xx

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

An indie album that this pop girlie completely fell for. The xx proved that less could be more. Instead of chasing huge choruses or flashy production, it built tension through quiet moments, sparse instrumentation, and whispered conversations between its two vocalists. Islands is the quietest banger I’ve ever heard. It’s remarkable how modern it still sounds—I can’t believe it’s already been 17 years. Listening to it instantly transports me back to cégep, when this was the soundtrack to trying to be effortlessly cool while still being incredibly accessible. I wish I could have experienced these songs at a festival. There’s something magical about the idea of standing in a sea of people while the music somehow makes everything feel intensely personal—as if the crowd disappears and you’re left alone with your thoughts.

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

Familiar with most of these songs, start to all sound the same. Intro is 5 and most others are solid.

Fun story: yesterday I randomly listened to this album twice back to back. I also found myself wondering how I would rate it and when it might come up in the generator. I’m not sure how the daily algorithm works, but I started laughing when I saw it this morning. It got me thinking about probability. If we assume it’s entirely randomized, and there are currently 1,089 albums in total and I’ve listened to 9 so far, that puts the odds of pulling this one at around 0.09% - which is kind of insane. Anyway, this is a solid record to hear back to back. It defines its style from the mesmerizing intro and fully commits to it throughout. The album perfectly captures a very specific aesthetic. My three favorite tracks are "Intro" "Infinity", and "Night Time".

Less/More Interesting to see another comment mention Young Marble Giants. It does seem like a much-more polished (and very well-produced) update on them

I’d forgotten just how good an album this is. Songs titles things like Intro usually bring a sense of filler to them, but not here. There’s not a bad track on this relatively short album. It’s difficult to remember whatvthe singles were, the album just works as a cohesive piece.

Minimalist indie pop; rewards both active and passive listening. The imitators who followed misunderstood the assignment.

Love the minimalist production of this album. Despite its quiet tone the songs build and fall nicely and the trade offs between the male and female vocalist are very pleasant.

make me wanna cry but in good way but also not a perfect album

I really like some of these songs and didn’t realize this group sang them. Pleasant surprise! I liked their other songs well enough.

It's a painfully cool sound and a couple of songs are outstanding. Problem for me is that I'm rarely stoned these days and so I'm rarely on the mood for this

Good album, good vibes and happy to revisit it in the future. nice to hear other songs than the intro ! 3.5

Listened to it a lot when it was released and still enjoy it a lot.

3/4 border, a little repetitive in the downbeat minimalism but nothing bad here (definitely ripped off Chris Isaak with the one song though). Shelter/Heart Skipped a Beat tip the scales to a 4

Wow, didn’t expect to see this album on the list! Impeccable vibes. 4.5 stars.

very very good and nostalgic

Pretty good all round. Nostalgic to me as well. I wouldn't saying the singing/lyricism makes this album worthy of a classic though. My wife was very annoyed by Romy's bad singing habits which are very hard to unhear.

Норм, чуть выше 3

Mellow pop-rock with electronics and two voices, male&female.

I had never heard The xx before but this was an incredible album.

8/10

A very pleasant surprise. Minimalist electronic with good guitar work and blended vocals. A good album to chill to.

4.2

Solid album and was popular when I was younger. Overall, a great sound and a start for a lot of indie information.

hella nostalgic and still top notch indie electronica production

Nicely striped down with good melodic sense. Dont mind this at all.

8/10

This album was a revelation when I discovered it likely 2011. I saw the clever video for Islands and was immediately pulled in. I normally dislike breathy soft vocals but the contrast of Romy against Oliver is like ice and fire…especially effective in call-answer sections of several songs. I think Coexist is a stronger album even if the guitar styling has since been co-opted as soundtrack for ‘emotional’ moments in shows like Bachelor. I did play this album a lot 15 years ago and will still put on from time to time when in the mood. 4/5.

Pretty good album... a little "soft" at times but solid.

Oh hell yes, the xx were so fresh to my ears when I first listened to them. Alternative, but good beats. I now notice the minimalism, and I still really like this. 4* from this alt-loving millenial. Back half is a little too mellow for me now. Highlights: intro, crystallized, islands

I’m a sucker for indie pop I should give it a three because a lot of it really wasn’t great but I kinda want to give it a four because it just felt so right for today in a way I can’t explain VCR especially hate that I love it

I already know this music but didn’t really know the album or artist. Crystallised is on my liked songs already. Oh my god is this on the twilight soundtrack?? Crazy this is the album I get right after watching the movies with Cassidy and Alex

Very enjoyable. I kind of got into them, when this album came out. Didn't really stick with them. But enjoy their stuff pretty casually.

Enjoyed this more than expected.

loved this album when I was 14 and sad on Tumblr

Already heard it when it came out. Great album. Best songs: Intro, VCR and Crystalized

a very chill album to listen to, all songs were good, and would listen to some again. This is a very indie album (which i love) and are definitely 2009 core, and as the descripition says it very for like sad and melancholic scenes on movies or tv shows. i woudlnt listen to the album as a whole again.

P good

Intro: 7/10 VCR: 6.5/10 Crystalised: 8/10 Islands: 7/10 Hearts Skipped a Beat: 7/10 Fantasy: 6.5/10 Shelter: 7.5/10 Basic Space: 7/10 Infinity: 8/10 Night Time: 7.5/10 Stars:8.5/10

Great example of a girl guy duo with sparse instrumentals like beach house ect

I enjoyed this quite a bit when it was first released. It’s a very 2009 album but is still an enjoyable listen 17 years later. It’s minimalistic and clean, doesn’t overstay its welcome. I totally get that the lazy vocal delivery won’t be for everyone but it works for me. It’s a dream pop album with a splash of electronic and it’s crisp as fuck. 4 stars

This is closer to the music i listen to everyday. It’s not my absolute favorite but i would add it to playlists i make in the future.

Recognised the first song very well, love the dreamy sound of the guitar and the soft voices echoing. Overall great album. A few weaker songs, thus not a 10/10, however the good ones are GOOD.

Beautiful and interesting. Can’t draw comparisons to anything else… very original. This is the kind of record I think could grow on me the more I listen to it. The coherent sound is atmospheric and minimal, but there’s a depth in the music and lyrics that is pulling me in. Giving this one a 4… a lot based on the potential to blossom for me on repeat listens. And I will most certainly return to this one to get to know it better.

Weibliche Lou Reed Stimme und bissel poppiger, mit synth.

pretty good

Good Instruments/beat/dream pop vibe

- not too exciting of an album, but sonically very good. i can tell this laid the groundwork for much of the pop sounds in the 10s. 3.75 stars

Liked this a lot, worth a re-listen, gentle lo-fo beats, reminded me a little of monsters and men

4.0 (38:34, 11 tracks, 2009, debut) dream pop OK for everyone criticizing it as "boring" - I get it, its repetitive and can be boring but you're not getting the genre (dream pop) Driving bass beats, post punk drumming, minimalist atmospheric sound at its best. This is great and I'd give it a 5 if they could have held the vibe for all 11 tracks. Mood music for when you to tune out by tuning in. Music is almost spooky good.

This album has had influence past what I was even consciously aware of. So many YouTubers in the pre copyright strict era used the intro for their video openings. I kept going "Oh THIS song!" A lot of the songs don't waste time getting to the interesting parts, and don't overstay their welcome. Refreshing and nice to listen to.

I've heard of this album before being good but this is my first time listening to it. I liked the harmonizing between the vocalists and the steady feel thought the records. This album feels spacious, between the soft yrics and steady drum and bass/808s

Gotta get another listen in but was good

I like the songs especialy the opening is good

Top 10 Minecraft mods ahh album

A very Indy sounding album and if you don’t like Indy this will not change your mind. I do like Indy and found myself really enjoying this album. Both the music and vocals I found entrancing and found myself really enjoying quite a few songs

Very iconic example of the time. I remember everyone going mad about the XX, but they didn't really seem to ever live up to this debut, like so many other bands of an era defined by a continuous search for hipster before-they-were-cool novelty.

Had to give this album a second listen to really form an opinion on it, as I felt I missed something the first time through. The vocals are relatively boring, but the instrumentals were pretty different from most things on this album and really helped to make it feel different. Favorite Songs: Intro, Night Time

I knew of this one as it was popular when I was in high school. A good album, but after the peak at intro it doesn't quite reach such heights again. Still consistently solid.

I’d roadtrip to this for sure

A very gentle sound

No

4.5

Chill stuff

This is a beautiful album. Great beats and tone, mellow vocals and medium tempo throughout. Hits....crystalized, islands

Interesting Dance/pop/House music. Some good tracks, but I would only say there's good excerpts.

Really chill album. Intro and Islands are a classic. It flattens out towards the end though

I like this

actually a huge fan

3.5/5 B

Already knew I liked it, a good ‘un

Somewhat haunting and minimalistic, but I think it works quite well. Heart Skipped a Beat was my introduction but Night Time is the absolute gem of the album.

Hvad er odds’ne for at få de to The XX albums på listen back to back? 0,00017% Jeg var ikke væltet bagover af gårsdagens album, selv om The XX har været i heavy rotation på P6. Det er heller ikke fordi deres debut slår mig omkuld. Men det har en rigtig fin følsomhed. Jeg tror det håndspillede står mere frem på deres første udspil.

This is a beautiful album. The confidence of a debut album to strip back everything until whats left is so powerful is impressive. A successor to Portishead and a precurser to a lot of the london influenced house/dance music, this stamds the test of time and is best enjoyed in a quiet and intimate place.

Late night Mexican beach walking sad boi hours music

Wow, so this was a surprising gem. Very chill, and great quality. I would come back to this.

Dig their later stuff more, this one is good though

This album doesn't have a message, it has a mood. Im not sure what it is they captured, but i remember it. The early summer night was warm, and the stars were very bright. Favorite track was Stars

Das Intro… grandios. Dann wird’s schwächer aber immer mal wieder melancholische Tracks. Tolle Beats!

Really enjoy this album, nice to see it on the list. Not for everyone I guess.

This album feels like such a specific time and place for me. It took me a few listens to get back into it, but it’s still such a great album.

I thought I really liked this album but actually when I listened to it this time I didn't love it quite as much. Still very good though!

I'm surprised how into this I am. xx is a sweet collection of pretty chill jams. Very minimalist and enjoyable.

Vrmt bien

Good album

awesomeeeee

Was eye opening to hear the intro track and hear that one riff. Favorite Track: Crystalized

Listened to this on the way back from penn state. Real good vibes, my type of dreamy, haunting sounds. Feels ahead of its time.

I was very excited to see this album cover pop out. So very popular, iconic, and yet something I've never made the intent of listening to. Right off the bat, with the introductory track aptly titled intro— OH I KNOW THIS. My brain felt the song was by Khruangbin, which no doubt have some xx influence in them. Along with I guess 80% of the indie rock from 2010 onward. I've heard and enjoyed their influence without ever needing to hear this record. One could debate the effort is better off as a catalyst than its own piece of work. It's still a solid project doing the job right. It's got some memorable moments, it's got room to breathe, just enough sonic variety to keep you interested for its duration. I think it was just surpassed quickly by a handful of emergent bands. Historically, very important. I'd add this record to the collection. 3.7/5

This albums probably doesnt get the praise it deserves because of how omnipresent Intro is, but the rest of the album is great Good riffs, good melodies

I remember a time when it seemed like every video used "Intro" as its soundtrack, which really put me off listening to the whole album. And then when I did listen to it, the intimate production choices made me feel like I'd walked in on a pair of lovers. I've since got over all that. For me this album very much evokes a particular time. I very much like that the album ends fairly shortly after I get bored of it. "Infinity" should have been a single.

If foster the people and Radiohead had a baby lol.

Ok

This one brings back a flood of memories. My ex wife used to love this record and it’s really held up. I’m not sure if I love it because it’s so good or because of the nostalgia. Either way, 4 stars.

Lovely album, easy to get lost in, and easy to have on in the background - but not in a bad way - catchy and sweet, soft and upbeat - makes for a wonderful soundtrack for a rainy day. Will find its way back to my rotation regularly, I think. And if anyone else is reading this, go check out Jamie XX's Boiler Room set - you will not be disappointed.

Oh to be 15 again <3

Moody

Classic indie album — shoegaze for the club.

Classic.

I liked this! Nice ambient chill indie stuff.

Interesting cultural impact of this. I hadn’t heard of the xx or this album. Yet I knew many of the songs. It’s very good.

Jeez, has it been 16 years already? Times fly, I remember the day this album came out, and I really liked it. Their minimalist, sparse, intimate, and quiet sound blending indie and dream pop with a warm and chilled vibe, was really welcome, especially during the time of Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Kanye West, and other contemporary (shit) artists of that time. But I'm quite surprised by all the negative reviews here - guess what I said the other day about this list being biased towards American music also applies to evaluating (indie) bands across the ocean. Even so, because of their beautifully crafted intimate and charming sound, I still reckon it's a 4/5.

Brilliant album. Very much slept on.

Great album that I had forgotten about.

Many songs that I was surprised I had heard many times before. So many excellent songs. Great driving and background music, though I think it's a bit too atmospheric to take center-stage as more than music to play while doing other things.

that Intro is so good. Cool people music that I didn’t listen to back in the day. A guy who was much cooler than I was made me a mix-memory stick with the xx on it.

Gorgeous album already in regular rotation for me. Moody, sexy, underdone.

I enjoyed this a lot and will certainly come back to it - quiet and electronic without being boring.

I liked this a lot more than I initially thought I would. Will play again.

Simple. Groovy and meloncolic

Solid background music album. Nice vibes, chill.

so much nostalgia, feels like high school. low-fi vibes.

Very good.

I used to listen to this album on repeat when it came out. Love.

A little melancholy and good!

This is definitely one of those "vibe" albums that is perfect for late night listening, and I think it's pretty effective at that. It's sparse and minimalist but quite beautiful at times. Intro is such a good opener and there are a lot of moments I really like. The back and forth vocals, the use of space, the way the instruments sort of reverb and decay into space. I get how this isn't for everyone but I think it fits an interesting niche.

I feel like this is the type of album that could be really chill or really boring. There is no in-between. This isn’t the most exciting album I heard and some of it’s a little eh, but I actually enjoyed this more than I want to admit. Usually, I don’t care for albums that go for “slow, chill vibes”. They tend to become background music and I get disinterested in them. But most of this avoids that, thanks to its ethereal, dream-like atmosphere. It’s the poster-child for 2010’s indie, but it’s on the good side of it. Favorite track: VCR Other hits: Intro, Islands, Shelter, Night Time, Stars

Low key & enjoyable, but enough going on that it grabbed my interest and didn't fade into the background for me.

oh damn - i totally forgot about this album

7/10

This one is much much better than I See You 8.8 ★★★★

I like the mix of electronic and organic textures on this album. 4 stars

I appreciate the male/female vocal mix

Calm, serene and beautiful. Particularly the front half of the album.

Yeah good stuff

What a great album! I've love it since it came out and I have liked this band immensely!

This is a really monumental album for me and I think it was the catalyst that helped shape me into such a pretentious and quite insufferable music listener. Intro… what an intro! VCR reminds me of the guy I used to be crazy about at the time so while the track is great, I’m put off by it now (curse you, guy!) I used to play a lot of these songs with my uni flatmates, and Crystalized was always fun, as was Islands!! What a tune. Was never fussed on Heart Skipped a Beat but like it more now, especially the last minute of the song. I LOVE Fantasy, but my god, I was just the WORST because all I thought of here was being sat in my window at uni chain smoking. I am now, unfortunately, being confronted by how massively embarrassing that is. What a dick! Moving on, I really love the instrumentation and production on Shelter, and it’s immediately followed by Basic Space which is fun, but I’ve always felt a disconnect on that track between the track itself and the vocals which I find jarring. I think I would enjoy it more without the vocals entirely. Infinity is another of those chain smoking songs for me so again, filled with embarrassment and disdain towards myself while listening. I’m so conflicted about this album. It’s hard to separate myself and my memories of it from this listening experience right now. It is not my favourite XX album, and I do actually prefer Jamie XX’s solo releases, particularly what he’s put out this year. I THINK it’s a 4 from me. And I’ll probably never listen again. Who ever allowed me to be such a twat!

I remember friends raving about this in 2012. I think I had a copy on my iPod, but never really listened. I found it quite pleasant, but lacked certain aggression. The melodies were sweet. But a friend listening with me called it; 'slightly beyond cafe music'. 4 stars

This album is like being at a house party with your new girlfriend. Your friend’s parents are rich and their house is massive. You decide to leave the main party room, and get into the spa pool together. You and your girlfriend are in that initial phase of a relationship where you haven’t discovered any of each other’s character flaws. Everyone else is inside and the doors are closed, so the party noise has been dulled down to a quiet background sound. You are already comfortable enough together that silence isn’t awkward, and you don’t feel compelled to say something just for the sake of talking. Instead you just look at the stars and enjoy the peaceful quiet.

Good minimalist tunes. I know that intro song from somewhere but could not say where. Easy relaxing music. Doesn't try to be anything it is not and does what it is well.

Reminds me of college.

I really liked this album. Wish it was a little longer.

This will be a new addition to my rotation.

Never heard of these guys, which kind of surprised me considering the first song on the album had 750 million listens on Spotify. Overall I thought they were pretty good. They were a little poppy (popish? pop-centric) for my tastes, and often floated into a blend of background music, but really enjoyed it.

Another 4 and especially loved the suggested songs that came after this one, excellent Sunday vibes

Favorite: Crystalised

Better than Coldplay

I love this album. Jangling guitar riffs and laid back whispering vocals make it a unique sound which can only belong to The XX. I have this album in my collection and also subsequent ones. If I do have one complaint you only need to have one of their albums to appreciate their sound as they all do tend to sound like one another. But this is a fine album and well worthy to be on the list as there are few bands around, if any, producing this sound. 4/5 25/9/25

Dope

I'm really glad this album held up as it was one of my favorites when it came out. Cool, dreamy, minimal, and lush. The maxed out surfy reverb guitar paints over everything with simple hooks or long chords. The beats are minimal and synthetic to balance it. The lyrics are understated and mumbled like shoegaze, and the male-female interplay keeps interest ever when words get a bit cliche. I don't think it's perfect though. The biggest gripe is how front-loaded it is. The "hits" (e.g. "VCR", "Crystalised", "Islands") are all in a row in the first half. Then the second half is much more mellow, lacking the energy or upbeat of the first half. In fact, I'd say the second half kind of slogs, and doesn't build to much. I do think that kind of split is okay in some albums, but it works better when there is more distinction in the style or theme (for example, Bowie's "Low"). Here it just kind of feels like all the bangers got pushed forward and the filler got left behind, and the track order is unbalanced.

An intimate, minimal blend of indie pop and electronic, built on sparse beats, muted guitars, and hushed, intertwining vocals that create a nocturnal atmosphere.

Very chill, but intro is a classic and all around nice album. Not much to say, but this time in a good way.

soothing dreamy melancholic pop, stuff that let's my heart frequency drop.

Classic 2000s album, this set the mood for urban outfitters everywhere for the next 5 years

Yes!

"Intro" on vahva aloitus albumille. Mulla on varmasti ollut siihen joskus nykytanssissa joku koreo, mutta en muista mikä. Aivan hyvää musiikkia muutenkin.

Yeah okay honestly was not quite expecting this album to show up! Very funny that it did though. I'm a big fan! never listened all the way through until now, and I really appreciate this albums emotional depth. Favorite track off the album was VCR.

This is surprisingly good, and it turns out that "Intro" is super familiar. The album as a whole it very relaxing but with a lot of depth to it.

I’m firmly on the fence of a 5. I struggle with the lyrics, but I like the sound a lot. Just wish there was a more emotional hit with the lyrics. Ultimately just a little too cliche/tired to LOVE it enough for 5 stars. Maybe I'll change my mind later but 4 stars feels fair for now. Strong 4, but lacking lyrical/emotional quality for a 5. The ethereal sound is just such a specific vibe. - Modern music! Probably going to be bad... - Iconic intro! Feel like I've never heard the original but have heard a million samples of it - First song is pleasant! - Feels a little too cliche/dated to be 5 stars, but I enjoy it. Let's see if the rest of the album can be this quality - Doing a second listen to see if I connect with the lyrics... Connect strong with some songs, other songs are a mix. Cryptic lyrics are tough, really waffling on giving this a 5

I think this kind of album is something I'd listen to more in the winter. It's very easy listening all the way through.

I wish there was a 3.5. Weird but liked it.

Quite a few songs I recognized, I was a big fan of the album as a whole, will listen again

Yep, good album.

Super album ! Un classique, d'autant plus quand on voit ensuite la carrière des membres du groupe : Romy, Jamie xx... Une signature musicale vraiment particulière, très douce, un peu flottante, comme dans un rêve, et qui nous transporte tout au long de l'album. Un plaisir !

Thxx is prexxy gxxd! Never heard of the album or the band before. It hits nicely as a mellow, subtle groove thing. Obviously not party music or anything. It sounds like it will get better as I listen more. Only twice through this week, but I'll be coming to listen and maybe check out some of their other stuff. While I definitely liked the opener, the moment I wasn't concentrating 100% on listening, I could hardly tell when one track ended and another began. Going to give it a 4 because nothing here stuck out as bad and it is quite listenable. But there's nothng here to warrant a 5 either.

Very interesting breathy sound, seems ahead of its time in many ways

I really liked this. The album has a cool, relaxed vibe. The feel is minimalist indie pop. I could listen to this late at night. I think it would work

melodic, sad, haunting, nice to listen to, nothing groundbreaking though.

Idk - charming I guess!

Pretty good! Had a song favorite by them before.

Beautiful instrumentals, but the lyrics didn't speak to me so much.

Good I have heard these songs many times before just had no idea where they were from.

De relax muy bien

Love this album, unique sound

There's some really fantastic production on this album. Don't go in expecting to be hit over the head with obvious hits. This album takes some time to sit with and just enjoy, like appreciating a good wine. The music is subdued and influenced by indie rock, electronic music and R&B. The result is some beautiful dream pop. I'm not at all surprised that this album was a "sleeper hit", steadily selling more over time rather than being an overnight sensation. It takes some time and repeated listens but it's well worth some effort.

Pues me ha gustado mucho. Esta banda pertenecía a la lista de "Bandas que sé que me podrían gustar pero que quizás escuche más tarde" asi que le tenia bastantes ganas a este álbum. El disco está muy bien, es relajante y al escucharlo te envuelve en una atmósfera de nostalgia muy guay. Toda esta escena de Indie Pop de finales de los 2000s y principios de los 2010s siempre me ha gustado mucho, asi que poder escuchar algo más de dicha escena ha sido un gustazo. El disco no es perfecto, todo hay que decirlo. La atmósfera relajante y nostálgica está muy bien hasta que 4 canciones se sienten como una. Como si estuvieses escuchando una unica canción, pero en verdad son 3 o 4 canciones clónicas entre si. Mi canción favorita de este disco es "Heart Skipped A Beat" que quizás es la más movidita. Por lo demás, el disco es bueno. Lo dicho, hay varias canciones que se sienten iguales entre si pero poco más. 4/5

Classic banger from the indie era

I can sort of understand how the minimalist approach could put some people off, but I think it’s great, and quite refreshing, as it’s very easy to process each part. The male/female singing is also great. The over-reverbed guitars are also really good and add to the atmosphere. Not to much else to say as there’s not much instruments, it still feels quite controlled and planned though. Favourite songs: all but fantasy. Overall around 7/10

Soulful indie, quite enjoyable

core indie-pop. Suprised how much i ENJOYED IT considering I was sick of it from hearing it too much a few years ago.

Great "slow pop" album and intro remains one of my favorite instrumentals ever

I get it... Indie pop, indie studio, art school, Rocksmith Islands, moody Crystalised hooks, Jamie xx beats, and an entirely stoic stage presence. I see what you did there.

Forcibly reminds me of year 9. Listening to this meant you were one of the cool kids. Feels very familiar now but the minimalism was incredibly striking at the time.

High 4 best song: Islands Great songs, unique sound, close to a 5

You can hear so much of modern indie in this album. It gets a bit formulaic at times but overall its pretty strong and worth revisiting often

Austere. How many different songs can you make with identical timbres and instrumentation? Considering the career Jamie XX went on to have, this is a bit of a shame. I remember how cool they initially sounded, and when they get it right, like on VCR, it's incredible. There's an amazing 4-5 track ep here, but with a bunch of filler added. A low, low 4.

# Album Name: XX # Artist: The XX # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Great start to the album. Three heavy hitters which were released as singles from memory. Its quite a basic album - sombre, slow, minimalistic. But its a nice change of style and pace for me. It definitely has a place in my listening rotations. Strong start but it does start to tail off at the end. # Top Tunes: VCR / Crystalised / Islands / Shelter # Would I listen to it again? Yes

4-

I like the vibe of the album, how it is itself. But it probably doesn't make a difference if it's 20 minutes long, or 40 minutes long, or 60, it's gonna be the same. If there were more albums like it, I would hate it, most certainly. But yeah, makes good use of silence here and there, a bit of an unique vibe, please no more albums like that.

Amazing, beautiful beginning to the album but it declines towards the end.

Omg this is really good

3.5/5

Slow, sultry, like a sexy lullaby. It's really as if The xx invented their own genre. Hard to believe they were only 20 when this came out. Way to find a niche, y'all 👏👏👏

Überraschend gut. Gute Songs abholend und nicht anstrengend

Subwoofer required

I really liked it, very chill and nice to listen to but also blends into the background a little too easily imo. Not surprisingly quite similar to jamie xx's solo stuff but I think I do like his music a bit more

Resumiría el álbum diciendo que transmite mucha paz / calma con el sonido de ambientación, los acompañamientos y las melodías vocales. No es el género de nicho que suelo escuchar y con el cuál estoy relacionado, pero esta chevere.

xx still hits like a stolen glance across a dark nightclub. Hefty bass, bare arrangements, and that uncanny intimacy between Romy and Oliver — vocal chemistry that transcends orientation and turns vulnerability into tension. Jamie xx would go on to be the MVP, but this debut is lightning in a soft-spoken bottle. Minimalist and magnetic, it’s aged like smoke and good perfume — barely there, but unforgettable. As essential as the day it arrived.

Ça va prendre une 2e écoute, ça sonne gros indie des '10s. J'imagine c'était des précurseurs. Ça me fait rire que sur Spotify leur plus gros hit c'est Intro.

This is the soundtrack to my college days!! I remember this album was big!! I saw them at lollapalooza and it was a little too big of a venue for that type of music. First half is loaded!!

A strong 4. It wanted to be a 5 but it just didn't quite get there. It really tried though

I love the XX. This album generates a tremendous vibe. Intimate, passionate.

I enjoyed it. Minimalistic and simple, but intimate and reaching the heart.

Sparce, yet deliberate and engaging. It feels every sound was intentionally put in place.

This one’s quite nostalgic - i remember these songs being everywhere

Mix one part peak Cocteau Twins, two parts early New Order (insouciance toward singing on pitch: it's not just for Bernard Sumner anymore!), one part Robert Smith at his navel-gaziest, one part Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" (repurposed here for "Infinity," the standout track that imagines what happened after those two impossibly attractive people finally had to leave the beach and go back to the allegedly real world), one part Millennial post-everythingness. Bake while lying on the floor in your mate's flat for 38 minutes or until just kinda done with life. It's not that they're afraid of desire, it's that they don't quite know *how* to desire anything, not really. I see why it resonated - and why it still resonates.

I don't come back to this one much anymore, but I was an early fan of this record when it came out. It's understated, which caps the ceiling, but still a solid album. 4.0

Great. Not what expecting given 2009 popularity. Can see why took off and inspiration that followed

It's been a while since I've listened to The XX's debut album - an album I really loved when it first released. I was pleased to find that it holds up really well. There's a real intimacy to this record that I think they lose on subsequent releases.

I've seen this album around for years, I never expected this type of sound for some reason. Very comforting reminds me sooo much of my preteen years so very pottery club and 2010 love it

i liked it :)

I am giving this one the benefit of the doubt. It is slow, simple, and similar across the board but for this one I feel like that could be flipped and called calm, easy, and consistent.

Pretty chill and moody. Really stacked the front of the album, the back half sucked. Didn't enjoy the singing style where they soft of half enunciate. I felt very neutral toward the end because of the good tracks are at the beginning. Deserves 4 stars though for having three really solid hits.

I wonder if having a dumb name is why I never heard of these guys. They’re a perfectly fine innocuous band. Enjoyable enough.

• 4/5 • Nicely catchy dream pop from Romy and Sim that stands above the rest by virtue of being built on the scaffolding of Jamie’s beats

This is an album of perfect OSTs that never were. There's so much space for something else in this album: be it a complimenting video, prominent instrumental solo or vocals from people actually opening their mouths for singing. What is on it is beautiful and stylish, but for most tracks it is not enough to grasp me emotionally or intellectually. Highlights: intro, Crystalised, Night Time.

When this dropped, as soon as every televison music director heard it, they all said: "GET THIS SHIT IN THE SHOW RIGHT NOW". I like it though, it builds the right atmosphere.

Remember when this was absolutely everywhere? We all got very into laidback beats and mumbled vocals from (I imagine) posh lads from (I imagine) East London. Then they disappeared and you'd just occasionally see the name Jamie XX appear on line-ups of things you'd never go to? Anyway, this album brought that period right back home. Being 25, wondering if really I just needed to spend several months chilling out and listening to the XX to compensate for having a life of almost zero true responsibility or hardship. These are the thoughts I had within about 14 seconds of the Intro to Intro starting. Afterwards, I just quite enjoyed it really.

Vilka röster och framförallt när de sjunger unisont! Skön indie. Den instrumentala låten Intro är en pärla! Fyra plus!

This could be a right place right time kind of album, but it was very soothing to listen to on this cloudy Friday morning. I think it has an intrinsic value of 3 but has been elevated to a 4 due to circumstances.

This is my jam. I'm surprised I didn't know of them, but I'll blame it on being in the middle of my babies at home years, the musical dark period in my library. Heart Skipped A Beat was a favorite.

Electric guitar, a bass, and a drum machine. Minimalism done exceptionally well. The XX’s debut is wonderfully cohesive and hits just the right spots with its interplay of echoing bass and dancing guitar lines. I also admire the lyricism on display here. It’s gooey, and overly doe-eyed, but it’s honest and sentimental, and I really believe it tells a universal story of love and connection for certain peoples at certain stages of their life. Granted, it won’t be for everyone - but there’s a marriage of musical textures and sensuality in the vocals that’s just kind of perfect for a project like this. However, with that aforementioned minimalism comes a slog of a final act. Painting with only three colours can get a bit boring after a while, and that’s where we find ourselves here. Fortunately the closing tracks remind me of some of that spark, and offer an as yet unfulfilled promise of how to evolve this sound in a compelling way. XX scratches by with a 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Amazing record with some outstanding dream pop sounds

I loved this album when it came out, surprised by how much I still like it. Great production, really complete album.

Very good album. Laid back vibe stripped back good vocals. Hypnotic. It’s a 3/4 but will give a 4

One of the first vinyl records I bought. Holds up.

great vibes, very soothing to listen to.

Super album.

I’ve seen mention of this album before but I can’t remember where. I do remember there positive feelings toward it though from whoever I heard about it from. But within the first two seconds of listening I was kinda shocked because nothing like this had been on the list so far of the entire 116 or something we’ve gone through, like a minimalist sad boy alt rock vibes. So I may be biased in this review purely off the fact this is something completely different and is an easy listen but I vibed with this. I can definitely see myself returning to the mellowness of this record. I particularly enjoyed the choice to heavily use both vocalists voices through the whole album. Their voices work really well together and especially work individually really well with the vibe they’re going for here. It’s an easy listen but it’s a good listen. Nothing mind blowing, but certainly something refreshing.

Es muy buen album, me ha gustado mucho la vibración y tiene ese royo de los 2000s y junto a los 70s y 80s

Chilled ambient.

I remember really digging this album when it came out. I can't say I love it as much now, but it's still pretty good. Kind of a makeout album, not meant to be scrutinized, just played for the mood.

Great indie pop album with some really nice instrumentals.

Prima wakker wordt muziek voor op de achtergrond.

lurve

There's a nightclub, empty, except for some reason all the missing people's drinks are on the tables, and smoke still curls through the air. There are two kids with complicated feelings and precocious pop instincts. The nightclub is about seven miles across and three miles high, the kids are recording their songs about a quarter inch from the mics. The rhythm section is tight and plays only exactly what it needs to.

This was long a staple at our house. Perfect rainy weather album to get some things done. Also makes a great driving record.

I am a fan of the XX and only got in to them via their 2017 album, which I love. I honestly never even went back and listened to their first album. It's pretty great, actually. I like it. Songs are maybe mediocre-ish, but what a cool vibe.

This is super fun indie pop, intimate danceable and soulful. Deep The Cure influences.

oh, my Tumblr Teen Years™. This album was a huge part of my music taste when I was 14. Crystalize is still one of my favorite songs.

Sjukt härlig vibe och väldigt enkelt att fastna i soundet. Drömmigt <3

Bästa skivan hittills av en för mig ny artist! Kommer återvända till denna.

Uma surpresa bastante agradável. Álbum bastante "audível" e que cria um ambiente muito interessante.

Highlights: Intro, VCR, Crystallised, Shelter, Infinity. In a nutshell: haunting and low key sexy. "...I've done things in small doses. So don't think that I'm pushing you away when you're the one that I've kept closest...go slow. Go slow." Crystalised, The xx A few months ago, I wrote in a review that if a guy brought me to his place and played D'Angelo, I'd make an excuse to leave. But if he put The xx's debut on, I would know he was trying to seduce me and I'd see where things would take us. The album is full of soundtracked moments. For instance, Intro could be set to the moment when two awkward teens who are clearly attracted to each other make the brave decision to talk and they share a kiss. Shelter could be about your first summer fling. Infinity reminded me of a synth drum reimagining of Wicked Game. Maybe this is all projection and it's a sign that I'm chronically deficient of love and sex in my life? File this under: "evolution of electronica and benchmark of dream pop" Overall: 7/10

Intro : ★★★★★ VCR : ★★★★☆ Crystalised : ★★★★★ Islands : ★★★★☆ Heart skipped a beat : ★★★★★ Fantasy : ★★★☆☆ Shelter : ★★★★★ Basic space : ★★☆☆☆ Infinity : ★★★☆☆ Night time : ★★★☆☆ Stars : ★★★★☆ Overall : ★★★★☆

An amazing album and I would've definitely rated it a 5 back in high school in that sad teen times, but not now. It still deserves it's place here and it's an easy 4

Nice back ground. Mellow cool vibe

it's hard for me to pause my whole "boring music is bad" schtick to get deep into a very minimalist indie pop album, but this is a good one to do it with. the album opener, intro, is an absolute masterpiece and still feels as powerful in 2025 as it ever did. the next few tracks are pretty big as well, with VCR and Islands being my favorites. and i have absolutely no idea what happens after track four, despite listening to this album three times. this is a 3.5 for me on a normal day, and a 4 if i'm really jonesin for this sound. i'll round up since intro is such a banger. favorites: intro, vcr, crystalised, islands

Phew I bought this when it came out, really nice memories attached. I am happy to see it here and I don’t care what anyone else says

4+ Stars (12/15)

Cortito, ligero, sabroso. Buen pop electroso bastante disfrutable. Lo único es que las canciones se sienten un tanto iguales en cuanto a temas, parece que cantan lo mismo en todas, pero aún así lo disfruté.

Good music to work to

Amazing, hypnotic. Heart skipped a beat stands out as best track.

I love how sweet and earnest it is. Demerits for that dude’s kind of whiny voice though.

a lovely, unique, genre-defining album. Never reached these heights again but is a very fitting record for this list