XX

The xx | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 6, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Xl Recordings
• ASIN: B002N1AEN2
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (102 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #540 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #1 in Music > Alternative Rock > Indie & Lo-Fi > Electronic Pop
  • #1 in Music > Alternative Rock > Indie & Lo-Fi > General
  • #3 in Music > World Music > Europe > British Isles > Britain

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

The Xx unique make-up is an inadvertent second nature marriage of 2009's urban/guitar tribes, in one corner fluttering new wave indebted reverberation, in the other, plumes of post-dubstep sub-bass and figuratively, their defining core of rich R&B vocal textures. The enveloping vocal partnership of Romy and Oliver is one that would've dropped-jaws in any decade this century, and set amidst a shivering soundscape of beats and plucks, their bedroom-reared concrete-soul is being justly heralded as the UK's most original and treasured alt. pop artifact of late.

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.