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xx
The xx
2009
Wikipedia
Reviews
Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!“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.
An absolute masterpiece of stripped-down, subdued indie pop. The platonic ideal of the genre.
Really consistent, coherent body of work. Nice vibe, clean sounds. A beautiful compromise between simple & interesting
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.
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.
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.
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 :-) )
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.
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!
Holds up pleasantly well. With the opening of Intro, I realized to which degree certain bits of this album have remained earworms for years. However, I had never heard the whole project. It didn't blow my mind or ears in any significant way, but the minimalism on display here is of a more interesting variety than most. xx's influence on the rest of the music world can also not be overstated.
Tracks from this album always come up with Tanya and I listen to the Chill station on $MUSIC_STREAMING_SERVICE. I like it! Probably not strongly enough to give it 5 stars, but it's an easy 4.
If this made it in the boys who wrote the book would've had their heads explode listening to the third.
This record is very much of a specific time and place for me. Really brings out some emotions and memories. (I do like this record.)
I liked this one the most of all the albums so far. It's still not really what I listen to, but a lot of the beats had a great atmospheric vibe that I could get into.
Para mi gusto de lo mejorcito de estos años 2000. El arranque de este disco desde Intro pasando por VCR, Crystalised y Island es impresionante. Recuerdos de New Order, Everything but the girl. Un disco que merece la pena.
Imported from London, the simplicity in this album is so methodical and delicate it really goes to show less is more. Even in songs like Intro with no lyrics the melodies weaved are truly masterful. Band leader Jamie xx really punches a strong layered sound with minimal instruments.
I had no idea what this was but Indy rock is definitely something I’m intrigued by and like listening to you. I thought the album was really good and I love the combination of his voice and hers. I would definitely listen to it again and I would listen to their music in general
I enjoyed listening to this while I worked--very cathartic and great background/chill music. Was a good album.
Im ersten Moment war mir damals der Hype zu groß und ihre Omnipräsenz zu American Apparel tauglich, aber nachdem ich im Abenddämmern aufm Primavera 2010 (?) unbeteiligt an ihrer Performance vorbei flanieren wollte, haben sie mich gepackt, mich mit dem ersten Ton verliebt gezaubert, unglücklich verliebt. Danke ihr müde-depressiven Emos. Ich umarmte dieses Gemüt, in dem sich - wie es aussah - also schon alle frisch gekürten hipster einig waren. Meine innere Dana Bönisch vergibt passend zum Festival „leicht“ überteuerte 3.5
Enjoyed it a lot. It may just have been a case of capturing my mood perfectly as a lay in bed feeling under the weather.
How has this not been on my radar before? Not entire sure how to define it, other than worthy of further exploration??
I was surprised how much I liked this album. Not a band I normally go out of my way to listen to, but this is a great well rounded album.
If there were a couple of really standout songs I'd go 5 stars. But even if it sounds mostly the same throughout, I don't really mind at all. I love the vibe of this record!
Happy to see this one on here. Smooth beats and raw subdued vocals make for a unique sound and a great listen. The duo play off each other perfectly adding a dynamic of conflict and then cooperation to the lyrics.
Pretty chill, voices were nothing special but background instrumentals were somewhat interesting, songs kinda all sounded the same but were pleasant. Would throw this on again while studying or something to give it a more thorough listen
One of the best examples of how incredibly effective negative space can be in music. Their brand of modern R&B blended with pop is consistently arresting and engaging because it does so much with so little. Hushed vocals about sex and relationships over airy compositions consistently impress. It's simplicity breeds an endlessly enjoyable experience because you often find just as much in the nothing between notes as you do their actual notes.
Wow, what a great find! This is a group/album that I didn't know I needed in my life but am glad to add. It's lyrical without being predictive, deep without being pretentious, playful without being cutesy, chill without being boring. I like the voices, unconventional on their own, yet well suited to each other. I like the sparseness of the arrangements, which makes each instrument and the vocals all that much more important. Intro had me very interested from the start, but I warily awaited how their vocals might skew things. When the female voice dropped in on VCR (after that catchy toy piano riff & thumping drum/bass combo kicked in), my wariness waned. The male vocal, somewhat sloppy & slurred) was interesting in itself, but when she joined him, the mixture was just perfect. This feeling continued for me throughout, with particular highlights for me being Heart Skipped A Beat (great, fun percussion tricks), and Infinity (again, great percussion, with reverb-dreamy guitar). Stars is a great lead-out, leaving me wanting more. It's clear to me by this point (almost 50 albums in) that this list skews British, esp. in alt-rock/pop genres. While that's bothered me a bit with the more "name" groups, I love that it's brought my attention to things like Nick Drake and this.
It’s apparently been more than a decade that I’ve been trying to figure out what I want from “Intro.” I love the sound. But I’ve never been able to figure out whether I want it to keep looping for at least twice as long, or do I want it to build and evolve into a more complete song. The songs on “xx” often build a bit only to retreat, consistently teasing the listener. I think edging is the technical music terminology for that, right? The tease works though. It’s a terrific chill out album, creating a laid back atmosphere with understated, crystal-clear guitar and just the right amount of electronica. “Crystalized” and “Stars” stand out, but the whole thing benefits from its consistency.
I liked this, but I wish it was a bit more directive. The music was pretty chill and I wanted a stronger beat or melody to punch the songs up a bit. Generally this is in my wheelhouse, it's somewhere between a 3 and 4 for me. Liked the vocals of these two!
I've been dimly aware of The xx for a while, but they never really made an impact on me. Giving it a decent listen as part of this project has definitely opened my eyes (ears?) to them, though - yeah, like it! Dream pop-adjacent, knackered, end of the night vibes. Will definitely be coming back to this album a lot more in the future. Fave track - "Shelter" at the moment, but I'm sure more listens will turn up more faves...
Production is great, mellow vibes with some catchy sounds. Compact and consistent throughout, really easy listen. Best songs - Intro, Crystallized
This is groovy and has gotta have one of the best intro songs of all time (more than twice the number of plays on Spotify than any of their other songs!). Some other jams and generally good vibes but do feel like some of the later songs are only ok.
Atmospheric, intense and minimalistic indie. I like the duet songs the most, but I also wish there was a bit more intensity on display.
I had no idea Shakira's "Islands" was actually a cover! So glad I discovered this album to find out :)
Estoy consciente de que este álbum no fue del gusto del grupo, pero a mí sí me gustó. Me agrada el tono "melancólico" de la música, sin llegar al extremo de "Cigarrettes after Sex". De hecho algunas canciones le dan un aire a lo que hace Magic Numbers. Creo que quitaría un par de canciones que de verdad me parecieron muy tediosas, pero definitivamente lo volvería a escuchar.
The epitome of 'chill indie beats'. A terrific modern example of a brilliant debut album. As with so many albums, the first track is the standout - the aptly named 'Intro'. However, the entire album is worth a listen, with 'VCR', 'Crystalised', and 'Stars' being some other notable standouts in my opinion.
From the first moments of its iconic intro track, xx seems to command your attention. This is remarkable in part due to just how little there actually is to pay attention to. These songs are soft, sparse, and quiet, but their intimacy pulls you in like a whisper until you tune out everything around you just focus on what you're hearing. On the surface, this album shouldn't work. The melodic lines and lyrics sometimes sound underdeveloped, the guitar riffs are repetitive and minimal, and the band doesn't even have a drummer. And yet, it does work, to marvelous effect. These songs are captivating. "Islands" sends chills down my spine, "Fantasy" makes me want to levitate out of my chair, and "Shelter" is undeniably sexy. "Infinity" might be the album's shining centerpiece, featuring a slow build to a gorgeous climax in the song's final minute. The influence this album had is undeniable. Does LANY know that the xx did their thing a decade ago? Does Lana know that Romy Croft invented the indie girl voice years before Born to Die? Do the untold legions of bedroom pop stars getting famous on TikTok know how in debt they are to this album? Overall, I definitely enjoyed this album. While I'm not the biggest fan of indie pop in general, I can appreciate the granddaddy of modern indie when I see it. This album is undeniably one of the most underrated records of the 2000s, and one that I think everyone should listen to.
Apart from house and techno music (and those records are not in the 1001 list unfortunately) there is just very little novelty in populair music in the 21st century. This is also illustrated by this album: it sounds like the xx took a single song of Young Marble Giants as the blueprint for their music. It does not mean it is bad though: the album is excellent and in contrast to all those recent 1001 albums it has certainly built up some status. So in the list? yes. 5-star: no.
My first album with this site. New to me, but a real good one to start with. Mellow dream-pop and real easy to listen to.
Álbum muy preciado cuando iba en la prepa, a veces lo escucho aún y aunque ha perdido un poco del buen efecto que tenía bien, le tengo cariño. Tiene buenas letras, sí crea una atmósfera presente en todas las canciones y pues se oye bien. 9/10
A gusto. Sonidos muy reconfortantes. Por otra parte, nada puede superar esa gran gran intro. Para mooods muy específicos. Not the best workout music.
Moody and atmospheric indie rock. Would have sounded almost standard at the time, but can be appreciated now divorced from the rest of the scene
Xx's subdued sound was the equivalent of trip-hop with dubstep rhythms or other fashionable styles replacing hip-hop rhythms. Really relaxing. (7/10) FT: Intro, Crystalised
I’m not crazy about Indie, but this was actually quite enjoyable! The production was good, I loved the guitar work and the shared male and female vocals were awesome. With a big song or two, with a few more defined choruses in the songs, it would be a perfect album for the genre.
I love the voices, the mood, sparse arrangements and general sound. When it's good, and it gets the vibe/beat right, it is amazing. My one complaint is that it gets a little samesy and there are many songs without a hook. Still very enjoyable.
Exceptional start, fades off towards the end. Some anthems on here I had pretty much forgotten about
Buen álbum. No los conocía y me sorprendieron. Me gustó que las canciones tuvieran una onda muy relajada, muy chill.
Energetic, insatiable, enjoyable electro-pop from some of the most enigmatic musicians around today. As a debut, they couldn't do worse and they bring about plenty of emotions and feelings to the tracks. All around pretty great album. Favorites: VCR, Crystallized, Islands, Heart Skipped a Beat, Basic Space, Infinity.
Good hipster indy pop Weird how YT pushed the intro song like 10 years ago so hard despite the album having much better songs
Catchy, unique sound. Might have heard so many of these songs on the radio so many times I was ready to write them off. But as a first album from some kids fresh out of high school this is really creative and impressive.
Each track is well put together. Minimalist indie rock that focuses on perfecting each sound in each track. Melodic and whispery vocals appeal to all audiences. Each track has its hooks, necessary to get people's attentions whenever a new song comes along, ending with a satisfying closer that ties together the theme. The codas to "Crystalised" and "Islands" are so short but leave you with a positive note. The star of the album is definitely Jamie Smith. The guitar, bass, and vocals are really nice, but honestly it's Jamie's work on the sequencer and production that really makes each track pleasing to the ear. "Intro" and "Fantasy" do amazing jobs at organizing the tracks and giving the audience room to breath before taking in the next one. Starting with "Fantasy," the following pieces become much more atmospheric and dark. "Shelter" just gives off Joy Division vibes. We re-enter some of the heavy dance beats in the latter halves of "Infinity" and "Night Time." Over a decade after its release, I can agree that this album had a huge influence of 2010s music. I hardly listen to the music of the past decade, but this very much doesn't sound like much from before 2009, but yet this is the kind of music (but worse) I hear all over advertisements and the chill-kind of music I hear in friends' indie music. I can finally hear the transition how we got to this point, which I feel I can now appreciate. Favorites: Crystalised, Islands, Infinity
Electronic pop that's not form the 80s that I actually like. Perhaps a bit boring at times but I like, I might go back to this. Never heard of this band before.
Treads a very fine between minimalistic and dull but I think it juuuust pulls it off. Not one to regularly listen to but still enjoyable
I'm giving this one 4 stars... but I'm not entirely sure why. There's nothing exceptional here. There's also nothing objectionable. Normally, that'd earn it a middling 3 stars. But here we are at 4 stars anyway. I think it's a combination of things. It's a short album, clocking in at just under 40 minutes which means that none of the 11 tracks linger too long. Instead, they say their piece, set a mood, and move on. That's a really nice aesthetic and I'm here for it. By the end of the album, I found myself favorably inclined towards it as a whole, though none of the tracks left a strong impression. In fact, I found that I liked it best when I wasn't actively paying attention to it. That's when my head started bobbing and my toes started tapping. So, yeah. 4 stars.
The xx is a band that I like, although this was the first time I've listened to an entire album from the band. I'm pretty sure that I have put "VCR" or "Islands" on one of my personal playlists. I like the xx's mix of indie-pop that dips into electronic music from time to time. This band sounds like it would go well with many of the artists produced by Sub Pop records.
A la lecture du review de mon camarade d'écoute robephèmère, j'eu peur de retrouver un enième album inconnu, seulement présent dans le générateur grâce aux nombreux échanges Erasmus effectués par Robert. Il n'en était rien, ce groupe des xx est en fait extrêmemen connu, et nous propose un très bon album, que je me réjouis de noter d'un très beau 4/5.
4.3 - Great album for a lazy morning or soothing evening. Really solid dream pop/synth type stuff that just works.
This is a great album with a really nice ambient sound. I could see this going on in the background of a chill hangout, or at a busy bar on a Wednesday. Definitely will listen again.
Interesting album with strong atmosphere, but its fairly repetitive and dosent really have any diversity in the types of songs.
It was fine - several good songs on the record, but it is so slow and minimal, which just isn't my jam. Nothing inherently wrong, just didn't stick with me much.
liked it enough to bookmark it and will check out more of their work. sent to a friend and he is already a big fan.
Decent effort. Would make a great backdrop to a social gathering. Will definitely require a few more listens
I never got all the hype about this, thought it might make sense this time. Nope, still boring, they even sound bored of their own songs
It's just not my taste of music. There is very nice vocals and I rather enjoy the tubular guitar sounds. The whole album is a little slow and sad feeling which doesn't necessarily appeal to me but I'm sure there are people who enjoy this album a great deal.
Intro: mood music. Good for video Guitar Centric / Breathy MaleFemale duo 80s / Looper positive - reminds me of John Hughs vibe Everything kinda sounds similar the longer you listen...
the first song is a vibe - "intro." it's kind of music i would just prefer to have on in the background, but it is fun.
Was gab es eigentlich an ikonischer Musik nach diesem Album? Aus irgendwelchen WM-Songs fällt mir gerade nichts ein. Auf Albumlänge ist mir das aber schon damals nicht tragfähig erschienen, und meine Traurigkeit hat sich zu diesem Zeitpunkt nicht mehr so artikuliert, wie die es hier tun.
I always said 'I like the xx' but I suspected that maybe this was because it was trendy, really I didn't really listen to them much. Now I realize that I actually do like the xx! I really do!
Not my usual taste but I enjoyed listening to this. The first track was worth 4* easily, loved it but overall a good 3***
Quiet and easy music. Kinda rides the same wave for the whole album, making it devoid of interesting dynamics. Hard to stay engaged when it does so little to engage. Really it's only until the end that I find it picks up a bit and does more. For what it's worth though, the reverb-filled dream pop is a nice listen. I just wish it did more.
Don't think I've ever heard of these guys, but first song is recognizable and I like it, so this could be fun! It was okay, but nothing special. 3/5.
I wouldn't call it anything special. Not sure why it's on this list tbh, never heard of this group before
Listen, it’s a good album. Is it great? No. It’s ok. And that’s it! Perfectly pleasant chilled out sort of trip hop stuff. But fuck me, it gets samey. By track 4 you know you’ve heard the lot. Still, it’s ok.
Good for background music though sometimes the female voice will take you out of it (discordant with the music.)
I can see that it's a good album, but it just never does that much for me. Maybe I've never been in the right mood for it.
This album is pornographic! Though not as obscene as the woeful TRIPLE X, this album is twice as profane as X. X started in Los Angeles in 1977, then 28 years later in 2005, XX was formed. By the same progression XXX will make its debut in 2033. Chalk it up to decaying moral standards, but the reality is that XX wasn't as lewd as you might think. As a reviewer it is my job to tell you that most, if not all songs are super-mellow and there's no fucking. The album is relatively short, weighing in at 38 mins. and an easy listen. I suppose this album represents somewhat of a turning point in music in the late 2000's. It's a delicate fuse of real and electronic instrumentation that exists effortlessly. Intro is the simple, dark beauty used to sell AT&T and Hugo Boss that you've heard many times before. It's the recognizable instrumental and an easy listen that subtly builds amongst single-note plucking. The balance of the album includes more complex songs but maintain the overall feel of the first. There's an effortless fun vibe about this album as such if it had existed before 2009, it would be might be called The Moldy Peaches. Also, it's worth noting that the dude singing sometimes sounds like Kurt Vile, it's subtle and distant, but once you hear it you can't unhear him. So, if you don't care for Kurt, I probably just killed this album for you. Finally, for the freaks out there looking for music to get the joyknob turning, this album isn't for you. I would suggest checking into Big Black's famous album from 1987.
Recognise many of the songs. It’s very bleh. Not so bad for a 2 so will give it a middle of the road 3. Vocals are very annoying in part. I think they have a few vocalists which is throwing me. Jamie XX has some good electronic music on his solo stuff. AIB advert has “Loud Noises” which many people will recognise.
Maybe the ones who popularlized the tight-production, low-key-moody indie-vocals that still is a popular genre in itself. I like most of the songs, but I can't say they blow me away. Very indie-radio friendly, I still hear The xx played on our local hip radio. There is not a lot of difference between songs, to be honest. Very one-dimensional on this album.
Really promising opening sounds in terms of establishing a sound and a mood that I felt I could soak up for the duration of an album. Unfortunately, it plateaued after that, and sank into a wallowing sadness that I found less interesting.
xx is the debut album by English indie pop band the xx. Although the xx had been strongly influenced by R&B acts, the album also drew comparisons from critics to alternative rock, electronica and post-punk sounds. The melancholic songs on xx feature minimalist arrangements and are built around Smith's beats, Oliver Sim's basslines and sparse guitar figures played by Baria Qureshi and Romy Madley Croft, who employed reverb in her lead guitar parts.
Better than expected fun indie pop! Was going to give a four, but the end mellowed out TOO much and blended.
Emoji Monday: 😑 Great album for those times you want to feel semi-comatose . Good simple melodic guitar riffing. I like the singer’s whisper vocals. 3.5 stars, but rounding down, because I don’t often want to feel semi-comatose.
Slow and almost haunting lyrics. Not anything I latched on to, but nothing that was bad either
I really like the xx, and I'm learning as I go through this project that I like this genre more than most. This album is too minimalist. It's such a product of its place and time, where indie bands were basically persecuted if they dared to show too much emotion through their music, so they put it all in the words and left the music as an afterthought. That's too harsh an assessment for this particular album, but it's clear they suffered from these influences. Best track: Crystalised
I liked it for what it is. Still able to invoke emotion despite being light and generally simple. I did like how the vocals seemed to be singing to each other like a dialog, but after awhile it was just a lot of the same.
Chilled, low key electro that starts well with some catchy, charismatic tunes but loses its distinctiveness as the album continues.
I liked this pretty well. The call and response aspect of the duet vocals was an unusual touch for alternative rock and well executed.
I saw the word "atmospheric" as the first word to describe xx, and I immediately wanted to hate this album with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns. The opening track (annoyingly enough titled "Intro") is an instrumental that sounds like wants to be the soundtrack for a Google Nest commercial, and I mean that as a complement. The second song, "VCR" was already a turn off for the song title alone (I wouldn't have minded "8-Track" or "Betamax" but "DVD" would have been even worse). And as I listened to "VCR", this fucking thing grew on me. A pleasant surprise. I couldn't even be disappointed that it shattered my earlier expectation of having "The xx" destined to be branded with a 1 rating. And as much as I seemed to enjoy listening, I really can't think of a time when I'll want to seek it out again. But that probably says more about me than it says about the album. I guess I'm just curious as to everything else that's out there. That's probably why all my friends call me Whiskers.
Questo è il classico disco che sforna canzoni da season finale delle serie TV. Fa parte del periodo da cui uscitanno gruppi come i Daughter o gli Oh Wonder. Questo genere lo percepisco un po' come musica fatta da graphic designer (tipo Tycho), quel minimalismo piacevole ma più che altro di arredamento. Nonostante sia un precursore in qualche modo del genere secondo me gli manca la profondità dei Daughter o la vena più pop degli Oh Wonder. È un 2.5 pieno che premierò a 3 solo perché questi The XX hanno inventato degli stilemi che poi verranno usati in modo più sensato. Vorrei votare 2 solo perché uno dei membri del gruppo si fa chiamare Jamie xx.
Quante volte avrò ascoltato "Intro" senza sapere chi fossero gli XX! Mi sono piaciuti un sacco, ma sento come di non avere più l'età per queste cose e mi viene la depressione perché mi sarebbe piaciuto conoscerli prima, tipo nel 2009. Sarebbe un 3.75 ma la mia vecchiaia impone il 3.
This still holds up as a solid overall LP, but on relistening it's clear how much this album suffers from static song structures. Most tracks tend to ride solely on a repeated 8-bar verse, and while they tend to end before things get grating a few tracks stay well past their welcome.
It’s a good album, it’s different to most stuff of the time. But it kinda sets itself an almost impossible task with the opening track, which is a killer and a half, before becoming distinctly domesticated. It is what it is, I suppose.
intro connue chill melancholic. easy girl and boy voices ok, indie minimal guitare, un peu répétitif a partir de la 8
"Intro" is in its own right a very recognizable song. This album overall does fall short of the impact that "Intro" had on the world of music if that is what brings listeners to this album, and this will undoubtedly be a slow drip of disappointment for these people. The real payoff for this album is not allowing that disappointment deter one from giving this an honest listen. Secondly, The xx has a sound that is associated much with club attire, or runway modeling. The xx and their gently pulsating rhythms may invoke feelings of retail shopping at department stores drawing from that club energy to drive customers to purchase chic outfits, etc. However, once those things are settled and objectivity reluctantly takes over, the xx is a fine band, their vocals are mellow and they do well for this type of soul. One wants them to be good, and the truth is they are --- once one is able to get their song "Intro" out of the equation and let The xx be who they are, it is a very nice listen and may in fact leave the listener in a state of pleasant, yet unexcited surprise.
It was fine. Didn't really like it, but it didn't really annoy me or anything. Just kind of there. I generally thought the female singer was a lot better than the male one. No strong feelings besides that. Probably could've died without hearing it.
First listen. Never heard of them before. When I first listened to it I thought is simple and a little boring. But, after a few more times, the music really grew on me. I appreciate the mood and feeling of the album. It makes me want to listen to more by this band. 3/5.
Amazing production; generic and forgettable lyricism; poor hooks; boring guitar work; interesting bass lines; feels slightly soulless and meaningless 6/10
Decent minimalistic indie, that creates a special atmosphere which makes it perfect for background listening but fails to command more attention
Jújú, það má alveg hlusta. Ég er þó mun hrifnari af rödd Crofts en Sims. Lágstemmt og ágætt atmó, oft berstrípuð töff production, en lögin grípa mig ekki sérstaklega.
It's an alright album, the instrumentals sound really good most of the time. The vocals though are just plain boring, they almost never try and explore new ranges and mostly keep a same tone 6.5/10 Favourite tracks: VCR, Intro
I tried but never got into this band. Sure they sound good and I get little flashes of other bands I really like which instead of warming me to The XX just make me want to go and listen to the others. This album just washed over me and hasn't left that much of an impression. With some other bands I get implored to give them another listen in the hopes that something will grab me, in this case I am just going to move on.
Pleasantly surprised. Very nice and easy to listen to. Despite being generally chill and relaxing, it doesn't put me to sleep like some other soft pop albums on this list. Not something I expected from the ominous album art. Very strong 3/5.
Ein paar finde ich gut, ein paar nicht ganz so gut. Ich hatte es mir tatsächlich schlimmer vorgestellt.
it's alright. I feel it should be better than it actually is, or rather I should like it more than I do, but at some points it just gets kinda stale. with that being said though, there is some good stuff on here.
Probable ent que marie aimerait ca. Ca ressemble a angus et julia stone et ce genre de musique. 3.5
This is one of those albums that I loved at the time but forget exists. Really enjoyed hearing it again. It’s a very specific mood, but they do it so well. And there are some great songs on here - particularly VCR. Reminds me to check out some of their other tunes / albums. A nice nostalgia trip, and one that still sounds fresh.
Ehh it was ok. Lots of good mood that’s overshadowed by a dreary yet polished sound which- in my opinion- overstays it’s welcome
I always assumed the xx was an electro pop band, so I wrote off this album as a relic of an era. Listening now, many years later, I honestly felt underwhelmed. I enjoy the songs themselves, sure, but it doesn’t hit the way current pop does. That is obviously a sign of the evolution of popular music, and how in 2009, this WAS the current and future style. You could call the xx pioneers for this type of pop/electronic music. That is why this record is so highly regarded. Listening in 2022 provides a different perspective.
Intro is the best intro song of all time. There I said it. It's also the best song of the album, pity that its less than 3 mins, but then again it leaves you wanting more. When this debut album from The xx was first released I thought it was Everything But the Girl for the aughts, it captured the zeitgiest of the time perfectly: spare, subdued, melancholic, minimalist and disaffected vocals. 13 years later the world has changed and this unfortunately sounds somewhat dated.
Atmospheric indie with an extra dose of melancholy. I like the simple guitar work, which creates a moody vibe and reminds me a bit of the Cure at times. If you're going to pull off an album so sparse, you need good song-writing and exceptional vocals (like Beth Gibbons for example). The song-writing is pretty good and a few of the earlier tracks stand out. I was familiar with a remix of "Crystalized", which I quite liked. The female vocals by Romy Madley Croft are okay, but Oliver Sim's vocals bog the album down.
There were a few songs like Crystalised and Intro that have tempo and are really good. On the other hand the ambient songs are not so interesting and there sure are a lot of them.
Decent but iron-deficient. Minimalist to the point of approaching insubstantiality. Like a one-track tape of a Cure recording session. More dozy than dreamy. The biggest problem is that all the best hooks and grooves are cut off prematurely. There’s a likable modesty that avoids twee-ness (thank God) but never gets beyond or resolves the pleasant state of suspension it reaches on track after track. One wonders, for ex, how the undeniably (and inoffensively) groovy opener would sound like if left to fully expand and turn into, you know, a song. Similarly, “VCR” works as an homage to old tech, but the downside of that authenticity is that it risks sounding like an outdated video game (albeit one played by emo-tending lonelyhearts). Another ex: “Islands” raises the heart rate briefly and then, well, ends. The best hooks on the entire record – as on “Night Time” – need (and deserve) more space and time, too. The overall effect is awfully ‘80s – who else wants Bronson Pinchot or Griffin Dunne to star in a movie to which this is the soundtrack? The record merely interests, never impels. 3.1 (but only for pro-genre bias) / 3.
Confer toutes les critiques d'albums classés Post Erasmus Indie déjà générés par Robert.
Listened to on 5/23/22 3/5 Favorite song: intro Very indie and intimate with lots of random pauses in the songs - the intro is great though
I liked the first track, but went downhill from there. Possibly a bit too minimalist for me, but I think my biggest issue is that it sounds like they just couldn't be bothered putting in any effort when recording it. I realise that is part of their style, but the vocals in particular are so lacklustre that it really puts me off. And all the delay and reverb can't cover up the fact that the guitars just don't sound very good. Comes across as very pretentious. They couldn't be bothered with it, and neither can I.
Bad album imo. The singing is not my thing. Sounds like someone got a delay pedal for birthday.
One of the most overrated bands/albums out there. Everything after the great "Intro" feels like a betrayal. This album is just a snoozer. I mean, it's fine. It sounds good enough. It's nice sleepy time music. But the place this band holds as these ultimate indie legends is total BS in my opinion.
Mainstream lackadaisical bullshit. Tired, worn-out vocals and minimalist, echo-ridden electronic.
Ok enough. Little energy or memorable songs but fine enough play in the background musico
Really? I thought maybe I was just sick of the one song from this album I always heard on that radio but it turns out the whole album sounds like that one song and I don't really care for it.
Ja ist denn das Mothership im Wald gelandet? Offenbar schon, denn unüberhörbar hat man sich direkt im Intro schon eng an der Sound-Ästhetik der frühen Cure bedient. Sparsam geht's dann weiter, aber wärmer, gefühliger. Millenialiger halt: Grenzen verwischen, Emotionen zulassen und trotzdem on top of things bleiben. Romy und Oliver singen mit offenem Visier, bleiben verletzlich und wirken, vielleicht genau deshalb, irgendwie ein bisschen unbesiegbar. Mir, und da sind wir wieder im Forest, gefallen die atmosphärisch halligen Nummern am besten, z.B. Fantasy und direkt danach Shelter, oder auch "Night Time". Am wenigsten anfangen kann ich mit den "schnelleren" oder poppigeren Nummern wie z.B. Crystalised, dem Hit der mir einfach zu blutleer und energielos ist, oder Infinity mit seiner Chris-Isaac-Gitarre. Und das wäre auch mein genereller Kritikpunkt am Album: es erscheint einfach viel zu oft viel zu luschig und zu lau. Funktioniert für mich bei langsamen Nummern gut - aber halt auch nur da. Bei den anderen ist es schon provokant lahm, und da fehlt dann wiederum mir die Energie. Insgesamt kann ich mir gut vorstellen, dass das hier in seiner prototypischen Zehnerjahre-Hipsterigkeit sehr kurz davor ist (oder wahrscheinlich auch schon längst passiert, ich kenn mich da nicht mehr so aus) ins Style-Abseits zu driften - als has-been-Sound der Ex-Kids, denen gegenüber James Murphy damals seine Edge verloren hat, und die ihrerseits nun Anschluss suchen an junge Leute, die in sparsam designeten Coffee Shops öffentlich ihre Langeweile zelebrieren durch wahnsinnig angeregter Schwaadlapperei über serious next level Shit beim Ansetzen von 2 Litern Cold Brew. 2,4
Some melodic tunes. Its so minimalist that some songs sound like demos. Too floaty for me.
Appreciate the minimalism but the mood and inflection stays so flat. Somehow weirdly comes across as both emotionally distant and melodramatic at the same time. Nothing really bothered me but I can't say I enjoyed it... Actually this started to annoy me around the second half of the record. Sounds like a woman numbed up on pain killers having a moaning session with a lovesick zombie.
De las cosas más sobrevaloradas y aburridas que he escuchado. Por ahí medio soporto un par de momentos, pero jamás como para tenerlo en mi música. Siento que todo se les va en una introducción exagerada y ultra decorada, capas y capas de ambientes y detalles y al final no pasa nada. Y lo peor, creo, es que este disco es lo que pasa como "lo que debes oír antes de morir" para esa época que creo que tiene mejores cosas.
He intentado escuchar con atención este disco 4 veces en mi vida, en distintos años, terminando siempre con las mismas ideas: no es para mi, suena bien hecho, me mata del aburrimiento. Me gustaría poder dar una mejor reseña pero en verdad no puedo procesarlos. Quizá algún día lo logre. Songs: Es la misma siempre.
Sparse electronic instrumentation over whispered or mumbled lyrics. Late light vibe. Pretty enough, but for me as flavourless and insubstantial as a soap bubble.
I almost cried when I saw this because I thought it was an Ed Sheeran record. Luckily, it wasn't. The record starts off with an Intro and another track that I just didn't care for. The guitar riffs on "Crystalised" are great - they make the track very interesting compared to the first two tracks. The sound is very minimalist - use of simple 808s, laid-back, breathy vocals, and basic guitar/bass riffs and occasionally (if you're lucky) they bring in a piano. The unfortunate thing is that this type of sound is pretty forgettable as I can't remember a single song from the early 2010s that sounded like this and that I consider to be a classic. "Heart Skipped a Beat" was decent - I enjoyed the beat, the guitar riffs that build as the track continues on, and the payoff is quite great at the end of the track. "Shelter" did not deliver on the buildup provided on "Fantasy" which felt a lot like an interlude. It was pretty forgettable and uninteresting all the way through. This album is filled with highs and lows. However, because the sound is so streamlined, the highs and lows really don't make much of an impact anyways. I can't deny the influence this record has had on the music industry. It's minimalist sound is quite endearing in some ways. However, it's just very forgettable. There are some good tracks on this record, there are some bad ones, but overall it just feels boring and unimaginative. I give this record a 5/10.
eh. I was looking forward to this one and I like the way it starts off. Appropriately enough..."Intro" - seemed to want to set up the album in a mysterious way... ...but this album doesn't *go* anywhere. It's like a demo version of collected soft Interpol B-sides with terrifically soft (weak?) vocals. And it just kept going like that. And going. It's melodic enough for sure, but it absolutely never swings at all. And I guess there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. But there was also nothing at all that ever caught me; dammit, I just wanted it to $#%!ng kick at any time. Just once! But these vocals man... "Infinity" - now there's an appropriate title - *give it up* already. Too bedroom-emo-mumbly for me to like. Frankly it sounds like a demo and to be honest this one was frustrating as hell for me because rather than outright hate it (like I do with a band like Pixies or gd Velvet fng Underground) I kind of feel that most of these songs could or would or should be really good! ...if recorded by another band. 3/10 2 stars.
at first it was just boring but towards the end nothing could happen and it just kind of got bad
Apologies to fans of this type of indie music it’s boring as hell though and doesn’t sound good in my opinion
Disappointed. The classic intro I know doesn't compare to the rest. Strange, low key vocals.
It's a bit bland. Didn't finish it, listened in a social setting so didn't play close attention. Very simple and samey
Like The Pleasure Principle, the recurring backing track got a bit boring after a while.
Boring, lack of variation and feeling, would be good elevator music. Intro is great though and I like the atmospheric vibes of the album.
This was the blandest thing I've listened to in a while. I couldn't even muster up the energy to totally hate it. What a lifeless, dull, boring piece of indie "rock". 2/5.
tbh not that good im not a fan of the genre couple of songs i added to my liked but just to give the album a second chance whole type of music and themes not really for me
I cannot process the conceptual absurdity of having a band called The xx and titling the debut album XX but then only putting one X on the cover. Oh, the quirkiness of it all! *eyeroll* What a gamble someone would take buying this album without knowing the band first. Stark black and white, one X. Could be anything, any genre. Imagine buying it, taking it home, putting it on and then what actually comes out of it is just more watered down unoriginal indie? Not knowing this band beforehand, I personally expected something edgier. It's fine. I just never got into that whispery electronic indie guy-girl singer thing that boomed in the late 00's. It's flash in the pan stuff that doesn't have the musical staying power I need.
Didn't love this one. It was fine but not that entertaining. The songs didn't really grab me at all. The intro has the most listens as it's some tiktok song. I did give this a few listens though. Just not my jam.
Insanely boring. Usually, I’m a fan of slower music but this wasn’t it. It was intolerable at points. The lackluster music and the singing (which I honestly could not stand) made this such a difficult album to get through. I really wanted to like it but I just couldn’t bring myself to enjoy it.
Is this really an important album anywhere in the world? 2000's years have so many good songs, but this one is just boring...
Disappointing after the first track. That was all I knew of The xx, and was excited to listen through the album. The rest of it falls short, unfortunately.
No, lo siento, de verdad lo intenté. No conocía al grupo, no tengo ningún cargo extra anterior sobre pensar que estén o no sobrevalorados ni sabía de su grado de fama. Entiendo lo que quieren hacer hasta cierto grado, hacer una música minimalista, susurrada y que se sienta digamos hasta cierto punto erótica y personal. En mi gusto fallan tremendamente, termina siendo una colección se música ambiental mal producida cantada sin afecto alguno y se siente tal cual como un disco "mal hecho." Como mencionaba entiendo hasta cierto punto quizá el por qué hay a quienes les ha llamado la atención sobre todo en ese público que se siente que debe estar más avanzado que los demás (llamémosles hipsters por facilidad) pero en mi opinión lo que quieren expresar se queda perdido en un disco que simplemente suena mal musical y vocalmente. Parece gracia pero es correcto, esa primera canción que parece prólogo y no lleva a nada es tanto la mejor del disco como el más claro reflejo del álbum completo.
I'll give it another listen today, but this is one of the most boring albums I've ever heard.. yeah I tried. Still awful...
Endless quantities of horrible lo-fi indie bedroom music have come out since the mid 2010s that sound just like this. Yuck. It comes across as so devoid of soul and talent. The entire album could've been written by selecting default backing tracks in GarageBand. The girl's voice is basic and bland, but it's nothing compared to the cringe-inducing terror that is the guy's voice. Plus the guitar is so simplistic it hurts, literally the most basic guitar playing I've heard on this entire 1001 list.
Top 10 favorite albums. Need to listen to it more often.
A bit slow for my taste Very vibey The woman has a beautiful voice Gives me a kinda poignant vibe
Chill indie vibes, sounds more recent than 2009. Not something I would listen to often
Oh, so "Intro" is actually the album intro. That makes sense. I don't think it was a song from this album, but remember that time they did that guitar dance on SNL?