xx

Eerily beautiful

very pleasant minimalistic music, ended up listening to the album like 4 times again Significant 42/132 Liked 21/132 Added 6/132 YYY

Intro is so good. But I never return to the rest of the album because I remember it as a let down compared to that song. Being “forced” to revisit it, I found a lot to love. Like a 4.5, decided to round up.

Love this album, pretty good vibes all around. I had heard like 75% of this album in various places already, and I still really enjoyed it again. Intro is a classic.

Es la ostia

HELL YES.

I really liked the vibe of the album! I loved the sound design; it felt so immersive. And I also liked how most of the songs were duets, which isn’t common enough in pop music. I will definitely be listening to more by the xx in the future!

Nostalgic. Modern Classic. Iconic. Sparse instrumentation gives room for sounds to breathe in a surprisingly lush atmosphere. Have listened to the whole thing countless times to where memories and certain songs have become inseparable. Will never not love this album and even with some imperfections, still 5/5 for me

Wow! Loved this record! Listened to it twice. Will add to my collection.

Very electronic sounding and minimal

A really chill simple minimalistic album I've already known before. It's kind of drowsy vibe is in a way it's kind of trippy and dreamy. Was really easy falling asleep to the gentle melodies. I understand why some people might not particularly enjoy this type of music and it's minimalism, but I personally really like it. Intro and Crystalized are the classics, but the rest is really nice as well. 9/10

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - 2009 was the best year for indie rock ever. This album is a perfect example. Such a unique, fully realized sound. This album is so chill and sexy. I still spin it regularly to this day.

This might seem like a weird story, but I’m gonna put this in anyway. I first heard a song by The xx when I listened to a 2000s indie playlist on Apple Music. The song of choice? “Crystalised”. It was a pretty nice song, and I listened to it almost every time I listened to that playlist. I loved that song from the first moment I heard it. Now, we go to Thanksgiving of last year. I’m in an airport with my parents and bored out of my mind trying to wait for our flight. I hear a song that seems familiar to me. It’s almost like I’ve heard it before. I said to myself, “Is this ‘Heart Skipped A Beat’ by The xx?” I Shazammed the song before realizing I was right! I guess I’d heard the guitar riff or something somewhere else. This album was a phenomenal listen. I love how there’s interplay between the vocalists, and everything sounds so smooth yet minimalist. Will I listen to this again? 100% yes. 5/5 Fav: Heart Skipped a Beat, VCR Least Fav: I have none.

first favorite album of 2024 :)

A lot of music from this era (2009) doesn’t hold up - but this album is still amazing after all of these years. Love Jamie xx’s voice

I LOVE IT

One of the bests albums.

one of my fav dream pop rock albums

Nice indie dance!!!!

Oh, this album brings back some memories! Haven’t listen to it in a while and found out I still like it. Super chill vibes!

Fucking great!

Really enjoyed this.

I have been a big fan of The XX since first hearing them. Love the mellow vibe of this album.

Was good reminded me of the cranberries

Loved it

Beautiful monogamous music. Bill considers this sexy Brit pop far removed from a band like Beach House. I saw them as more similar.

So good...

Fantastic!

I think this is my favourite low-fi, chill album. The songs just flow perfectly throughout the record, strengthen by smooth voices of both vocalists. But the real pleasure is the legendary now intro. There has been a time I could listen to it on a loop for few hours, just perfect combination of melancholy and anticipation. Great album, amazing band.

Tosi siistiä atmosfääristä indierockia. Parhaat: Heart Skipped a Beat

Smooth and melancholic

Nice expanded view on a great staple from the 90s

Ist und bleibt einfach eins der Top 100 Alben ever.

another one where I'm really glad that I listened to it. I did not know the band before!

This is kind of my jam. I have listened to the XX often as they tend to come up when I let my player continue to play similar music as somethng else I have chosen. It's not really groundbreaking music, but I like it a lot.

classic

Rigged lights to this

If it were possible to wear out an mp3 from overplaying it, I would have worn out this album in college. “Intro” in particular is a song I would play on repeat. Amazing for a band to have such a unique, stylized sound and know exactly who they are right from the start. I said this about the xx album “I See You” and it’s true about this one too: None of these songs are club songs or dance songs but they borrow elements of that music. The songs sound like synth-pop tracks that have been refracted through a prism and beamed across a room. And in the process, half the information went missing. They’ve been reduced down to something much more minimal but they still have that feel. I never thought this before but doesn’t “Infinity” almost sound like a Roy Orbison song? Something about that strummed guitar chord has that dramatic country western sound. The difference of course is that even in the emotional climax, the xx sing in a hushed whisper when Orbison would have belted it. But I think there’s a shared musical DNA there. When you think about sexy music, you don't usually think about emotional vulnerability. But the xx infuse that tender, intimate feeling into every song. It makes the music feel very close and personal. Impeccable production and excellent songwriting. Great debut album and a great album overall.

This album was hyped for me before I heard it, with a lot of friends / internet messageboard people saying that it's an instant classic. Usually I don't deal with music getting overhyped well, I tend to feel some unwarranted and forced innate rebellion and have some bad reaction pre-loaded, like "well I'll have to see about that". This album didn't take very long for me to see it's greatness however. It's jam packed with good songs, it's super consistent, it's dynamic, it brings new ideas, and it's the definition of moody and cool. So much of the music has this sexy feel to it and some songs (like "Infinity") feel like a back and forth tease that repeats over and over. It feels like every other phrase on the record is some variation of "give it to you". In fact, I can't really think about this album without thinking about the sexual vibes it gives off. I don't think I'll ever get sick of this album. Easy 5/5 and probably inside of my top~20 albums of all time. How great is this album cover too? I love the simplicity.

The xx bring you into their world - mostly quiet and whispered thoughts and desires. Somewhat unique at the time, they allowed space and silence into their songs instead of overstuffing the production. Especially in the late 2000s, it's impressive that they created such a unique sound, really unlike anything else before it or at the time.

I mean... It's a modern classic. I love it and have loved it since I was 14. Great everything, no notes, no crumbs left

Already know it

Se prête bien aux tectonics

se prête bien au train au petit matin

After not thinking I knew this band, I recognized the "Intro" track right away as one that plays frequently on my Pandora channel. The rest I wasn't so familiar with, but I loved loved the mellow, dreamy vibe and dual vocals. This is an album I'd be very happy to keep listening to.

amazing

Solid lofi dark bliss

OH ITS ACTUALLY GOOD!!

Iconic indie album

Soft 5 but just dank

Banger, really had me going

Great indie album I've listened to so many times before. Love the mellow vocalization and electonic hooks. Not perfect, it finishes weak, but good enough for a 5. Repeats: intro, vcr, crystallized, islands, basic space Skips: fantasy, shelter

Y'know, I don't need any more albums by them. But this one is pretty perfect.

Loved it. Will look for more

А вот здесь 2 первых песни -- 2 хита, но затем треки идут довольно блекло. Долго думал, но все-таки поставлю 5 -- в целом оставшиеся треки не катастрофа, просто норм. Но intro и crystalised -- 2 хитяры.

plena este disco si es joyita super entretenido de escuchar lqm a este disco la verdad la canción 4 joyita la 1 iconic la 7 bellisima pipipipi megustamucho

Only had time to listen once, but this is one of the few albums I had already listened to many times and I already love it. 4.6/5

Intro is an all time great for me

Fucking love this album

Classic for us as teens

I never knew of this till I found it! Loved it~

Intro and Crystallised are both songs I've heard of before and loved. I enjoyed listening to the rest of the album they come from, I really like the style of all the songs.

Awww another big beautiful fave album of mine already. I don't even know which is my favourite because I love so many. Such a dreamy, sad, sleepy album - idk people say it's boring but I love it and I will always love it. Nostalgic and reminds me of being a teen.

Super good! Takes me back to high school. Nice vibe

Amazing and right at the correct time

I liked it a lot, it sounded very familiar but I don't know why. Beautiful vocals and atmosphere.

'Intro', the iconic intro track of this album is an amazing track that will and has been used for a lot of pop culture. This track in itselfs deserves a 5/5. This album is one helluva debut for their careers. Amazing record. 5/5

Surprisingly really good

Loved it, soft, polished

Great indie, does a lot with a little

As a lonely middle class girl from the mid 2000's, this SLAPS.

I saw someone rate this album as incredibly uninspiring with Intro as the only good song. Insane how much I disagree with them. This was just art all the way through, maybe not the strongest 5 I've given (like Parklife) but I do think its much better than all of the 4s Ive given that I can remember Ive listened to Intro, Crystalised and Islands way too many times throughout the years and I will continue but perhaps add other songs from this album into the mix. I was introduced to The xx through reckfuls stream. Man I miss him so much

Pretty cool. This album had the song I have been looking for which is Intro. This song gets used as a transition between multiple shows on 104.5 and Alt Nation.

A brilliant album, so mellow and chilled it’s a cliché. Some crazy lyrics that still make sense and beautifully sang, these 2 have excellent voices. Some awesome dark bass for those with a good stereo. I like it a lot x

Love this album

I love this album. Remember buying it when it came out and sharing it with anyone who would listen. Sparse vocal and bass forward songs, almost ethereal.

Great studying

the perfect album...masterpiece!!!!

Awww yeah, excited to listen to this one after loving The Boards of Canada. Intro is an all time song. Overall this is more indie/folky than BoC, but it just feels similar. If Elon Musk could create a band he would name it The xx. This is such a chill album. I would hypothetically take mushrooms and listen to this on the beach in North Carolina next week. I haven't listened to this album in full before, but I certainly recognized many songs from it. This album is great, no real low points and plenty of high points. It's also a unique album in that I wouldn't really put it on for a group of people, but it's a great solo listen. Stars to end the whole album is perfect. It has incredible production with those booming bass notes. This is a sneaky 5.

Omg, I already liked the first songs but then Crystalised came and I already loveee this song but didn’t recognise it at first. So happy to find out this song is part of something bigger and I love this total piece. 4,7

classic nice

A revelation when it came out. Melancholic minimalism. Jamie xx is one of defining artists of the 2010s. Apart from the xx I love his Gil Scott Heron album, his solo album and his production in general. The xx are great live as well.

Great moody indie bullshit. 5 stars.

Heerlijk album, origineel, invloedrijk en goed luisterbaar.

Fantastic album. Blew me away when I first heard by how atmospheric and minimal the sound was. Such a great mood setter. 4.5/5

This is one of my fave albums.

This is 100% based on the music but the xx are one of the top bands that seem like they'd absolutely hate me.

Genoten

Beautiful bedroom pop. So minimalist and sparse, with just the right touch of everything. The interplay of the vocals, the simple guitar melodies, the subtle production - it all blends together so well. Something about this album sounds so timeless, like 50 years from now it will still sound fresh, but I also can’t believe it’s already 14 years old. The songs also have a great cohesiveness, where each sounds distinct but also closely connected to all the others in sound and feeling. I feel weird giving this a 5 since it’s so recent, but it really is flawless.

One of my very favourites and without doubt their best album so far. I’d not really heard anything like it at the time and I knew from the moment Intro started that it was a bit of me. Proper Nighttime car album this

Zalige plaat

Would listen again

know the first song - pretty good!

Really enjoyed this. Like the male/female voice duet. On the re-listen list

I think I’ve heard the intro in my dreams. I really enjoyed the intense simplicity of this album. Really fucking cool.

Youth

I didn’t know what to expect from this Album, but it really surprised me, loved it

great

Classic in minimal pop music, in the tradition of Cocteau Twins, Young marble Giants. Their voices match perfectly too. Live they are equally brilliant.

Oh my god, this took me back to 2014 when I couldn't scroll 5 posts down my Tumblr dashboard before seeing that "X" logo. But seriously, this is a beautiful album, that intro alone is iconic. I feel of all the "Tumblr-core" music, The xx and their impact goes a bit unappreciated at times but there's no doubt their impact was pretty huge.

Good. Easy to listen to and has some good bass

I love this album. It's easily one of my favorite things to re-listen to. The vocals are great, it's well produced, and the instrumentation is great too. Just a wonderful album from start to finish.

No notes, five 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.

Delightful surprise.

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.

Very good

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

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

Ja heel dik, 5*

The xx is soul of our generation.

Increíble

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.

There's something magical about the combination of the dreamy vocals and the slightly distorted, echoey instrumentals. I love this album.

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.

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.

Awesome album! I love this artist!

I remember when this dropped it absolutely blew my mind. I still think that is the case. Heart Skipped a beat is the best track and it is still just white hot for me. There is something so seductive and sexy about this whole album, its spare angsty duets. Shelter is another track that I just LOVE. The lyrics, her raspy voice. It's all a treat. The minor piano chords, the pacing, the tension. You can cut it with a knife.

This feels like a trip down a highway on a summer night not affected by climate change, windows down,

Minimalist electro with deep tones & sleepy vocals. I had forgotten how great this album is. Excellent listen.

Great listen chill and enjoyable!

Top album, veel gedraaid!

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!

Fantastic indie rock album. A must listen

When I rated the other xx album on here I said that I hadn't listened to this one. But that was wrong because this album has been on high rotation over the years I just never made the connection. An easy 5 stars, I just love the way the vocals interwine and the laid back vibes of the music.

So soft and relaxing you could completely dissolve into this album. Love it. Not so complicate but still satysfying.

This album is very good. Always a pleasure to listen to it.

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

Brilliant stuff, moody yet detached.

Loved the album. Suitable for long drives and romantic encounters.

The Intro Is Eternal. Belfarcha I Was Always Looking For It, Never Thought It Was Called INTRO Hhhhhh

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.

Rating: 10/10

Sexy

Great album to chill to. Love it

Possibly on of my favorite albums in the last 20 or 30 years easy.

😍

Eu ainda fico esperando a Rihanna entrar quando escuto a intro desse aqui

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.

não achei que ia gostar mas gostei!

masterpiece, one of the best intros I know, I love every single song

4.5, slightly closer to 5

My favorite middle school make-out album

liebe das album! schon sooo oft gehört. lieblingsnummern crystalised und islands

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 :-) )

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.

Great album with immaculate production. The guitar licks are so identifiable.

I absolutely love this album. I’d give it ten out of ten if possible.

track 1 and 2 were great

I'd like to give this one 5 stars. So i will.

Beautiful

Atmospheric as fuck

very nice good. 2009 in a very good way

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.

Alt J, The xx and London Grammar all very important in my formative years

Sweet, dreamy, indie pop. Loved it.

Another new band for me. Really seem to love this dream pop genre.

Great intro record for a band with a unique sound.

I liked it! Unique and good sound. Good vocals. Would definitely listen again. The songs that automatically played after were cool too.

Great Introduction. It’s currently the artists most streamed song on Spotify, rightly so. Simplistic instrumentals, but smooth flowing. Mellow.

Sparse and atmospheric

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.

Muy corto .. Pero un cinco que le doy.

Heard it before. Very unique use of bass. Well put together, the whole album has a "flow" feeling

Lo escuche cuando salio, 10 puntos, excelente de principio a fin.

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

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.

A very 2000s album.

I've been tuned in to this since Project X. cmon man, everyone should know this album.

Love It 💕

Great album

Really loved this album, some of the songs are similar but it all blends together wonderfully.

Great album

VERY GOOD, LOVED IT

Exxcellent album. Bunch of goths

Xxcellent

Gran álbum

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.

Make out music for sure

Really nice, chill music

XXXXXXXXXX

A fantastic album. Nice and nostalgic

4.6

Loved it.

I can tell why many people are not too fond of this album. I personally prefer their 2017 album to this one. A less gentle take than the one I have is that it’s boring or too samey. To me it’s moody and more ambient music. It’s like the soundtrack of alternative 2010s “no labels” kind of kids. I mean, look at it: the name of the band, the album and even the cover itself look like templates for a yet to be defined name and image. It’s a more experimental listen, it has some Chris Isaak vibes sometimes. Both of their voices are well suited for the type of music they are making.

Lovely dreamy, melancholic atmosphere. Heard this album before years ago I think

Such a strong start but does fade a bit later on

Bra. Introt är fantastiskt och ger rysningar. Flera bra låtar men det blir lite samma till slut tyvärr .

Logically I should hate this album, but idk the minimalist electropop thing xx has going on is low-key without being boring. Pleasantly surprised.

A nice, top-heavy (as in the best tracks are at the start) hype album. This really gets your blood flowing through the first few tracks. Top tracks: "Intro," "Islands," "VCR," "Crystalised"

--Intro...buttery smooth --VCR...pleasant and inoffensive --Crystalised...cool call and response romantic pop. simple but effective guitar --Islands...the vibes and instruments stay mostly the same but this group are keeping things fresh with interesting hooks --Heart Skipped a Beat...young lovers too immature to deal with their feelings. this is a compliment. feels authentic --Fantasy...spacey diversion with a nice, fat low end --Shelter...the emotions feel real and this fits the vibe, but it's too sparse. missing something --Basic Space...bringing a little funk without breaking the atmosphere. impressive --Infinity...basically Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game". not a complaint --Night Time...fun guitar and drums after a rough start. things are getting samey but we're almost done --Stars...more immature teenage love stuff (laudatory). this could come off as cringy to some but there's something about the combination of the overly emotional lyrics with the total vocal detachment that rings true to me. probably a millennial thing

(Light 7/10) The very sparse instrumentation and whisper quiet singing makes this album sound very lonely and desolate. The vibe is cool, but sometimes it feels like that's the only thing it has going for it.

es muy tranca para mí

first time listening to this. it was the perfect vibe for the grey morning spent in a coffee shop with noise cancelling headphones cranking through some work

I appreciated this more than I thought I would. I always felt the singers were hanging on a bit (I still do to an extent). But sometimes the off putting fusion of digital and analogue just works?

I really enjoyed this one. Chill vibe. Cool guitar. Great atmosphere. Want to hear more from this band after this. 4/5

The XX were big for a while but I never really checked them out. I’m sure I’ll recognize some songs but this will be a new album listen for me. It’s got that indie rock of the late 2000s/early 2010s vibe. Some dream pop Beach House vibes. Really liked VCR, feel like I know that song. Like a lot of the front side of this album. Kinda lost track between songs as I was just listening and enjoying. The guitars remind me of Friday Night Lights songs at times. Similar vibes. This is really good. It’s probably a 4 from me.

Great album which especially made a big impression on when performed live. The deepness of the bass really filled the venue. An experience which is not easy to copy in a living room setting. But nonetheless the album still stands as living room music. The diversity of the whole album is not really great, just songs around the same concept.

A more mellow Of Monsters and Men

It's soothing, calming and actually lovely, I needed something like this today.

Did not know this band’s music at all…or so I thought. Seems they have some tunes that people like to use as background to video pieces! Interesting stuff, but not a massive fan of the male vocal. Ambient indie. Will be checking out more!

That first three run is phenomenal, after that still great, but less

Hadn't listened to this before but I recognised Intro of course. And more broadly I have heard the influence of this album. It feels like this is the blueprint for a lot of indie/mainstream pop of the 2010s, though maybe I'm wrong on that front. This album in particular, though, fits very neatly in the cultural zone of early 2010s student life in England a la Fresh Meat, Facebook, fluorescent paint etc. I'm not old enough to have hands on experience with that but it's a comforting vibe anyway.

Decent album.

l'intro bien youtube

#82 Moody, atmospheric, and relaxed indie dream-pop. I've heard a few of these songs over the years, nice to hear the whole album now. Highlights: Intro, Crystalized , Islands

This album was good but I do think that I See You is just a better album maybe as it just has more catchy songs on it. Have not listened to Coexist yet so not sure how it ranks against these two.

I don't know if I'll be giving every album the same rating, while I did like the album I didn't like 2 songs so maybe a 5 star for me would be one where I like every song. Overall the album felt calm in a good way of course. I will say however a lot of the time I am playing a game in the background while I listen to these albums so I obviously do not become fully immersed in what is playing therefore perhaps I'll come back to some of these and rate them again in the future!

LOVE INTRO!!

Pretty great. Really cool downtempo stuff. I’m a fan.

Très bon, j’avais jamais pris le temps de me poser pour écouter l’album au complet. J’aurais du le faire plus tôt, j’aurais beaucoup plus enjoy leur show à Osheaga 2026

nice indy

Déjà écouté avant. Une pépite de pop indé, qui va au bout de sa logique minimaliste : quelques notes de guitare, une basse mécanique, des voix tout en détachement, des beats électroniques glaciaux, une utilisation des silences et des pauses tout en subtilité... Il n'en faut pas plus à The xx pour imposer un son qui ne ressemble à l'époque à pas grand chose d'autre, et livrer un album d'ambiance d'une rare beauté, atmosphère extérieur nuit, Londres sous la pluie. Bien sûr, le minimalisme a ses limites et peut finir par être répétitif, et xx n'échappe pas à ce travers, mais sa concision (moins de 40 minutes) évite que ça ne devienne réellement un problème. Du tout bon, en somme, dont on retrouve l'empreinte chez de nombreux artistes jusqu'à aujourd'hui, et ça n'est pas un hasard. Top : Crystalised Flop : Fantasy

This is the kind of chill music I like to listen to while at work or relaxing. I only knew the song Intro so it was nice to listen to the rest. Immediately add to my library.

vibey. takes me back to high school.

This album captures a mood in the mid 2010s that I could not really verbalize. It’s a magical time of in between life stages, with an interesting balance of freedom, obligations, and dreams. Music wise it is incredibly pleasing, even without the emotional implications. 4/5

It's good. but definitely not my favorite. It's got a nice atmosphere, but I think other albums do it better. I'd say it's a mid 4, because I still like a handful of songs.

Very chill/lowkey

Really glad to see The XX hit this list. A friend introduced this album to me years back and it became a hit within our group pretty quickly. I understand why it is classified as indie-rock / indie-pop, but it seems like it released right as a new wave of the genre was emerging with dark electronic beat production as the baseline of the backing tracks. Maybe I'm overlooking it but it seems like this trend has been gaining traction over the past 10 years and maybe XX had some influence on that. Not sure exactly what to call it but there are a handful of other artists that have a similar approach that it's hard for me to just lump into indie rock. Seems like I need a new genre qualifier to be established at some point. For what it is worth I find XX debut album to be solid from pretty much the opening notes on Intro all the way through the end of Stars. The first half of the album is an amazing 20-minute album side, that has the best songs and serves as a perfect nighttime listen when trying to wind down or calm the mood a bit. I'm glad the XX have some lasting success and are considered a bit of an indie darling among critics. I've seen them live a couple of times and one of their shows is among my favorite concerts of all time. 3.89 stars

This is the kind of stuff that gives me the shivers. Girl/boy tender vocals, cold, isolated production, warm guitar and bass riffs, electronic beats, and romantic yet heartbreaking lyrics. The first 8 tracks are a masterclass in dynamics and minimalist production, with very similar "bedroom" engineering that Joe Meek was doing 4 decades prior. I simply adored how this sounded 15 years ago, and still love it today. They truly captured the the naïveté of being young and full of hope but growing up and realizing how fleeting it can be. I suppose if you're not touched by that, you're probably not really listening to the album at all or not allowing yourself to have an emotional reaction. I'd normally give this a 5 but it does run out of gas and gets a bit repetitive by the end. 4.5 stars simply because to this day I've never heard anything like this release.

Would do well on a melancholy indie playlist. Very pleasant and muted.

Really liked the ambiance of it, sounded like dreamy pop. Wouldnt listen to it on a daily basis but was a fresh air from just being purely lyrics focused.

This was significantly better than expected. 3.5 but i want to give it another try.

❌️ great singing ❌️ great musicianship ✅️ groundbreaking indie record

Intro starts out so solid… the whole album is… maybe I should have gone to their day at lolla?? I mean, I would have skipped Tate McKrae to see them. 4.3

This was a pleasant surprise. Chill, understated, and beautiful. Definitely a specific vibe, but I enjoyed it. 7/10 Quite Likeable

2/5 a decir verdad no es de mi gusto y ya

I remember listening to this album in college. I was familiar with "Intro," and thought that if it was so good, I ought to check the rest of the album out as well. I was a little disappointed by what followed. I've revisited this album a few times in the years since, and my appreciation for the rest of the album has grown quite a bit in that time. It is relaxed and almost lazy (in a good way). The intro is still kind of the show-stealer, but there isn't a bad track on the album, just a few that I wish had a touch more to them. And there are some really great tracks in addition to that, like "Infinity," which I have also liked since the first time I heard it. It's a really good album that is so close to greatness, and unfortunately those moments of greatness make the less interesting tracks stand out more. Favorite track(s): "Intro" and "Infinity"

really good!

- this is the first one where i've actually listened to this album?

𝘹𝘹 is less dreamy than many similar albums from the era, but that works in its favour. The music is sparse, intimate, and built around quiet tension rather than lush atmosphere. The restrained vocals and minimal arrangements take a little time to unfold, but the album remains consistently engaging. It never pushes too hard, yet it has a distinctive mood that kept me listening.

i liked it

The XX are a vibe. It was surprising to me how well these songs translate into the live setting. At Coachella they played the main stage and fully occupied the stage although the three of them seem disconnected they are in fact very connected musically. Romy Madley Croft plays guitar delicately such that the vocal interplay between her and Oliver Sim is fluid and flawless. Jamie XX’s drumming and production are the glue that keeps the music from losing it’s connection with the listener. As albums go, it is an emotional listening experience particularly on songs like Crystalized and Islands which takes the foundation of beats and bass with guitar for largely atmosphere to wrap melancholic vocals around. Along with Intro and VCR the first four tracks are as good as any 1st four tracks on any record. There is a bit of a drop off in the middle as there is a sameness to the second half although closer stars is pretty good. Their sound is instantly recognizable although there are historical antecedents to this sound found in bands like Young Marble Giants, Mazzy Star and perhaps Portishead. First rate record that should be in every pop fan’s collection. If you have Cure records, you should be comfortable with this record along side. 4/5

Had no idea what to expect having never heard of the band before. Recognised some of the work as being used for TV, which surprised me. Quite a good album but probably wouldn’t play it at a party! 4

The opening beats of Intro open up you a dark sultry world of beautiful sounds. Doesn’t always have the songs to match the sound but still an engaging listen.

Pretty solid

UYYYY ME ENCANTA ESTE ALBUM. Yo ya lo escuché, pero estaba esperando que apareciera para reescucharlo.

Yeah I like this. The understated feel and disinterested vocals work with this style. It’s nice and chill and I recognised more numbers than I thought

Blir fryktelig nostalgisk av dette her. Jeg setter mer pris på The xx nå enn da det var nytt.

Deilig plate. Var en favoritt når den kom. Har kanskje ikke helt tålt tidens tann.

A good record. Each song has a little something that I like. Great production.

Its first half is stronger than the second, but I think this album deserves a place on this list based on influence alone. This is the album that brought the spotlight to bedroom pop, arguably one of the biggest movements in music of recent years. It’s a lovely album, I love the minimalist arrangement of VCR and the slightly ominous Intro.

It's a good album

Perfect album for having a nap on the train. Can see why it might be boring if you’re trying to do something else (but I wasn’t) Favourite song: Basic Space Least: Heart Skipped A Beat

Very chill album, reminds me of the Tumblr era (rip). I've never listened to all the songs, so it created a nice Friday soundtrack today. I have a feeling that I have to go back to it in Fall. No fun facts today I'm afraid :c

Solid album.

The simple and low-key feel of this album makes it feel like it could've come out in the early 80s, which is definitely a positive in my book. A very enjoyable record.

Very pretty. I can’t decide if it’s 3 am music or mid morning music but manages to be quiet but not boring.

If you were in the UK in the early to mid 2010s you will recognise half of these tracks solely from them being used in seemingly every other BBC trailer or ident. They won the Mercury Prize in 2009, with their sparse, understated style providing a contrast with a lot of the other music being released around that time. While their sound has been incorporated by a lot of other bands since, the album still sounds fresh, and the quality of songwriting is great, making for an enjoyable and somewhat nostalgic listen.

It's a good album

I actually quite dug the quiet simplistic sound

Interesting

One of my all time favorite live albums.

Acceptable and enjoyable

Half of this is all-timer, the rest is extremely pleasant. Such a specific sexy vibe!

One of the best albums of the 00’s. Fantastic album and nostalgic

Xx and chill. Ultimate shag album 😂😂 not quite sure it fits the morning commute but a classic anyways.

Big big nostalgia trip for me, The XX always seemed out on their own, a bit weird, doing their own gothic electric chill indie thing. I have a lot of time for this album, it’s atmospheric and you know you’re listening to the xx. I don’t think it’s my favourite of theirs but it’s a fantastic debut. 4/5 Best Song: Islands

Ok

I am biased, I love The XX. Used to listen them and Jamie XX (the producer) a ton in my 20's. The minimalist sound is intentional. Listen to Jamie XX's album "In Color" if your interested in understand the range of talent he has. One of the best intros to an album. The duets, the music, and the lyrics are simply beautiful. I used to blast "Fantasy" in my CRV to feel that bass. No other band sounds like them, and this album was an amazing launching point for the XX and Jamie XX.

Not usually my thing but I've always been a big fan of this album. Calming and minimalistic. Opened the door for 'In Colour' as well which was sick.

i thought it was pretty decent actually and was compelled to listen again

Gostoso de ouvir

I was aware of some of the songs because they were heavily played on 6 Music when they came out, bit this is my first proper listen. Turns out I like it a lot. The two voices working together are great, and I like the mix of electronicavand rock.

Very solid record, I feel like I would listen to it more if Jeep ads hadn't made it overplayed to me

Removed, why, who can say

Not bad, pretty different stuff. 4/5

erg chill, lekker voor uit het raam staren en niks doen

Good album, lots of recognizable songs starting right with their Intro which is their best of the album ha!

No idea who this is. The “X” thing is over used. I like this first track so far. This album feels more 90s than 2009. I’m enjoying this. On track two now. This is a really good album. It didn’t make me want to jot notes, but I would listen again. I would also be interested to see this band live.

Gran ambiente

На фон поставить мне нравится, некоторые песни были уже добавлены

I see a lot of people are calling this boring, and I understand that some may think that. But to me, this is a fantastic minimalistic album, very relaxing and chill. Favorite track(s) Intro Islands Shelter Night Time

Good brittle atmospheric electronica.

The opening bars set the tone for one of the most intimate electronic albums of the late '00s. Jamie's production along with Romy and Oliver...chef's kiss! VCR is so pretty. The diverging vocals that eventually coalesce in Crystalised is beautiful. This album is a full vibe of love and longing. I mean if you like echo-y sparse guitar and solid but subtle bass, this is certainly for you.

4/7

Great energy

After listening to this record I'm filled with both nostalgia for my teenage years and also a real warmth. The music produced here is simultaneous atmospheric, chilled and comforting - the songs feeling lke a hug from a friend. The vocals and minimalist instrumental work combine beautifully to produce the iconic xx sound. This is a brilliant album from start to finish!

First album out of 21 that I’d literally never heard of. But this was *awesome*. I love how they don’t feel a need to fill in the white space. Pensive, tight album. Very 2009. Loved it.

Mellow ambient. Liked it.

Very chill, good music to work to.

Lovely, low-fi electronic mood music. Almost sounds like it was recorded next to your ear.

I listened to this a lot when it came out. Lots of nice Melodies and catchy bits, well produced. Its only fault is that it’s kinda boring? But makes for a pleasant listen.

The xx - x Pleasantly surprised that I quite enjoyed this one. I always moan about modern music having so little space, but here we have nothing but sparse, echoey arrangenments where every note and beat is there for purpose. Shades of UK post punk, and bedroom indie - all the stuff I like. Amongst the tracks I went back to was the perfectly formed Intro, the Roy Orbison in a dark alley sounding VCR, the brooding duet Islands, and the build up and release of Infinity. Least fave were the slightly messy Crystalised and the close Stars which never really amounted to anything. Dabbled with the bonus tracks of the deluxe version and would quite happily never hear their version of Teardrops again 🤦 Do You Mind is a beauty though. A really lovely surprise 8.5/10

Yes!!!!!!!!!

Everyone’s heard the intro to this album. If you’re wondering whether the rest of the record sounds like that, the answer is: almost. Musically, it stays in the same lane — the electronica touches are tasteful, the guitar work is clean and minimal, and the whole thing feels like it’s drifting through a dimly lit room. The real highlight is the vocals. Romy and Oliver harmonize and blend like a friendship bracelet — simple threads woven into something quietly beautiful. Their voices never overpower the music; they just glide through it. The album is shorter than I expected, and the songs tend to blur together. It’s not always easy to tell where one track ends and the next begins, but that’s part of its charm and part of its limitation. It’s calming, floaty, and pleasant, but it didn’t grab me especially hard. My rating: 4/5

Hard to separate the nostalgia from my relisten of this.

I remember this being massive when it came out and it is a good album. It's a lovely melancholy vibe and nicely atmospheric. The dual vocals are quite cool as is the guitar playing. The strongest tracks are front-loaded which makes the second half a little bit of a comedown, though, so capping my rating at 4*

Grave sympa, pop rock un peu indie qui change

Je connaissais déjà; j’avais déjà l’album dans mes favoris ! Je trouve ça vraiment cool mais je mettrais pas 5/5 car c’est vraiment calme !

At this point this is a classic of indie music. The intro is iconic in a way few songs ever get to be, which is impressive that it has no words and just repeats simple motif for a few minutes. But simple works wonders when simple is good, which could basically be a slogan for this album. The mix is incredibly clean and the choice of having a producer instead of a more traditional drummer consistently works wonders. The heavy reverb on the guitars and the minimalistic electronic flourishes that pop in and out create a mood that is often replicated and the mix makes the band sound so supremely confident in their abilities. Is prefer a little more dynamic range than what's on offer with this album and the actual songwriting doesn't ever blow me away, but this is a really, really good listen.

Wat een verrassend leuke band is dit. Het grappige is dat ik hier op kantoor naar heb geluisterd. Eén collega vond het eentonig, een ander collega vond juist dat er veel variatie in zat. Ik vond het dus vooral verrassend 😃

Genuinely did not expect to enjoy this at all given the genre tags, but it kind of fucked? It feels understated, with touches of minimal synth and really emotionally affecting vocals and lyrics. Definitely the kind of album I never would've picked out myself, but I'm really happy I've listened to it!

Woo, what have we here? Nice. Dark and understated. Can't beat a bit of darkness and understatedness though. New Order-esque obvs but that's no bad thing.

A strong 4. This hit the indie scene like a bomb back in the day. They came out of nowhere with such a unique and specific approach and sound. Debuts where the band’s sound is fully formed and you immediately know it couldn’t be anyone else are fascinating. Their minimalist approach, spooky/dreamy/sexy songwriting and production, along with genius use of empty space, evoked so much tension and drama. A true classic.

Intro // Crystalised // Heart Skipped a Beat // Infinity // Night Time // 4.5/5

This is the first time that I think that I listened to this record in a concentrated manner, but I have seen them live at least once. This is a really beautiful record. This record has a fairly minimalist sound pallet of voice, bass, guitar, synth, and drum machine. It also has two vocalists, who at times exchange lines in the song. You can hear indie and post punk influences throughout, but those influences cohere into something that is distinctly their own. The Intro sets up the expectation that there is going to be more of a dance influence with this record, but that influence is tamped down once the record starts. The songs are strong and there is also a strong ambiance throughout the record. I'm being presented quite a few records from the aughts recently and its been at this point, pretty uniformly good.

Super impressive debut

Good Album!

I forgot how good this was. Minimal but very effective. Great vocals