through my headphones and speakers ever since.

The opening track, "Intro," is amazing on its own. Instrumental, if you consider their vocalization (without lyrics) an instrument. It sets the tone for the entire album, withe a chill yet building sound, and an ever thumping bass. The music seems simple, but fresh. There are moments in the album where the repeated echoing notes remind me of early Interpol and some of the riffs harken late 80s new wave, but I have a hard time drawing real parallels to other bands. Some of the lyrics make me nostalgic for a modern/retro 90s life I've never had ("watch things on vcrs, with me &talk about Big Love"), and the almost-fuzzy, understated-but-prominent male and female vocals, which both compete & come in as a chorus, remind me of some lazy love affair. Actually, the entire album seems to be an ode to this lazy love affair.

This really is my favorite debut of 2009. Incredibly impressive and something you want to get your hands on, I promise. Here's the tracklist, since amazon.com doesn't have one up yet:

01. Intro
02. Vcr
03. Crystalised
04. Islands
05. Heart Skipped A Beat
06. Fantasy
07. Shelter
08. Basic Space
09. Infinity
10. Night Time
11. Stars

42 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning Debut, September 4, 2009

By 

S. Finefrock (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: XX (Audio CD)

I've had this on constant replay for the last couple days and am now on about my 12th listen, and I'm still captivated. This is one of the most impressive albums that I've heard in some time. Imagine 17 Seconds era Cure with Elizabeth Fraser from the Cocteau Twins sharing lead vocals, produced by Timbaland. That's the starting point for this bewitching set of tunes. From the opening INTRO through to the closing STARS, every song is a highlight and flows perfectly into the next one. Languid guitars, spare beats and casual, conversational tag team male-female vocals created a dreamlike sound with plenty of space and emotion. I'm cueing it up for another listen. Very highly recommended.

34 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The XX - XX, October 6, 2009

By 

Andrew Vice (Plano, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: XX (Audio CD)

From the opening notes of "Intro," I think it's obvious that this band is on to something. People often say Spoon's strength lies in their ability to edit their sound until only the bare essentials of music are left: a beat and a melody. Well whatever it is that Spoon got onto, The XX seem to have taken it a step further, somehow managing to cut their sound down even further. This is certainly a challenging album, but it's simultaneously incredibly rewarding once you really get into the groove. The band's female singer has a beautiful, sultry voice, and she's perfectly suited to the band's lean, taut style. However, because the band's sound is so idiosyncratic, I would highly recommend that prospective fans try before they buy. Even if this is one of the year's best debuts, it is also going to be a divisive album, and it really isn't for everyone. But if you can give the record a few spins, I think just about anyone will be able to get why these guys have been picking up rave reviews across the internet.