xx

excellent chill pop vibes.

Blueprint for so many bands of the 2010s. Instrumentals and lyrics beautiful and mixing is great. The run of like 5 tracks at the start is exquisite. Best tracks: islands, shelter, crystallised

This one caught me by surprise! Very good album, but I had too less time to commit to another listen, excited to dive back in and check out their other works! The songs seem very intricately layered, and both vocals are great! 8 out of 10

Listening on the train heading home from APC in Ft Lauderdale. Heading home to a wife who doesn't seem to care that I'm heading home at all. Yet to be seen though. Album is perfect for this mood though.

i really enjoyed it. night vibes

Very memorable and atmospheric album. Enjoyed most of the tracks very much and will keep them on my list of hits.

fun listen

I actually quite liked this.

New to me and I like it! 4

I feel like I've heard this before, but I'm not certain. This is a very good alt rock/emo album. It's hitting pretty good for a Friday afternoon. Low key and mellow beats coming out of this English band.

Another something new, and at its opening, I thought it sounded nice. It remained nice throughout, but maybe not all that remarkable for me.

I had no idea what this was when it popped up but I loved it from the jump. A nice and mellow vibe which suited me perfectly. Moody and kind of mellow without being dull. Good!

Known Before: band, album Standouts: Islands, Heart Skipped A Beat, Basic Space 8

Known before: Band, some songs Standouts: 01. Intro 03. Crystalised 04. Islands 07. Shelter Rating: 7.5

Probably one of the few albums on this list that I've actually completely listened to beforehand. Makes it hard to rate. I would describe it as: Effortless, cool, indie, catchy - not flashy, minimalistic, mellow. Not really an album I would show off to friends or recommend because of its musical greatness, but an album that really scratches a specific itch. Like when you go for vanilla ice cream or just a plain cheeseburger instead of the fancier options. That being said, Intro and Crystalised are still bangers.

First half bops and the second half is a bit repetitive. Still good though!

Pretty good! It was rainy today and fit that vibe well.

I was only aware of this album and band but not sure I have ever heard them before! It is a nice album and one I will probably revisit

This is one of those albums I didn’t know I knew. I don’t recall hearing the name “The XX” but listening to the album I kept thinking “oh I know this song too”. Maybe that’s one sign of its impact? It kind of permeated our culture in a subtle way.

Enjoyed listening to this. Chill EDM with vocals 4

Tku taka bel indie glasba, ki je iz 2009, sam zdej je tak stil basicly indiev pop

Chill but great

Very subdued, and as such, it didn't grab me at first. In fact, it's never going to *grab* me -- it's just not catchy like that, but once you accept that it's a very laid back album, it grows on you. I'd like to give this a 3.5, but obviously can't. I've never had such a hard time deciding whether to round up or down (and I see from the global reviews, of 3.5, that everyone else is on the fence as well). Today, I'm going to round up to 4. On another day, I might round down to 3.

Mostly great

Very, very enjoyable listen. Honestly loved it, minimalistic and soothing as hell. The vocals made me float - paired with the crisp instrumentals made for a melancholic, quiet, relaxing album. Fav songs: basic space, crystalised, intro

Consistent, distinctive soundscape - breathy vocals; repetitive muted single note guitar riffs; drenched in reverb. Great chill/moody night driving and easy listening - relaxing. One nothing song in the middle but very strong and enjoyable overall.

So many songs that i enjoyed the last decade on this album

Takes me back to being 14 - pretty sure the album is still on my iPod classic.

Five seconds into this record, I was fully convinced that this was my cup of tea. Dreamy electronica mixed with warm guitar to create a mesmerizing, endearing minimalistic sound - and with vocals that blend with the instrumental rather than stand out, the result is a calm yet strong collection of music that can be suited for any setting and mood. The first four tracks are just phenomenal. The tight instrumental interplay of "Intro", the relaxing vibraphone & guitar melody of "VCR", the sudden guitar outburst of "Crystalised", and the rhythmic drumming of "Islands". "Fantasy" is also a great ambient cut, and "Basic Space" makes the most of the most simplistic of instrumentation. All in all, a great record that's probably going to grow on me more and more in time.

I loved this album when it came out. Going back to it, it’s still a lot of fun, and has a sound that has reverberated throughout the indie music world in the years since.

8/10 Moody and atmospheric although the tracks can get a bit same-y Interesting choice of audio panning

i like the guitar riffs, the opening song is one i've heard plenty of times but never knew. it is super clam. loving it

Very relaxed, easy-going Morcheeba

This was a band that wasn’t on my radar when I did a previous list. I’ve been listening now for a year or two to them and and they are in my rotation. This is a really good record. They have a lot of cool sounds.

Warm and nostalgic

i don't need to re-listen to the classics

Interesting. Like the intro.

The fuck is x- Ah, it's that one... Okay, sounds lovely. Minimalistic in a good way, pleasant voices, so chill~ Me likey

I remember this one. Probably ended up on my end of year list that year. What I had forgotten is how non-dancey they sounded back then. It's got very little of the beats that they (and producer Jamie XX in particular) would be known for later. Minimalist, sometimes even quite lo-fi slowpop with some great atmospheric songs. I do kind of miss the beats. 8/10

4.0

Basic and simple instrumentals that are catchy. Fantastic intro track. Gets more complex and louder the further into the album around track 3 and 4. The overlaying lyrics is a great touch.

Minimalist, moody, utterly beautiful. Like a serene feeling while drifting below the sea. Romy's breathy vocal grounds it firmly in the grim pop of the upcoming 2010s and it's rogue's gallery of dark goth inspired idols like Lorde, Lana and later Billie. The guitars are taken from the goth and post punk of the early 80s. It's The Cure, and Joy Division, but with more meditative melodies. The sound of your first serious relationship falling apart, and all of the quiet apocalypse that such an experience can render onto you. As for the songs independently, the first half of the album is near perfect, with my personal highlight being 'Islands'. 'Fantasy' acts as an interlude into side b, which gets off to a dreamy start with 'Shelter'. This song washed over me without much of an impression, but the album gets back on track with 'Basic Space', which starts off in a stilted way, but by the time the drums and guitar get going, the groove makes everything fall into place.

Very interesting sound, but very little diversity across the album. Highlights include “Intro” and “Night Time”

Great balance between mellowness and electronics. A lovely and nostalgic journey.

7/10. Pretty good, maybe even an 8/10. I guess these guys can have 2 albums on the list

Really enjoy this album, so chill and full of story and emotion

Super chilled, really enjoyed this, nothing standout about it but interesting enough that having it on in the background I'd stop to check it out

Very enjoyable! Smooth, inventive and well produced! Can’t remember a single song, but liked the listening experience.

Better than I remembered! It aged well

I’ve listened a few time. Easy listening.

I was pleasantly surprised by the album. My concern with minimalist-arranged 'atmospheric' music is often that it comes out thin and doesn't necessarily command attention, but that wasn't the case with this album. Generally the bass is full and keeps the song moving forward, and the vocals or instrumental melody are full enough to maintain attention. Album has a good mix of songs with a catchy/prominent melody and more relaxing "tune-out" types of songs

I quite liked this one. It’s more my thing. I plan to keep it on my radar and maybe play it again.

Listened to it when I was quite young first, and has set a large impression on me. My only complaint is that it is music that can fade into the background and discerning one song from another if chosen at random would be difficult. But maybe that's good re: thematic consistency

This has some pretty great singles, but it's really more of a vibes album. And the vibes... The vibes are fucking immaculate. For night time sad boy/sad girl/sad nb hours, at least. Jamie xx's production really elevates it and gives it that push from 3.5 to 4.

Wish I wasn't drunk the whole age of my life where I listened to this stuff. It's astonishing. And I vastly misunderstood the nuance in the recordings. It's simple but not in a bad way. 4/5

It’s a great record. I wonder why no one showed it to me earlier. I think unsolid have liked it even more in my 20sy

Man Pandora used to love giving me the first track, "Intro", from this one, and never showed me the rest of the album. This last month I dropped my daily caffeine to a quarter of what it had been, which is a decision I credit with helping me enjoy mellow stuff like this more than I otherwise might have

Ah man, I love this album. Intro is a low-key stadium anthem that hypes everything up for the anticlimactic drop into the bright twinkling and echoey plucking that is VCR. VCR is easily my favorite on the album. Such a fun song and great singing from both members. Crystalized is another jam that centers around some clean guitar plucking and echo. Love the way this song goes back and forth between airy and jammy segments. Islands is a boppy number. Great for a summer night drive with the windows down. Fantasy is a nice druggy instrumental that I first learned of when Mac Miller sampled it for 1 Threw 8 (Macadellic). Shelter picks up on the other side of the tracks with a very open and vulnerable vocal forward track. Once again the instrumental gives a lot of space and feels like they are playing in a gigantic hall with noone else around. This song also gives my favorite chorus "could I make it better with the lights turned off." When they do let the guitar shine through it is a low key climactic moment. so pretty. Basic space is a weird one to me. Doesn't feel like it fits in with the rest. Not a bad song, just kind of out of place. Infinity sounds like a straight rip off of Wicked Game. I like both songs. Night time and Stars round out the album on a strong if calm note. 4.5 / 5, rounding down to make 5s all that more exclusive.

That may have been the strongest song called "Intro" ever and got me hooked right away. VCR->Crystalised->Islands continued the jams and I thought this was going to become my new favorite album. The middle got a bit boring and repetitive. But then Night Time came on and hooked me back in. Another band I have never heard of which blew me away. If it wasn't for the slightly boring middle part and this would have been an easy 5. I was also hoping for a little more with Stars. But I would say this is a 4.9

Hey I've heard this song (Intro) before! Shit is bangin! Didn't know it was the xx. Crystalised rules. Lost in some of the middling songs, but the overarching guitar work really sets the tone for the album and makes it an easy listen. Really enjoyed Basic Space and Infinity. Night Time really starts to bang towards the end. The powerful build up on some of these songs really sticks out and pumps you up. Was hoping to have this with Stars but just never got there. Twas a good listen and feel it needs to be enjoyed in the album setting instead of one-off songs.

A really strong first album from the xx. The Intro is probably one of the best 'intro' songs ever recorded, to the point that I think it eclipses the rest of the record. A couple popular tracks I recognized on here, but I think the first half of the album ends up being much stronger than the second half, which was harder for me to get in to. That said, those first few tracks are brilliant.

war gut soweit( nicht die letzten 2 tracks gehört)

Prachtige nummers, al is het soms wel wat eentonig en edgen. Eigenlijk zou ik 3,5 willen geven, maar ik rond het naar boven af vanwege het jeugdsentiment.

Listening to this made me want to take a nap, and I say this as a compliment.

Good lo-fi vibes

Nice. Sunday afternoon smooth sadness

4 Punkte

dost najs

Grappige navelstaarmuziek, geen idee hoe dit genre heet maar het luistert lekker weg. Veel herhaling, veel echo, relaxte sfeer.

Lovely album with many chill songs

Very unique band with a very unique sound. They set a great mood with very little. Also a bit of a nostalgia hit :)

Very vibey, some very interesting moments like multiple melodies happening at once, kinda depresso

Goodgood

I mean what can I say, it's xx. Just the Intro alone satisfies the 4 Stars, although I can't satisfy the 5

Great and moody album.

Best relaxed album. Een beetje weemoedig voor je uit staren in een grote lege fabriekshal met precies de goede gevoelstemperatuur. Als je dit als liveoptreden meemaakt stap je daarna slaapdronken in de auto denk ik. Al met al een beetje veel van hetzelfde, maar nergens vervelend. Ik zal een keer mild zijn.

Chill indie dream pop. Calm female vocals over relaxed beats. Music that is nice to have on in the background. Standouts are "Intro" and "Crystalised"

Such an indie kid record. The intro especially makes me feel some type of way.

A good one

Still holds up, kinda

Yndisleg kósí-chill-plata. Mæli með!

Melodic and transfixing. Talking Heads and Chris Isaak influences are loud.

This was good background music. I might try this one for going to sleep with.

Really the album is good but the incredible intro really does the rest of the album in because the rest falls short of that. 4.5

A female voice!

4/5 I really enjoyed this album. There's something about the quality of their voices together and the tone or the pitch or whatever it is of the guitar that's very appealing to me. I had heard this album before, I didn't realize it was their main album. Lyrically, they're kind of crappy and generic but I like that sound quality they give. I will listen to this again.

Talking about Croft and Simn, that New York Times critic said it better than anyone else in the rock criticism business: "Though they're singing to each other, it rarely feels intimate", he wrote, "more like two shy teenagers, eyes cast downward, awkwardly talking to the ground". But even though this take was intended as snarly criticism, this is exactly what many people found appealing about this act at that time, very ironically. Did such minimalist act age well? The jury's still out on this one. But 2009 was such a poor year for music anyway (one of the poorest years ever, to be honest) that I guess the xx's unobtrusive minimalism was a breath of fresh air at least. Number of albums left to review: 614 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 189 (including this one?) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 86 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 118

I loved this album. I love indie music- it was a super chill vibe. I loved the guitar parts I want to learn some. I plan on listening to this album again at work or while reading. It’s a quiet one/ definitely laid back not something I would listen to if I needed upbeat music. I wonder if this album inspired Ed Sheeran’s plus album name/cover? It looks super similar and I immediately thought of it when I saw this album cover.

Wow, I liked this more than I was expecting for an indie album. I think it was because there was nothing overpowering about the songs - they were nice and calming/soothing. And both lead singers had pretty good voices that complemented each other when they sang together

Relaxt, goede kater-muziek

Still think 'Intro' is one of the best songs to hit my ears. Gives me weird belly which is a compliment. 'Basic Space' is a favourite of mine also. There's nothing that makes me feel as good as the very first song though which does mean even after the times I have heard the album I still wait to get that feeling again but it doesn't come. One of the easiest 4's I will give

Best Song: Crystalised. I think this song imprinted on me when I was younger. It feels like it is a certain part of me. Worst Song: Fantasy. So chill it's just sleepy. Overall: Maybe the perfect chill music. The male and female vocals compliment one another so well, and the backing instrumentals are always fantastic. I love the sultry, almost whispered quality to the vocals. My only criticism is that none of the tracks seem to end in a satisfying way. They either limp off into the distance or just end abruptly.

a master piece 4.8

Dreamlike and very catchy, I actually enjoyed it a lot

So interesting with slow and easy style. Everything is underdone. That is what makes it so different and compelling.

Classic. So, so sad. but very easy listen at work.

Minimalist and atmospheric. Really enjoyed this one.

A bit of delay and too much reverb should sound like an inexperienced guitarist messing with the settings of a new amp. However, the simple riffs, subdued vocals and laid back vibe and despite the vocals being a duet seem to capture the sound of isolation... if isolation had a sound.

good indie album

Quietly beautiful. I love the stripped back spareness of sound. And I really like Romy’s voice - like Tracy Thorn but with more emotion and colour. There’s a bit of mumbling, but it’s a million miles from the silly mumble whisper style of Billie Eilish. Highly influential, something for everyone here if you have the patience to listen - and it’s only a little over 30 minutes.

L’aspect atmosphérique ne verse pas dans le désincarné. Cet album me fait sentir dans mon élément.

I’ve always loved “Intro” and “Angels” by The xx so I was excited to listen to this album. I liked how simple it sounds and overall I enjoyed it, but I do think that it sounds very 2009-2012, and I’m not sure how well it holds up in 2023 as being a “must listen” album rather than just a fun listen. Nonetheless, it was one of my favourite listens on this project so far. Favs: Intro, Crystalized, Islands, Heart Skipped A Beat, Shelter, Night Time Least fav: Basic Space 4 stars I think… maybe 4.5

The singles are all less interesting than I remember them on first release. All the tracks I used to gloss over seem more nuanced though. Still a good album, but not a timeless one

Pleasantly surprised by this album,. Very ethereal, and achieves a big mood even in its minimalism.

Listened to this a lot in college, loved it then and now 4/5

This album is peak indie/alt-rock, and came out at the perfect time for my tastes. There is a distinct style but each song has a unique sound. This holds up to my ears, but the nostalgia is also super strong 💪

Intro is such a great start. I’d forgotten how much I loved the XX. I listened to this record and put it straight on repeat. Then I put on their second album and put that on repeat. I just read another review that said this was for lonely, middle-class girls in the late 2000s. That made me laugh a lot. Call me lonely and middle class if you like (although I think that’s a little judgey). But this is simultaneously simple and awkward and touching and emotionally layered. If there’s one thing this project is proving to me (as if I didn’t know) is just give me a dollop of quintessentially English melancholia and I’m with you all the way. It must be because I am just another lonely middle class girl. 🤣

Really loved this album Found a new-to-me band that I’ll be listening to a lot VHS was a standout!

It's good chill vibey Indie Rock and I love that type of music so I enjoyed this album a lot. It won't be everybody's cup of tea I'm sure, but I will return to this album a couple times.

This barely scrapes by with getting my seal of approval, but it got it. It has good a good ambient punk rock backbone with strong tracks, but as an album it felt hollow.

Tycker det var ett bra album, men kanske hade känt att det var ännu större när det släpptes.

Relaxing and mellow

Proof that you don’t need much in the way of musical ability to make a compelling album.

Awesome indie rock album. The mix of male and female vocals is unusual and refreshing in the genre. Great synths mixed with crystal-clear guitars. Super listenable album that has some tracks that I've heard on the Sirius XMU radio station.

At the time I didn't get the fuss - it was a bit dreary and quiet but actually the minimalist gloom pop fits better now than then.

Such a nice unexpected vibe 4

3.5/5 minimalistic but chill for background

joo. muellyttävä elektro..tyyppinen musik. instrumentaalit kuulostaa mahtavalta, hyvin tehty siellä aydio insimööri masterin kopissa, hyvää... vokaalit indievittuiöua, trapetsi taiteilee sen paskan ja hyvän laiska laulamisessa, välillä laittaa jalkaa jollekkin puolelle...pelottelee, mutta jatkaa matkaa.. intro paras biisi eiköhän se ole selevää...

pretty good

HL: Islands, Fantasy, Basic Space, VCR, Intro I like to split albums into two categories, "Day" & "Night". This is definitely closer to the 2nd, but I could probably listen to it any time of day. VCR reminds me strongly of two older songs ("Geraldine" by Glasvegas & "Heroes" by Bowie), but I can't help but enjoy it as well. December 20, 2022

This is a really strong debut album. I like a lot of the songs, at the same time it's not something I find myself still listening to all that much. I definitely gave it a listen when it first came out and like the band though. Lots of standout songs on this one and honestly no skips or anything I couldn't just have on in the background, at the same time, like I said, not something I find myself coming back to a lot. Standout Tracks: Intro, VCR, Crystalised, Islands, Shelter, Infinity

great

Really enjoyed this album very chill and laid back vibes. Interesting to see where Jamie xx got his start.

Pretty chill, I could see this being good focus music.

yeah classic u know it

I like this. Nice quiet slow jams.

I think this is the first album on this list I own. Love!

indie

Exquisite but slow

Smoother than i thought, i knew the band but not their music. Great harmonies and each song goes in the same direction. Glad i discovered them!

This album is a mood. Soft, almost whispering voices, downbeat, fuzzy bass-tones, minimalist, pared down. It is definitely unique and immediately recognizable. I love it, although I'm not sure I'd characterize it as an all-time favorite. But it is the perfect music for a quiet day at home, working on a project, perhaps with the pattering of rain on the roof. 4.5/5 rounding down because I am not sure it has lasting power.

Atmospheric indie pop with a nice vibe to it

I like this a lot. I can't place who the female singer reminds me of. Aside from a couple tracks that were more ambient and less musical, this album was very good.

The other day I gave 5 stars to Rust Never Sleeps. Imagine my surprise when I played this for the first time in my life. I actually enjoyed it. I guess there's two kinds of passion in music: ragged and dirty (Neil) and precise and sweeping (xx).

Great album. The XX are a band that really has a unique sound with the way they harmonize combined with their minimalistic instrumentation.

Another album I’m familiar with, and another I really like. Easy to forget how massive this was too. My only criticism is they do have a ‘tried and tested’ sound that is repeated through the album, but for the whole works in their favour.

Recognised a lot of songs considering I don't know the band. Quite enjoyed it. Very chilled. Bumping this up to 4

This is an album for the summer months!

Love this, love them, spare atmospheric longing...

73/100

4.1 + Like making love to someone you've been dating for a few months and you're just enjoying that sweet spot where the sex is fresh and also comfortable.

Very likable album.

Nice tunes, chill

4 Chill

Great, but the 2nd half is too solemn in the end.

Much better than I remember it was when I bought it!

Niiice

Moderni klassikko 4/5

Good Background music for work.

4, kinda chill

This was already on my favourites, so not suprising this is getting a 4.

jijiji

4 Having heard of but never listened to The xx, I really enjoyed this album. It's very much "in the feels" music... aka my favorite kind of music. Musically, I really liked how subtle it was. While simplistic, it felt like every note captured the exact emotion the song (and album) was going for, and I couldn't help but bob my head along. In many ways it reminded me of a lot of my favorite artists, but I couldn't pinpoint exactly which ones - in some ways, it reminded me of a modern New Order. That being said, the Chris Isaak vibes were strong with Infinity. While I didn't walk away in love with it, I feel like there's a lot of room for growth on me, and I think one day this album could yield a higher rating. I will be listening again. Favorite songs: Intro, VCR, Crystalized, Islands, Infinity

rimelig banging

I like the xx, so this album was a re-visit for me. This isn't an earth-shattering record or anything, but it's nice and pleasant for my ears. I particularly enjoy writing to this one.

I'm a fan, and this sound still holds up 13 years later. Great debut.

8/10 pretty fun, but a bit boring

Good sounds. Would like to listen some more

Enjoyed more than I thought

Great chill album, loved the intro and crystalized songs

Love this album, so so good every time I listen

I've saved some songs from this album. I knew them, but didn't know the band.

It was fine. Sleepy time music maybe except for the hit. The girls voice isn’t great

Dancey spacey. Get LP

Definitely one of the most melancholic pop albums. Beautifully understated with the perfect amount of ethereal spookiness.

Decent album. I had heard the Intro song before but never knew where it was from. Solid listen.

1st excellent

love this genre and this album has a great atmosphere to it (also - amazing vocals)

Really good listen. Never heard of them but I'll add them to my queue.

Really liked it Each song is great

Top class prog, a new fun genre to explore

Crystalised is one of my all time favorites- The Coexist album is great too. Absolutely classic album

I remember when this came out. Still good.

J’ai découvert ce band au cégep dans mes cours de modèle vivant. C’était l’agencement parfait. Le mood, la pièce, l’ambiance. Il y a peut-être un petit peu de nostalgie dans mon appréciation. À mon avis Coexist est meilleur, mais on voit très bien où ça s’en va sur celui-ci. La voix de la chanteuse m’agace parfois.

J'aime beaucoup le côté minimal de ce band. Je les ai découvert dans une période où je travaillais beaucoup de soir et c'était parfait comme trame sonore. C'est pas toujours parfait côté vocal, mais ça mets un peu de fragilité dans l'affaire.

Dit heeft iets bijzonders. Moeilijk om te zeggen waar 'm dat precies in zit, maar het werkt. Zelfs 2x geluisterd en bleeft echt boeien.

I’ve herd this one a few times it’s decent… The album opens with an intro track it’s a track that some perceive as the album’s best song, I wouldn’t go that far but it’s a brilliant instrumental! VCR is a song that I would describe as playful and childish with the bell noises but, I love that part,very enjoyable. Also I love that the song shows off both the vocalists even if none of them are top tier! Crystallised has a cool ( yet gloomy) guitar riff the song kinda looses it spark as the song goes on but it’s not a poor song. Islands is quite hard to flaw the instrumentation is crisp, it’s poppy but sad sounding at the same time. Heart skipped a beat isn’t one of my favourites, it’s the first example of a song that doesn’t do anything interesting I mean the drums are nice and what’s there of guitar work is good just not enough. Then is fantasy an odd interlude track it’s a small chant over light atmospheric synths if any song diverges from the albums core values it’s this one. Shelter is one of the poppier songs on the album would have been a great single choice, the chorus has this repetitive guitar riff and drums like a heartbeat really building up the tension into a borderline classic! Basic space is probably the album’s weakest song the sorta tribal rhythm along with the spaced apart singing is cool but not as special and unique as the other songs specialities. Infinity is the album’s longest song at just over 5 minutes it’s a shame though as the vocals are so low in the mix that especially for the man it’s really hard to get a grasp of the message. The quality of these tracks are tight but it’s still one of the 3 weakest. The penultimate track night time is a slow builder initially having little to no instrumental work but building up into a fairly full track for this album having a dark hip hop vibe. Stars closes the album with a fairly great tune filled with a pulsating, repetitive bass line having small piano and guitar parts building around it. Like VCR at the start it’s a near full on duet rounding off this album well! I know both of these artists aren’t on the generator but this album kinda reminds me of Billie Eillish meets interpol these mumbling vocals over a repetitive but interesting guitar riff. Overall the album brings off a great sense of euphoria when listening to it as a whole but it’s a hard one to listen to the songs separately as it feels a cohesive project.

Delightfully bummed evenings in.

Lovely, spacey and does not overstay it’s welcome - some memorable melodies and hooks peppered throughout - whole production is stylish and singing lush.

I'm a little familiar with the XX, first heard Islands on a music based video game and then one or two radio singles that came later. Overall liked their vibe, very lofi minimalist but they have nice voices and put together some catchy little riffs. Nice chill album in the background, they are a bit mumbly in their singing so don't catch much of the lyrics unless you're really focusing. Don't mind though, added Intro, Crystallized, and Islands to the playlist.

Chill

This is a great album with a really nice ambient sound. I could see this going on in the background of a chill hangout, or at a busy bar on a Wednesday. Definitely will listen again.

Held up surprisingly well. Great in concert, great on a commute.

Really enjoyed this album. The vocals compliment the music really well.

4.3 - Great album for a lazy morning or soothing evening. Really solid dream pop/synth type stuff that just works.

Beautiful. Chill.

A la lecture du review de mon camarade d'écoute robephèmère, j'eu peur de retrouver un enième album inconnu, seulement présent dans le générateur grâce aux nombreux échanges Erasmus effectués par Robert. Il n'en était rien, ce groupe des xx est en fait extrêmemen connu, et nous propose un très bon album, que je me réjouis de noter d'un très beau 4/5.

The xx is a band that I like, although this was the first time I've listened to an entire album from the band. I'm pretty sure that I have put "VCR" or "Islands" on one of my personal playlists. I like the xx's mix of indie-pop that dips into electronic music from time to time. This band sounds like it would go well with many of the artists produced by Sub Pop records.

that intro go hard

04/25/22

I'm giving this one 4 stars... but I'm not entirely sure why. There's nothing exceptional here. There's also nothing objectionable. Normally, that'd earn it a middling 3 stars. But here we are at 4 stars anyway. I think it's a combination of things. It's a short album, clocking in at just under 40 minutes which means that none of the 11 tracks linger too long. Instead, they say their piece, set a mood, and move on. That's a really nice aesthetic and I'm here for it. By the end of the album, I found myself favorably inclined towards it as a whole, though none of the tracks left a strong impression. In fact, I found that I liked it best when I wasn't actively paying attention to it. That's when my head started bobbing and my toes started tapping. So, yeah. 4 stars.

Treads a very fine between minimalistic and dull but I think it juuuust pulls it off. Not one to regularly listen to but still enjoyable

Starts strong, then very similar for the rest of the album. Not bad, just similar

I just really love this album

One of the most incredible musical moments of my life was hearing "Intro" echo across Glastonbury's fields at the close of the 2013 festival. It was a fitting coda for a weekend of excess. The rest of the album can't quite match the lofty heights of "Intro," but it the XX certainly had a unique sound and pushed things forwards a little bit.

Electronic pop that's not form the 80s that I actually like. Perhaps a bit boring at times but I like, I might go back to this. Never heard of this band before.

I love this album. Their sparse arrangements, her voice, their songs… all great and new sounding.

Surprised to really like this album!

Each track is well put together. Minimalist indie rock that focuses on perfecting each sound in each track. Melodic and whispery vocals appeal to all audiences. Each track has its hooks, necessary to get people's attentions whenever a new song comes along, ending with a satisfying closer that ties together the theme. The codas to "Crystalised" and "Islands" are so short but leave you with a positive note. The star of the album is definitely Jamie Smith. The guitar, bass, and vocals are really nice, but honestly it's Jamie's work on the sequencer and production that really makes each track pleasing to the ear. "Intro" and "Fantasy" do amazing jobs at organizing the tracks and giving the audience room to breath before taking in the next one. Starting with "Fantasy," the following pieces become much more atmospheric and dark. "Shelter" just gives off Joy Division vibes. We re-enter some of the heavy dance beats in the latter halves of "Infinity" and "Night Time." Over a decade after its release, I can agree that this album had a huge influence of 2010s music. I hardly listen to the music of the past decade, but this very much doesn't sound like much from before 2009, but yet this is the kind of music (but worse) I hear all over advertisements and the chill-kind of music I hear in friends' indie music. I can finally hear the transition how we got to this point, which I feel I can now appreciate. Favorites: Crystalised, Islands, Infinity

Catchy, unique sound. Might have heard so many of these songs on the radio so many times I was ready to write them off. But as a first album from some kids fresh out of high school this is really creative and impressive.

Relajante, melódica. Para escuchar tranquilamente sin hacer nada mas

Frábær plata sem kom mér í opna skjöldu. Gott vibe þarna

Good hipster indy pop Weird how YT pushed the intro song like 10 years ago so hard despite the album having much better songs

Energetic, insatiable, enjoyable electro-pop from some of the most enigmatic musicians around today. As a debut, they couldn't do worse and they bring about plenty of emotions and feelings to the tracks. All around pretty great album. Favorites: VCR, Crystallized, Islands, Heart Skipped a Beat, Basic Space, Infinity.

Very nice album, used to listen to this quite a lot back in the day

Sex and sadness

desde 2009 provando q gente feia tb transa. 'intro' é uma das melhores intros.

Buen álbum. No los conocía y me sorprendieron. Me gustó que las canciones tuvieran una onda muy relajada, muy chill.

Downtempo indie melancholy

Love it.

Exceptional start, fades off towards the end. Some anthems on here I had pretty much forgotten about

I love the voices, the mood, sparse arrangements and general sound. When it's good, and it gets the vibe/beat right, it is amazing. My one complaint is that it gets a little samesy and there are many songs without a hook. Still very enjoyable.

This was really good, and sounded pretty original for 2011.

8/10

love this - works really well as a full album. 4 (and close to a 5).

I’m not crazy about Indie, but this was actually quite enjoyable! The production was good, I loved the guitar work and the shared male and female vocals were awesome. With a big song or two, with a few more defined choruses in the songs, it would be a perfect album for the genre.

Xx's subdued sound was the equivalent of trip-hop with dubstep rhythms or other fashionable styles replacing hip-hop rhythms. Really relaxing. (7/10) FT: Intro, Crystalised

Moody and atmospheric indie rock. Would have sounded almost standard at the time, but can be appreciated now divorced from the rest of the scene

A gusto. Sonidos muy reconfortantes. Por otra parte, nada puede superar esa gran gran intro. Para mooods muy específicos. Not the best workout music.

Álbum muy preciado cuando iba en la prepa, a veces lo escucho aún y aunque ha perdido un poco del buen efecto que tenía bien, le tengo cariño. Tiene buenas letras, sí crea una atmósfera presente en todas las canciones y pues se oye bien. 9/10

yeah it was fine

Intro!

8/10

very unique project

My first album with this site. New to me, but a real good one to start with. Mellow dream-pop and real easy to listen to.

Did not think I would enjoy, but big thumbs up from Johnny boy

Apart from house and techno music (and those records are not in the 1001 list unfortunately) there is just very little novelty in populair music in the 21st century. This is also illustrated by this album: it sounds like the xx took a single song of Young Marble Giants as the blueprint for their music. It does not mean it is bad though: the album is excellent and in contrast to all those recent 1001 albums it has certainly built up some status. So in the list? yes. 5-star: no.

From the first moments of its iconic intro track, xx seems to command your attention. This is remarkable in part due to just how little there actually is to pay attention to. These songs are soft, sparse, and quiet, but their intimacy pulls you in like a whisper until you tune out everything around you just focus on what you're hearing. On the surface, this album shouldn't work. The melodic lines and lyrics sometimes sound underdeveloped, the guitar riffs are repetitive and minimal, and the band doesn't even have a drummer. And yet, it does work, to marvelous effect. These songs are captivating. "Islands" sends chills down my spine, "Fantasy" makes me want to levitate out of my chair, and "Shelter" is undeniably sexy. "Infinity" might be the album's shining centerpiece, featuring a slow build to a gorgeous climax in the song's final minute. The influence this album had is undeniable. Does LANY know that the xx did their thing a decade ago? Does Lana know that Romy Croft invented the indie girl voice years before Born to Die? Do the untold legions of bedroom pop stars getting famous on TikTok know how in debt they are to this album? Overall, I definitely enjoyed this album. While I'm not the biggest fan of indie pop in general, I can appreciate the granddaddy of modern indie when I see it. This album is undeniably one of the most underrated records of the 2000s, and one that I think everyone should listen to.

Definitely dig this but not quite 5

The epitome of 'chill indie beats'. A terrific modern example of a brilliant debut album. As with so many albums, the first track is the standout - the aptly named 'Intro'. However, the entire album is worth a listen, with 'VCR', 'Crystalised', and 'Stars' being some other notable standouts in my opinion.

Questo disco a me all'epoca era piaciuto e anche se non é invecchiato benissimo risveglia in me quell'anima hipster croccantella. 3.5 sul 4

Estoy consciente de que este álbum no fue del gusto del grupo, pero a mí sí me gustó. Me agrada el tono "melancólico" de la música, sin llegar al extremo de "Cigarrettes after Sex". De hecho algunas canciones le dan un aire a lo que hace Magic Numbers. Creo que quitaría un par de canciones que de verdad me parecieron muy tediosas, pero definitivamente lo volvería a escuchar.

The debut album of The XX combines indie pop, dream pop and electronica. The whole package sounds great. Islands is a highlight.

Pretty good dream pop album.

Too slow and mopey for me

Classic

I had no idea Shakira's "Islands" was actually a cover! So glad I discovered this album to find out :)

Atmospheric, intense and minimalistic indie. I like the duet songs the most, but I also wish there was a bit more intensity on display.

This is groovy and has gotta have one of the best intro songs of all time (more than twice the number of plays on Spotify than any of their other songs!). Some other jams and generally good vibes but do feel like some of the later songs are only ok.

Production is great, mellow vibes with some catchy sounds. Compact and consistent throughout, really easy listen. Best songs - Intro, Crystallized

love the darker atmospheric vibes of this, want more pop like it. great driving music

I've been dimly aware of The xx for a while, but they never really made an impact on me. Giving it a decent listen as part of this project has definitely opened my eyes (ears?) to them, though - yeah, like it! Dream pop-adjacent, knackered, end of the night vibes. Will definitely be coming back to this album a lot more in the future. Fave track - "Shelter" at the moment, but I'm sure more listens will turn up more faves...

I liked this, but I wish it was a bit more directive. The music was pretty chill and I wanted a stronger beat or melody to punch the songs up a bit. Generally this is in my wheelhouse, it's somewhere between a 3 and 4 for me. Liked the vocals of these two!

chill

Liked it!

VCR, Crystalized, Islands, Night Time, Stars

Indie que agrada de verdade

It’s a vibe

Electronisch, gitarrenlastiger pop

I liked it

It’s apparently been more than a decade that I’ve been trying to figure out what I want from “Intro.” I love the sound. But I’ve never been able to figure out whether I want it to keep looping for at least twice as long, or do I want it to build and evolve into a more complete song. The songs on “xx” often build a bit only to retreat, consistently teasing the listener. I think edging is the technical music terminology for that, right? The tease works though. It’s a terrific chill out album, creating a laid back atmosphere with understated, crystal-clear guitar and just the right amount of electronica. “Crystalized” and “Stars” stand out, but the whole thing benefits from its consistency.

Wow, what a great find! This is a group/album that I didn't know I needed in my life but am glad to add. It's lyrical without being predictive, deep without being pretentious, playful without being cutesy, chill without being boring. I like the voices, unconventional on their own, yet well suited to each other. I like the sparseness of the arrangements, which makes each instrument and the vocals all that much more important. Intro had me very interested from the start, but I warily awaited how their vocals might skew things. When the female voice dropped in on VCR (after that catchy toy piano riff & thumping drum/bass combo kicked in), my wariness waned. The male vocal, somewhat sloppy & slurred) was interesting in itself, but when she joined him, the mixture was just perfect. This feeling continued for me throughout, with particular highlights for me being Heart Skipped A Beat (great, fun percussion tricks), and Infinity (again, great percussion, with reverb-dreamy guitar). Stars is a great lead-out, leaving me wanting more. It's clear to me by this point (almost 50 albums in) that this list skews British, esp. in alt-rock/pop genres. While that's bothered me a bit with the more "name" groups, I love that it's brought my attention to things like Nick Drake and this.

One of the best examples of how incredibly effective negative space can be in music. Their brand of modern R&B blended with pop is consistently arresting and engaging because it does so much with so little. Hushed vocals about sex and relationships over airy compositions consistently impress. It's simplicity breeds an endlessly enjoyable experience because you often find just as much in the nothing between notes as you do their actual notes.

Pretty chill, voices were nothing special but background instrumentals were somewhat interesting, songs kinda all sounded the same but were pleasant. Would throw this on again while studying or something to give it a more thorough listen

Happy to see this one on here. Smooth beats and raw subdued vocals make for a unique sound and a great listen. The duo play off each other perfectly adding a dynamic of conflict and then cooperation to the lyrics.

If there were a couple of really standout songs I'd go 5 stars. But even if it sounds mostly the same throughout, I don't really mind at all. I love the vibe of this record!

I used to be 16 and in love while being chronically depressed

Descent could be better

Grata sorpresa

Super chilled, great for 6am on a Sunday morning or 2pm on a Tuesday in the office.

I was surprised how much I liked this album. Not a band I normally go out of my way to listen to, but this is a great well rounded album.

A pleasant surprise

Love the XX and this album

How has this not been on my radar before? Not entire sure how to define it, other than worthy of further exploration??

Like this album, very chilled out. Still reminds me of being on holiday in Crete 2010

Enjoyable.

Islands is the best

great album, I forgot how much i liked it!

Enjoyed it a lot. It may just have been a case of capturing my mood perfectly as a lay in bed feeling under the weather.

FAB

Im ersten Moment war mir damals der Hype zu groß und ihre Omnipräsenz zu American Apparel tauglich, aber nachdem ich im Abenddämmern aufm Primavera 2010 (?) unbeteiligt an ihrer Performance vorbei flanieren wollte, haben sie mich gepackt, mich mit dem ersten Ton verliebt gezaubert, unglücklich verliebt. Danke ihr müde-depressiven Emos. Ich umarmte dieses Gemüt, in dem sich - wie es aussah - also schon alle frisch gekürten hipster einig waren. Meine innere Dana Bönisch vergibt passend zum Festival „leicht“ überteuerte 3.5

I enjoyed listening to this while I worked--very cathartic and great background/chill music. Was a good album.

I had no idea what this was but Indy rock is definitely something I’m intrigued by and like listening to you. I thought the album was really good and I love the combination of his voice and hers. I would definitely listen to it again and I would listen to their music in general

Dream pop, megarrelajante. Muy bueno.

Imported from London, the simplicity in this album is so methodical and delicate it really goes to show less is more. Even in songs like Intro with no lyrics the melodies weaved are truly masterful. Band leader Jamie xx really punches a strong layered sound with minimal instruments.

Listened to this last night. Pretty solid album - I enjoyed the beats and the vocals.

Super chill album, and I *LOVE* the opening track.

Para mi gusto de lo mejorcito de estos años 2000. El arranque de este disco desde Intro pasando por VCR, Crystalised y Island es impresionante. Recuerdos de New Order, Everything but the girl. Un disco que merece la pena.

I liked this one the most of all the albums so far. It's still not really what I listen to, but a lot of the beats had a great atmospheric vibe that I could get into.

This record is very much of a specific time and place for me. Really brings out some emotions and memories. (I do like this record.)

Less is more

Chill Indie Vibes. Good for relaxing

Liked it more than I expected. Pretty fun alt rock album

Great.

I really really enjoyed this.

Had an existential crisis listening to this

Great album-mellow, soft, trancy

8.2

Really liked Night Time, Islands, Infinity (Chris Isaak vibes)

If this made it in the boys who wrote the book would've had their heads explode listening to the third.

Sounds great on headphones. Really grew on my by second listen. maybe a 4.5 even.

2nd best album from them

Pretty chill album. Really chill. Too chill? ...

Good stuff for teenagers to stargaze to. Used to be my evening wind down.

Tracks from this album always come up with Tanya and I listen to the Chill station on $MUSIC_STREAMING_SERVICE. I like it! Probably not strongly enough to give it 5 stars, but it's an easy 4.

Islands is on one of my top played playlists.

Funny that their big song is The Intro

Holds up pleasantly well. With the opening of Intro, I realized to which degree certain bits of this album have remained earworms for years. However, I had never heard the whole project. It didn't blow my mind or ears in any significant way, but the minimalism on display here is of a more interesting variety than most. xx's influence on the rest of the music world can also not be overstated.

Very radio ready indie pop, kind of foreshadowing the minimalist sound of the early to mid 10s, while maintaining the sentimentality and respectable rock instrumentation of its indie ancestors. You have to respect the craftsmanship and the fact that they did this first. But I really like the stuff that came before and I really like the stuff that came after. I've got a go big or go home mentality. I'd rather have my Lana Del Rey/Lorde or my Broken Social Scene/The Killers than this in between. It's like listening to The Beatles play Please Please Me. Nonetheless enjoyable. I like the way the two vocalists weave together in a way where you can oddly feel the distance between them. It's probably the most distinctive aspect of this release other than that these very 2013 type beats have post-punk riffs accompanying them.

This one is just ok. I understood why isn’t caused such a splash when it came out, because it didn’t sound like anything else and they did seem original, but it just hasn’t stood the test of time- it’s not very interesting.