xx

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.

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

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.

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

I recognized a couple of the tunes from this record, which was interesting, as I thought I had never heard of this band or anything from them. There is some potential here for sure. I'll have to listen further.

Love this album. Less is definitely more here!

Modern indie staple, so much vocal chemistry between Oliver and Romy

Their music is cool as hell and it's wild to me this came out almost 20 years ago.

Материал сольный Джейми люблю отдельно, хх банила из-за хайпа в начале десятых. Первый раз слушаю полностью их альбом. Первая половина прикольная, последняя треть нудная. 4,5 точно, но не 5.

хороший альбом, просто, красиво, ничего лишнего, приятный вокал, 4 или 4.5 не могу определиться

I remember back in 2010ish, when Pandora was a popular music streaming option, the xx would pop up somewhat frequently. At the time, I didn't really care for them. I think I found the music boring to my then musical tastes (which were not particularly into indie). Listening now, though... I really liked this album. It felt super intimate, like I was in the room with them as they were performing/recording. And that room was someone's own living room, or bedroom. The sparse instrument arrangements and space felt purposeful rather than incomplete. The vocals were more of a conversation, two people stating their views on things with each other, than people belting out for the audience. The melodies were engaging and pleasant even if not complex. And, while melancholy for the most part, the album felt like something the makers were proud of. I think I was really drawn to the simplicity and honesty they captured. Of course, it still has some issues. There really aren't many parts that do anything different, so it all feels a bit the same. And, despite everything I liked, it was still a little boring. An intentional boring, I guess. It's weird how tastes and preferences can change. Where before I would've overlooked this album, today I enjoyed being immersed in it. The flaws keep me from saying it's something great, but it was still very good. Overall: 3.6/5

i guess it aint that bad i kinda like it but its not too crazy

00’s Indie ⭐️Infinity

Was big into this when it first came out, such an immaculate sounding album, great reverb and sparse arrangements. I think it suffers from the fact that the intro is probably the best piece of music on the album, and even though the singles are very strong it doesn't quite live up to what the first track promises. A really great and unique sounding album though, shame the follow up was a step backwards.

Een album wat ik op lp heb en goed ken. Toch ben ik iets minder fan van het album dan toen het uitkwam. Ik weet niet precies waarom. Het is minimalistisch en atmosferisch en ik hou van de afwisseling tussen de twee stemmen. Het is misschien afhankelijk van uit welke muzikale periode jezelf komt of dit aanslaat of wat meer langs je heen glijdt. Als ik het nu voor het eerst zou horen zou ik het een drie geven maar als ik het luister word ik op veel momenten toch teruggebracht naar die periode en zit ik er goed in. Het pakt mij nog steeds maar het verveeld ook iets meer dan toen, Het maakt ook zeker uit hoe je dit luistert. Het moet op speakers. Je hebt de bas nodig om de productie te horen.

Disco sobrevalorado

Very much enjoyed it. Especially the first song which is the only one I knew

This was well produced, the dual vocals are great. I’ll definitely listen again.

The singing is unnecessary

This is a very special album to me. I listened to this dozens of times during my formative teenage years.

atmosphérique calme petits riffs entêtants low volume voices slow simple growing sweet stripped resonating instrumental

someone said that this was music for suburban white girls born in the 90s which tracks. my ex who was all of those things introduced me to this band. that being said, I really like this album despite the association with her. it's got a unique sound

I've not listened to this as much as coexist, which pips this album for me. However the style still works well here, and it is well paced. High 4.

So many memories. They have quite a unique sound from such a familiar set up

In pop music more often than not, the tendency is to inject songs with an abundance of noise and energy, using this to create momentum, drama and a pulse. On their debut The xx achieved the same effect through making every effort to keep each song as small as possible. Each passage has the fewest number of layers they can get away with which creates a fragility and tension. It’s a cool point of difference that they whisper hooky melodies across the entire length of the tracklist. In 2009, at 16, I did find it a bit more profound than I do now. There is the odd sentimental lyric which doesn’t quite land for me. But largely it holds up in my estimation.

Nice background music

Surprised I seemed to know every song on this album. Then I remembered - I really liked them until I went into a tent at Reading Festival with a shocking hangover. They were playing and nearly sent to me into a lethargy coma. Haven’t thought about them or played the album since. Enjoyed it so my tip is play the album only when you’re in the right mood and don’t ever go to see them live.

Classic

The music is nice, really chill. I'm digging it. Romy Croft's vocals are really nice. I could kinda take or leave Oliver Sim's. They're fine. Not a bad listen at all, maybe just a little samey.

Very low key sound that I can sleep to /pos

I like the album, but it does not have the energy that I was expecting. It is an amazing album to listening when you are having a small party with friends at home in a lower volume, to fill the environment with a good and slow pace vibe

Has some bangers in here. Intro and crystalized mainly, but the others still fit the same vibe but don't throw quite as hard.

el indi que nos gusta a todos

Very influential album. Before this came out gossip girl originally said “oo gossip girl” but then they added the xx after hearing Intro

Starts well. Gets samey. But i like it.

I was really expecting much, but this was pretty good. A lot of the songs do kinda sound the same, but it is a good unique sound so it isn't so bad. I don't understand why intro is their top song by a good margin, I mean it is fine, I just don't really see much in it. I guess it's a Tik Tok thing. Mid 4.

Fedt album, talentet føles meget mere ligeligt fordelt end på den sidste vi havde med dem

Clean sounding production, simplistic, good songs.

Best Song: VCR This wasn't bad at all. It was needed after the run of bad albums I had to endure lately. A little more mellow than I was expecting and I can see a good use case of having this on while working/writing/cleaning. I will take this over some of the other garbage that came out in 2009. 4/5.

It's been almost 17 years since this was published. Time flies! By the way, I think everyone should listen to Colossal Youth by Young Marble Giants.

(V) One of my favorite records in the past 15ish years.

3.5 Depends on my mood

Good

A millennial classic. If there's an album that defines an aughts era style onward it's this one. And it definitely holds up.

I love The XX, but this album is a little sleepy. I prefer all the remixes on the dance floor.

feines album mit sanften tönen

Yeah, this is good. A complete unknown to me. Some of the trip hop and electronic elements from the 90s that I am ever so fond of. The call-and-answer singing duo works well in most of these songs. The lyrical content is perhaps not venturing beyond the usual pop themes, but hey, it doesn't have to.

Chill pop that leaks toward electronic. I enjoyed it.

Just a great time. Blends together a bit towards the end but gives me very melancholy vibes

1. Intro - 11 All time FIFA banger. Just an instrumentally brilliant track with a filthy sound that builds into the drums flawlessly. 2. VCR - 10 Brilliant track. Lyrically it's good and vocally it's brilliant. The way the guitar is led in as well as underpins the whole track is superb. 3. Crystalised - 9 Instrumentals are absolutely brilliant and come and go from the track superbly to allow space for some amazing vocals. Excellent track. 4. Islands - 9 Another brilliant sounding track. Vocally very good, with lyrics that both contrast and compliment each other between the female and male vocals to near perfection. Solid track. 5. Heart Skipped A Beat - 7 Lyrics are very repetitive but the vocals sound fantastic and instrumentally it's just as strong a track as any of the others. 6. Fantasy - 3 Lyrically it makes no sense and it's a complete nothing-burger of a track. Not much to like or even cling onto in this track. 7. Shelter - 5 The pace feels painfully too slow in the first half of the track, almost to the point where it feels like the track is being restrained quite a bit before it finally opens up brilliantly in the second half. By then you're ready to move on to the next track. 8. Basic Space - 6 Male vocals on the opening verse have the same issue Shelter had. Still it's a better track and instrumentally it's very good. Lyrics are a bit empty of meaning though. 9. Infinity - 11 Lyrically great, instrumentally pleasant, this is the best track on the album outside of Intro. The way the vocals contrast and hold their notes while moving up and down in range is just sublime. 10. Night Time - 9 Slow burner. It's not that I don't like pop it's that I don't like bubble gum pop, and The XX have managed to produce an album that is an excellent pop vibe without the bubble gum bullshit a lot of artists regurgitate endlessly. It's made this album quite enjoyable. 11. Stars - 10 Superb vocals that work off each other so well. Breathtaking track. Music as art Average Rating: 8.18 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 4.09 Rounded Down: 4 Stars

This is a solid album overall. They set a distinct tone right away and carry it through the entire record. “Intro” is probably the best track, and opening with your strongest song does leave you chasing that high a bit, but the rest still holds up well. “Infinity” was another standout for me.

Had forgotten about this album. It was good to hear it again.

Very good album. Great vibes.

Buen album tiene muchas canciones tranquilas pero con un sonido peculiar e interesante

I'd like to think the opening track inspired Tycho. Its a very light and airy album that doesn't take up a lot of space. You can put it on, and just do things without having to worry about being deeply introspective of the album, the lyrics, the riffs, or anything else. It just exists in a way that a lot of other music can not.

finally something modern, somewhat. why does it still sound more emo though like the previous ones. at least i can hear the guitar more clearly. halloween music lol. i liked islands and heart skipped a beat.

Really liked this album. Really meditative for me. Always enjoy music with some electronics whispery aspects.

Really loved listening to Crystalised and Islands. Great album to follow Justice.

I really like this album - looping electro tracks, interesting vocals, plinky musical themes.

I really like this!!!!!! 4.5

Moderni klasika

Good

Great sound actually. Only knew the intto but liked the whole album!

Need to edit and write a review…

One of the times where quality instrumentals with lower key vocals actually really worked for me!

Used to listen to this all the time so it's hard to give it an honest review since all the songs feel familiar and natural. If I had to give it a flaw, it would definitely be the lack of range. Everything feels the same, like describing the same feeling even though some are happy and some are sad songs. But I guess that gives it a feeling of cohesiveness. Favorites: Intro, Fantasy, Crystalised.

Very easy listening, nostalgic, there are some classics here

Super playful album, lots of simple sounds that build out into fun little ear worms. really chilled out, too. could have multiple in depth conversations with this just rocking in the background. it’s sort of unobtrusive in that way, but if you do want to focus in on it, you’ll find something to like in pretty much every song. very consistent, tonally. *full of songs that are probably really easy to learn on guitar to impress your crush i can’t say any of the tracks truly stuck out to me or are very memorable. i don’t think i’d ever return to this for anything other than relaxing background music.

Very ambient, simple, clean.

Songs share a similar tempo and a “me too” feel at times — but the consistency becomes part of the album’s identity and it worked for me. It will be a great addition to late night chill.

9/10 - The xx with banger after banger, one of the best intros on an album; also best song is Heart skipped a beat

A fantastic, sombre listening experience. The perfect album to play on a dark Friday evening, when you just wanna sit with the lights off and relax.

Good Indie. I will say that my favorite song off of this album was the one that autoplayed after it was over, so it has to lose a star for that 4 stars.

Crystalised is one of my favourite songs of all time. Still I don’t think I have ever listened through this whole album before. I think it starts off great, but gets somewhat bland in the end. Still, the best songs makes it a good album after all. Favourites: Crystalised, Intro, Islands.

Rocky rock iconic from the 2010s. Already a classic.

VCR is a nice songs, islands is slow but catchy, infinity takes you on a trance, night time makes me wish there was the rock guitars too in the instrumentals to take us higher, the tempo does pick up though

This album is such a great experience. The vocals are so smooth and each track is compelling in its own way. Beats and vibes for days.

The first half of this album is excellent. The band plays space better than most bands, but it seems to drag on toward the middle and then get back to form in the last song.

the xx is famous for a sound that, at first glance, seems pretty innocuous. the songs on xx are pop songs, but they're incredibly sparse, a far cry from the pop that was topping the charts in 2009! the compositions are fairly straightforward; the guitar work in particular often forgoes chords for single notes, played against the basslines like a first-species counterpoint exercise. the thing that set the xx the most apart, though, is the percussion, forgoing a traditional drum kit in favor of beat machines powered by Jamie xx. his solo albums (which all came later) show that he can really fill a track up with space if he wants to, but with the xx he does more or less the opposite, allowing Romy and Oliver Sim to dictate the pace of each song. I mean, it was their band first, after all! for such an understated, simplistic set of tracks, it's pretty staggering just how much of an enduring influence xx has had in the 15+ years since it came out. by the mid-2010s (and especially in the early 2020s), the pop mainstream quieted down a lot, taking plenty of cues from the xx's introspective, introverted sensibilities as a band. decent 7/10.

Solid classic

Haven’t actually listened to them before, I like it! Don’t love the two singer dynamic (giving of monsters and men at some point) but similar to what everyone was doing at the time period! Like shelter the most I think

Prior to being assigned this, I already had 5 songs liked from this album and 13 songs liked by this band. I think I first heard them on SiriusXMU back in the day. So, I am familiar with them. Excited to see if I missed anything from this one. After a few listens I ended up adding 3 more songs. "VCR", "Basic Space" and "Infinity". This whole album is a mood. It's spare, quiet instrumentation and singing voices just brings things down to a very relaxed state. Not the album you want to play to get a crowd pumped up & but it definitely has its time and place (maybe on a long drive, or at a chill gathering, or hanging out with your sweetie, or even while working from home). Liked songs on Spotify: 8/11 Rating: 4/5

Unexpected solid album!

These guys are bad ass. The house I was living in at the time of its release, we were obsessed with it

Never listened to this album in full before, and not been a huge XX fan despite being familiar with a lot of their work. 4 catchy tracks to start off the album. Maybe catchy isn’t quite the word, but 4 very XX-y songs emblematic of their style. Whilst I’m not desperately in love with their sound (and much prefer to actually listen to the dancier direction they took on their next album and particularly Jamie XX’s solo work) I have to admit this album has a very unique, polished sound that has been important to the modern pop canon, and deserves to be on the 1001. 3.8/5

nice

минималистично, просторно, воздушно. несколько ленивое томное звучание - имеет место быть. по сравнению с большинством альбомов, которые здесь мне предлагаются, этому я уже готова ставить 5. хоть как-то ближе к моим преподчтениями, а то слушать 150 мужиков 60-х с их пустым кантри роком надоело. но не дотягивает. как будто пространства и скромности звучания в этом альбоме было уже слишком больше, чем таланта

Great album. Every song is good. Musically sparse with mixed vocals/duets. The effect works really well to lend weight to the songs. Definitely interested in finding more by this group.

Pretty chill but didn't wow me

Electric moods more melancholy than emo. Despite having such a distinctive thumping and stripped back sound, album is really well structured to provide variety and give space/relief to the bigger tracks. Equally effective as background or pumping the bass.

Easy on the ears. Pleasently surprised. Applause. No major hit but Leaves me wanting more!

What a great "vibes" record. Never spent any time with this, and it is excellent. Will return. Solid 8/10.

Really like the tones

The xx's debut is like a love letter to lounging. It's so mellow and dreamy that you can practically feel the lethargy oozing out of every note. While I appreciate the vibe they've cultivated here, there comes a point where it starts to get snoozy. It's not bad by any means; in fact, there are moments when it feels comforting and familiar. But those moments don't come often enough to keep me fully engaged throughout. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Intro - VCR - Crystalised - Islands

A surprise to be sure but a welcome one

Like a slow ambient pop. I liked it.

When this first came out, I really didn't get what the big deal was. It felt like sleepy, boring droney music. I'm happy to say that I now quite enjoy this album. It does suffer a bit from monotone voices, and a few songs mid-album kind of mushed together, but even those tracks I may not have liked as much were still pretty good. I was a bit surprised how low-key danceable many of the songs were. A pleasant surprise!

crazy instrumental

Pure nostalgia

Tracks 1 - 5 SOLID The rest . . . whatever . . .

Ohhh that's what that song is called. Look, are they more accomplished, talented, or successful than George Harrison? No. But am I rating it higher than All Things Must Pass? Yes. Because I'm mostly rating these albums on whether or not I want to listen and enjoy them in the future, and I'd rather listen to this for 38 minutes in the background than that triple album for 2 hours.

Indie pop & electronic done masterfully, truly special, only bested by their second album, Coexist. Sounds good in probably everything you throw it on, even a car stereo.

I weirdly like this album, it could be that it was late at night when I was listening to this, but the songs just tickled my brain. It was just some nice music to listen too all in all, I can’t really explain why I like it, it was relaxing and the calmness made me feel nice when listening to it and thats about it.

Very chill sound and good atmosphere. Not super adventurous and kind of minimal, but managed to not be very boring