xx
The xx
2009
Album Summary
xx is the debut album by the English indie pop band the xx. It was released on 14 August 2009 by Young Turks, an imprint label of XL Recordings, and recorded from December 2008 to February 2009 at the label's in-house studio in London. Producing the album, Jamie Smith of the xx created electronic beats for the songs on his laptop and mixed them in a detailed process with the audio engineer Rodaidh McDonald, who attempted to reproduce the intimate, unembellished quality of the band's original demos. Along with the xx's early R&B influences, the album has drawn comparisons from journalists to alternative rock, electronica and post-punk sounds. Its largely melancholic songs feature minimalist arrangements built around Smith's beats and instrumental parts recorded by the other members of the band, including Oliver Sim's basslines and sparse guitar figures by Baria Qureshi and Romy Madley Croft, who employs reverb in her lead guitar playing. Most of the songs are sung as low-key duets by Croft and Sim, both of whom had written emotional lyrics about love, intimacy, loss and desire. Released to widespread acclaim, xx was named one of 2009's best records and received praise for the band's atmospheric style of indie rock and pop as well as the interpersonal dimension of the performances. Commercially, it performed steadily over its first few years of release, becoming a sleeper hit in the United Kingdom and the United States, and eventually sold one million copies. Although major media outlets had largely ignored the band at first, and none of its singles became hits, xx received greater exposure from the licensing of its songs to television programmes and the band's Mercury Prize win for the album in 2010. Shortly after the album's release, and with differences between Qureshi and the rest of the group leading to her dismissal, the xx continued to play as a trio on a protracted concert tour that helped increase their fanbase, reputation in the press and confidence as performers. xx proved highly influential in subsequent years, as its distinctive stylistic elements were incorporated by many indie bands and top-selling pop acts. One of the most acclaimed records of its era, it has appeared on top album lists published by NME, Rolling Stone and The Guardian.
Wikipedia“XX” by the xx (2009) Never heard this album or heard of this group. Minimalist, airy, intentionally lazy, anti-energy vocals, with mechanical bass & drum—not a vehicle for any display of talent, but a cool enough sound. Lyrics rather plain. Guitar work very plain. Kind of a lazy New Wave—like putting Eurythmics and Edie Brickell in a dark room and piping in opium smoke. This album is okay for background music (though it wouldn’t boost production) or to lower my blood pressure. Not the kind of music that would bring an emotional response out of me. I could write more, but I don’t seem to have the energy. 2/5
Oh man did it take a couple listens to appreciate this album. This is FANTASTIC!!! Shhhhh…too loud for this album…(soft voice) it’s fantastic. The first couple times through there was a lot of (train) background noise. The subdued nature of this album is best admired in a quiet setting. The minimalist arrangements are just as, if not more, powerful for what is not there as much as for what is there. The most impactful part of the understated approach is that the parts that would seem “normal” in other music appear conspicuous, emphatic, and flamboyant. And here lies the genius. There is something notable about the vocals that I just couldn’t quite put my finger on. Enter Wikipedia where I saw that some critics describe them as singing not together, but past each other. Building upon that, I have a different take. To me it feels like they are in adjoining studios singing out windows that face the same direction. Close to each other, but separate, yet projecting in the same direction. I could go on and on about all the songs, but I will take a subdued approach and just state that this album is incredible. What a gem!
I've been doing this project for about three weeks now, and this is the first album I didn't particularly like. On paper it seems like something I would enjoy, but I just didn't feel it. The spare compositions on this album are sometimes lovely, with nice, simple foregrounded guitar. But the beats are dated and the vocals really kill it for me. Croft and Sims sound just as bored to be singing these songs as I felt listening to them. Favorite song: Don't really have one. Night Time is probably the most tolerable.
“Like two shy teenagers, eyes cast downward, awkwardly talking to the ground.”
Really consistent, coherent body of work. Nice vibe, clean sounds. A beautiful compromise between simple & interesting
An absolute masterpiece of stripped-down, subdued indie pop. The platonic ideal of the genre.
Due to an accident with the play button, I actually started listening to This Old Tune by James Kant. I was thinking to myself "Hey, I never realised the xx did this! This is cool!". Unfortunately, I realised that I was listening to the wrong thing fairly quickly and actually started listening to the xx and all I can say it's probably one of the less dismal albums to be released between 2002 and 2010. Did I object? No. Would I recommended it to a friend? No. Would I rather be listening to Hugo Kant? Yes. I mean, it's not bad. But it just kind of exists.
Not to my taste, this is for lonely middle class girls from the later 2000s.
This and hot chip kick started my love of electronic music. One of the best album opening tracks
"Atmospheric English indie pop" is my vibe. I've heard Intro before but the rest was new to me. Good chill music for working to.
2009, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Dream Pop: Sehr starkes Album, ich catche den Vibe ziemlich krass. Funktioniert perfekt als Album, eines der besten Alben, die ich jemals gehört habe. "Intro" ist perfekt, krank gutes Lied. Starke 4 bis 5.
I already love this album, so still love it. Very chill, coherent, and a great duet
Ugh, I can't believe I'm about to do this for my first review.... BUT, I was way UP on xx early. I drove 3 hours to see them play a little college show in Columbus, OH with Nosaj Thing. It was astounding. Mo'fuckers are solid gold as far as I'm concerned.
Absolutely love this album. Heard it many times before, I'm guessing I'm probably gonna go 4/5. Shit, maybe a 5. Some absolute bangers. Hmm maybe a 4. Shame I can't do a 4.5. Damn, maybe a 5. Not sure
Really loved this album, some of the songs are similar but it all blends together wonderfully.
Ich hab es gestern Abend auf einer Autofahrt zur späten Dämmerung von Bestwig nach Soest gehört und brooo hab ich es in dem Moment gefühlt. Jetzt gerade hört es sich nur nach vier Sternen an, aber gestern Abend waren es locker fünf und damit gehe ich auch.
I've been tuned in to this since Project X. cmon man, everyone should know this album.
Lovely production, the soundscape is wonderful. It's a pleasure to listen to at night with the stereo loud and my eyes closed!
Admittedly this album has grown a lot on me over the years, but its outstanding. Simple but powerful and evocative. 10 great songs with a nice buffer (Fantasy) seperating them in the middle.
Intro is one I definitely heard but not sure where as not just from when Rihanna sampled it anyway love it xylophone! music with alternating vocals and especially Male and female or low and higher pitch is something I love Islands is another one I know, i have a feeling this was ab album i listened to when it came out and i just lost it over the years but love it Basic Space reminds me of regina Spector the female vocalist parts I mean Jamie xx has been all over music I have listened to over the years and really ties this album together such a catchy album just calling it out as its unusual but both singers are gay and given they are Male and female singing back and forth I am sure a lot of their music has be misinterpreted but it stands on it's own definitely this 1001 albums has made me discover a lot of music but this is the first re discovery as this is definitely sitting on an old ipod or creative zen or somewhere of mine 5 today but could bounce back and forth as a 4.5 probably as 1 to 5 rating is hard
Heard it before. Very unique use of bass. Well put together, the whole album has a "flow" feeling
Apart from the intro song, I did not remember this album as well as I thought I would, and it did take a little while to get used to the sound again. In the end, I did enjoy it as much as back in 2009. I love the low-key but soulful performance of both vocalists, accompanied by the minimalistic electric guitar melodies and similarly sparse atmospheric electronic elements. Great album.
Great Introduction. It’s currently the artists most streamed song on Spotify, rightly so. Simplistic instrumentals, but smooth flowing. Mellow.
I liked it! Unique and good sound. Good vocals. Would definitely listen again. The songs that automatically played after were cool too.
Alt J, The xx and London Grammar all very important in my formative years
aquí podemos ver como el capital se apoderaba de todo lo que no había tocado: nuestras identidades, el amor propio, nuestros pensamientos más íntimos, la nostalgía. yo me acuerdo de cómo fue. ahora solo queda una huella de nostalgia. este disco lo tengo asociado con la guerra también. Gran debut. Sonaba como a nada en ese momento: indie, R&B, Young Marble Giants. Recuerdo que lo odiada, hoy me parece brillante y hasta naif.
Great album with immaculate production. The guitar licks are so identifiable.
xx is one of the nicest alternative electronic music album I have listened in some time, the voices, lyrics, melody construction, everything makes the album very interesting.
liebe die transparenz und das understatement, stellt die (instrument) Melodien schön in den Mittelpunkt. Wie ein Werbespot für Reverb Effekte. FM4 Mukke pur. sehr intim und nachdenklich. Infinity klaut frech Wicked Game :-D Die Harfen auf Heart Skipped a Beat mega, und der Drumtrack auch (der einen Beat skipped :-) )
liebe das album! schon sooo oft gehört. lieblingsnummern crystalised und islands
02/13/22 Omg what a surprise to see this pop up. Throwback to minimal “low-effort” indie pop/rock. Olds will hate it, of course, but it’s a great, dreamy album.
Eu ainda fico esperando a Rihanna entrar quando escuto a intro desse aqui
One of my all time favourite records, so a totally biased 5 stars. My go to album when on a plane, headphones in, eyes shut, blast this and chill the fuck out.
The Intro Is Eternal. Belfarcha I Was Always Looking For It, Never Thought It Was Called INTRO Hhhhhh
Didn't realise that The xx have been around since 2009! It feels like they only really came into consciousness in the last few years (being 2022 atm), but upon reflection it really has been a long time! The xx have a way of making music that just slips into you consciousness and take over your soul without you even noticing it's there. Best: Intro; Shelter Worst: N/A
So soft and relaxing you could completely dissolve into this album. Love it. Not so complicate but still satysfying.
Chill and classic indie album with several good songs (Intro, Islands, etc.). 4.5 that’s up to a 5 just because of how many songs I have on my playlist already!
30th June 2022 Listened while working from home in the office. Went to the oak in the evening. One of the seminal albums of my generation, I remember when it came out and people just went nuts for it. Will always remember watching them at glasto as the sun went down.
Minimalist electro with deep tones & sleepy vocals. I had forgotten how great this album is. Excellent listen.
This feels like a trip down a highway on a summer night not affected by climate change, windows down,
You know there’s a bunch of albums on this list I’ve had where there’s one iconic song and the rest is pretty forgettable. The first 5 songs on this one are now all timers. Crystallized is about as perfect as a pop song can be. The rest of this record I feel looses steam in the second half. I can’t imagine eating this anything less than 5 stars. It’s an essential part of the 2000s alternative canon. (I might have only heard it first in 2011 but who cares) I’m not going to find who to attribute it to, but I once read with The XX it’s more important the notes they don’t play (truly terrible take, up there with calling music life affirming). I’ve also heard this music called really simple. What it is is very precise, accurately built. Have not given the other XX (or Jamie XX) albums a chance after this one. I suspect I’m going to be listening to them at some point either in this list or otherwise.
it's a pretty peak indietronica/indie pop album. the combination of both the slow subtle male and female vocals and the atmospheric guitars/bass juxtaposed with the energetic drums create an album that set the scene for a new type of indietronica. highlights include vcr, crystalised, heart skipped a beat, infinity, and stars. i also need to point out the odd semi-ambient song fantasy, as while it wasn't anything too unexpected, i did still love how the xx executed it.
There's something magical about the combination of the dreamy vocals and the slightly distorted, echoey instrumentals. I love this album.
Yesterday, I listened to this album for the first time, with my love, and was moved by even the first song in it. Very smooth, calm, beautiful melody.
I listened to this a LOT when it first came out (my first/second year of college) and loved it, but got a bit tired of the songs on the first half. They were quite overplayed and popped up in all sorts of films and TV shows at the time. 'Intro' in particular was very overused. Listening to it again today though, I think enough time has passed that I can appreciate it again. This is a finely crafted album. The music is fantastic and it is atmospheric and melancholic in all the right ways imo. I can see how some might say it is a bit melodramatic, too "of its time", or that the lyrics are a little basic. It is all of those things, but overall I think it's a great album, and only has a few tracks that I find a bit underwhelming (Fantasy, Basic Space and Night Time). Maybe that's my emotional connection with the time speaking though. Nice one to round off my first 40 albums! 9/10
Un disc d'un moment i una escena. Però que gairebé 15 anys després continua conservant tota la seva força. Ens va sorprendre a tots, de la mateixa manera que discos icònics et deixen amb la boca oberta ja des del primer cop que els escoltes. No han tornat a assolir el mateix nivell des d'aleshores, i l'efecte sorpresa ja va quedar més aigualit, però aquest àlbum continua sent una meravella
Not sure why i like this so much. maybe i heard it before??? maybe in another life???? good floaty dreamy, but a bit of a one trick that i almost went with 4 stars.
When I first listened to this album it had the effect of introducing me to a sound I hadn't previously heard. I then clued in to Young Marble Giants as a predecessor, but this album is sufficiently unique that I still rate it as one of the best I've heard in the last 15 years. It was great to relisten after a few years away from it.