xx

Average overall. Some songs are ok.

Decent album, not my favorite, but better than some stuff I’ve had so far.

Generic pop music

Nostálgico mas todas as músicas parecem intro de canal de Minecraft de 2012. 3,5 pq passa de ano com folga e nada mais

A lot more low-key and pop driven than I See You. I like it a touch more even if it didn't have any particular songs that stood out to me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

music for infographics

i liked it overall, definitely something i would listen to in high school

I’ve been wanting to check out the xx so this was perfect timing. Definitely an album I think I’d like with repeated listening.

Stand-out tracks: Crystalised, Islands, Basic Space, Infinity, Night Time Honestly a very unoffensive album, the music is quite chill paired with those soft vocals. Most of the tracks are pretty ok to listen to, some stand-out more than others, but in general nothing really impresses me that much. Nothing outright disappoints me either, but I feel like maybe there could have been more experimenting with the music to bring something new to the indie rock/electronic scene. As it stands now, safe to say this is a pretty average album.

Highlights: Intro, VCR, Crystalised, Islands, Shelter, Night Time I don't understand why the intro track has the most streams. I mean yeah, the instrumentals are kinda the best part of the record (at least in the first half), but it's not that much better than any of the tracks with vocals. All in all a very strong opening, but then it got more atmospherical which I found dull (not bad doe). The second half really leans on the lyrical content and due to it being emotionally "specific" you have to be in the mood to appreciate it, which I wasn't, but I recognize its value. I don't see myself revisiting the record as a whole, but the highlights are great.

Always loved the first 4 tracks (Intro being generation-defining in a way, impressive work for an instrumental track), but then kind of falls off a cliff into a forgettable (but not unpleasant!) chasm for me. One of those album covers which looks like the music sounds, if you relate the black void of the cover to the sparseness of the tracks

Need to give this another listen I think, could grow on me 3

I remember checking the xx out around when this album blew up, and now I know why I haven't revisited them. I do appreciate the minimalism, but in small doses. Throughout an album it starts to feel kinda one-note. Kinda shocked what a big deal this was, considering it's pathologically understated. If I saw them live, I'd be afraid to put my beer bottle in the garbage for fear of making too much noise.

The great arrangements, barebones instrumentation, and sincere lyrics combine to give more than the sum of its parts. It never forces itself on you… coy. 3.25/5

Unoffensive, laidback indie music. No complaints, but no compliments. Fave track: Crystalised

A pleasant inclusion. 3/5

A double feature with Moby's Play for Albums That Didn't Garner Immediate Commercial Success But Won the Licensing Game. Leans more towards "sleeper" in the "sleeper hit" category for me. This is the sort of music I'd hear underneath the noise of a Starbucks between classes. Which does not mean I dislike it. The hand claps, intimate vocals, and simple backing tracks are comfortable like a pair of plain white sneakers.

It was ok, didn’t make my ears bleed

I like the atmosphere of the mood- the whisper hipster vocals I could go without.

The first track has become ubiquitous but I’ve never heard any of the rest of the album until now. I like what they can do with the minimalist take but at times this album was sleepy

That intro is definitely an iconic piece of instrumental indie and instantly sticks in your head. As for the rest of the record, it’s not too bad. It has a DIY quality that gives it a bit of charm. The overall experience can be described as dreamy, understated, and gentle. The guitar playing was the highlight for me. While the album is slightly tedious at times, it has its moments.

ehhhh

Surprisingly decent

Mix of post-punk/indie pop makes for an interesting debut album. Definite Cure and Durutti Column influences even if some of the tracks verge on the bit dour. Remember this being a popular album with the kids so worth a listen.

Music for if your in a situationship with a girl. you're still together but it's not gonna work out.

I think I'm rating this so highly because I've finally encountered an album made after 1972. haha Her vocal style sounds very dated, but i know a lot of the songs and this album hits the nostalgia button

Meh.

I definitely enjoyed this more 10 years ago. It’s so much more minimalist than I remember, still enjoyable but there are other airy new wave pop albums that I enjoy much more.

Recht gut.

I am irrationally annoyed by the band being called The XX and the album being called XX yet the album cover being singular X. There better be a second X on the reverse of the physical copies, I swear... I saw the name and assumed I didn't know them (this was released during my wilderness years - it's amazing how having a tiny human who refused to let me sleep impacted my desire to listen to anything new). Then I pressed play and instantly recognised the opening track. I wasn't sure how to feel about this album. I listened to it twice to try and work it out. I kept starting tracks, instantly disliking the vocal, then during the song it would start to win me over, and by the end I'd think it was alright. And then cycle would start again. My first run through was on my walk to work and the second was lying in bed in the dark - it definitely worked better at night. I liked Intro, Crystallised and Basic Space quite a lot but overall I think this is a 3 for me. 3/5

Interesting enough, will revisit again.

First song has no lyrics it’s just straight instrumental which wouldn’t be bad if it didn’t remind me of Smurf Cat. The only songs I like is Basic Space, Night Time, and maybe Stars. Vocals aren’t very appealing to me; they’re okay.

Very peaceful, soothing album. Came off natural and not too much autotuned. I never heard of the band too. The intro had a very recognizable rhythm too.

The intro is one of those songs that I’m pretty sure most people have heard, but couldn’t name. This is definitely a headphones album. Subdued vocals and the chill instrumentals really work especially with repeated listens. Favorite songs were Intro, Crystallised, Fantasy, and Basic Space.

This album is perfect for the day I listened to it on: a cold, cloudy February day. I've never heard of the band or any of the songs before so it was cool finding something fresh. It's a very good ambiance and a good album for background music. Some of my favorites were intro and VCR. The intro is really nice, honestly would've been fine if the entire album was like this. In VCR their voices sound very good together (in different verses as a part of the whole song and also when they're singing directly together). Overall I like the little guitar parts and their voices sound good together, but I don't know if this album could be anymore than background music or something to put on just to fill space. Not hate though, it's beautiful sounding! It kind of reminds me of "Of Monsters and Men" and feels very quintessentially 2010s.

Very nostalgic! Reminds me of high school. Very vibey and chill, but kinda suffers from singing in cursive.

Nice ambience but a bit plain for my liking. Good album

Pretty chi

Is it good, yes. Would I buy it, no. 3

It’s fine, but I’d never choose to listen to it.

One of the most influential short film songs is on this album

It’s interesting, the sparse production and ambient soundscapes are both this albums greatest strength and weakness- depending on the song you’re listening to. Their voices are unique and the performances are intimate. High 3 probably 3.7 if I was forced to answer.

Tough one to rate for me. Lots of (good) memories attached to this album. Me and my partner probably over listened to it on various car journeys in 2009/2010. It takes me back to the early days of our relationship - which is sweet. But I never want to actually listen to it anymore. The album is probably not as good as it was once.

oh this album was released in 2009 alright. nice vibes but not much more than that. parts of fantasy and shelter gave me kinda the neighborhood vibes

Another new one to me, a minimalist approach to their music with echoes of 80s electronica and, I can hear at least, a Brian Eno influence, from his early solo songs. not bad.

Liked it, didn't love it. Started strong but dipped

a classic. perfect for aimless listenings

Opening song has a nice strong build up and rhythm, draws you in well.

Ok so overall I like this a lot. It’s really like gentle but also interesting to listen to. The bareness of the actual tracks makes the bass super prominent which is cool. I just feel like I wouldn’t have that much of a reason to listen to it again. Fav songs: VCR, basic space

this was such a staple in my high school years. to listen to the xx while scrolling through tumblr was such an experience. i've never listened to the entire album but hearing it takes me back to such a specific time and place in my life and evokes such a nostalgic feeling.

Pretty good indie songs here, nothing insane though.

Not bad - on paper i should like this more, all the elements are there, post punk, minimalist arrangements, good mix of male and female vocals. Songs aren't really there though. Might open up something over a couple of listens, but i doubt it.

These guys are new to me. Sounds like my thing from reading about their influences. Let’s go! Ah I’ve heard the intro before and quite like it but the rest of the album is a bit underwhelming

Intro is great, but most of the other songs blended together. I think it’s a little too soft for me.

I would study/ work to this I like it, recognized the first song and I think I like the band after listening to some of their other stuff on autoplay

This album is a nice and simple listen, nothing too dramatic or energetic. Great for a cold snowy day that I have right now. This album reminds me of my Alt-Rock era and the album ultimately leaves me wanting a show stopper song I cant help but sing along to, but the laid back nature keeps me from getting that. Overall, it was a good listen but not anything above average.

Intro

Me esperaba algo completamente diferente, no se si es algo que yo escucharía me parece mdio genérico, pero no malo.

New to me but I liked the guitar. Shame that they screwed over the guitarist and she is not on the later (disappointing) albums.

A solid indie-tronica album! Some solid moments and singles on this album. I’d give it a solid 3.5/5 if I could in here. I think the second half is a little better better than the first half.

This one was okay. Just so slow

So solid!

🥇intro 🥈crystalised 🥉islands HM: shelter, infinity

not terrible.

The instrumentals on this are timeless. It think my enjoyment of it is more limited by the vocal performance. However, this album still has a soft spot for me.

The XX’s self-titled debut features muted, introverted vocals paired with a distinctive, sparse indie-twang guitar. While the production and arrangements are impeccably executed, the downcast vocal delivery lacks the dynamic range needed to truly command attention. There is nothing offensive or disappointing to the ears in this album but neither is there anything remarkable. It is a pleasant listen, though it occasionally struggles to stay engaging. Of the eleven tracks "Infinity" was oddly compelling and stood out the most, closely followed by "Heart Skipped a Beat". Three stars but not an album I will be revisiting. 1 "Intro" (3/5) 2 "VCR" (3/5) 3 "Crystalised" (3/5) 4 "Islands" (3/5) 5 "Heart Skipped a Beat" (3/5) 6 "Fantasy" (3/5) 7 "Shelter" (3/5) 8 "Basic Space" (3/5) 9 "Infinity" (4/5) 10 "Night Time" (3/5) 11 "Stars" (3/5) Total - 34 Average - 3.09 218/1001 122/218 albums reviewed were new to me.

I have PTSD when listening to Intro as we used it for a dance warm up every morning of high school marching band. Never listened to the rest of the album because of that. So it is like an indie thing. Not my speed, but I am sure someone out there likes it.

Good ambient music kinda of a chill background album

Okay, this is an interesting one. Musically it is very minimal, but in a way it works. I think the singers’ voices complement each other very nicely. However there isn’t much variation in sound or tempo and it stays to get a bit repetitive by the end. Overall not bad and a fairly pleasant listen, might come back to this one again at some point, we’ll see. Standout Songs: Crystalised Islands Shelter Infinity

The soft guitars on this album are marvelous - great album to relax to, read, work...

Great chill album with calm beats. It is very of its era and doesn’t have much re-listening value for me, but some songs I did enjoy. Top Songs: Infinity, Crystalised, Islands

melancholic

The intro is too cool. There's a scale to it that by comparison the rest of the album feels weak. They're like demo scratch tracks. Most of the album just seems like a couple college kids goofin off with music software.

After shelter it was great but wholly forgettable before it

if the concept of sleepiness was an album! Intro is a classic of my youth, the rest is eh

interesting gets a 3 for composition more than anything even though im not the biggest fan

I dismissed this album when it came out. Upon further reflection, it's fine.

Solid intro and fun listen. Won’t be coming back to it

Timeless goated opener

Intro Alone makes the album a banger. Overall not my style of music, but was enjoyable.

some songs 5 others 2. i cannot stand romy singing in some songs

It was fine, appreciated the minimalism of it, the call and response vocals, but wouldn’t say it got me excited.

THE XX — xx (2009) — Notes Summary • Final score: 72.6/100 (Tracks 31.6/40 + Album-only 41/60) — C • Top tracks: Islands (10/10), Stars (10/10), Crystalised (9/10) • Weakest track: VCR (5/10)

listend to it while cleaning my room, I enjoyed It I might listen again to get full experience. it was good but it didnt stick out to me nothing special alot of songs have this sound 6.5/10

Might have sounded groundbreaking when it came out, but now that everyone's copied it, doesn't really stand out. Kind of sterile and overly clean. The intro is the best track here, can't remember much about the others. Don't love it, don't hate it, it's alright.

Very low energy but nice

short and sweet, intensely indie

Need a relisten to this album, but definitely not bad.

Would give it a 2.5 to be honest but it was fine. They could’ve gotten a better singer but the album was easy to listen to

Kind of white depressive girl songs. But I liked 4 of them. Specially "Crystallized".

Indiest album that ever indied.

Love the opening track, Intro, one of my favourites. I have listened to the rest of this album before because of that track, but it's not really my cup of tea.

Portishead fans rejoice, they're back, instead now they're called the XX. It's good stuff, I liked that they ended the album with the hot single instead of starting with it. I reckon they'd be better live because I did want just a couple of moments above second gear, I feel like they could have lifted and done a bit more with it. There's a song that fades out for god's sake! I think the engineer just fell asleep on the board.

Album is really good but her voice starts to get on my tits. Also one of the worst bands i have ever seen live.

Great indie sound.

Minimal...atmospheric

Calm, not very dynamic

Never listened to the whole album. Good album that's really chill.

Some songs were pretty good

Laid back and moody vibe, nice singing and sound, quite cinematic.

bastante interessante, é bastante bom para acordar de manhã, ou para ouvir numa tarde assim mais calma.

It's a cool album, and the first half is great. But the second half just drags on. "Intro" and "Crystalized" are fire though.

Yeah pretty good, surprised I hadn't heard it before. Starts better than it ends. Quite Tycho-y.

3,5 stars

Classic

At the beginning this sounded very fresh, but it got bit 'same old same old' towards the end. Good pop album though.

This by all accounts should be one I favor, but I have to admit there's hardly any depth beyond the ambient, melancholy vibe. However I do know the influence this had on indie electronic music in the 2010s and I imagine lots of current popular music would not exist without it. I do appreciate that for a time when EDM was all the rage, this album refused to dial up the energy past 2 or 3 despite having the aesthetic qualities of a 2010s EDM/pop track. But ultimately, when paying attention to it, I was somewhat bored and disappointed. Being good background music isn't sufficient to make a great album.

I See You is better but this still sounds like being a teenager.

I think it’s one of those albums that you have to give it a couple listens to really appreciate it. You can definitely tell it shaped a huge part of early 2010s indie pop.

Loved

I have never heard of these guys before. I think it’s a bit of an acquired taste. I usually like more upbeat music. It was somewhat relaxing. I like the songs with a female lead singer better than the male singer.

The opening and first few tracks have a sense of intimacy about them. a closeness. I like what they're doing, I also enjoy their music in general.

Pretty good

Better than first listen

It’s a really good sound, the breathy spoken vocals get a little old for me

It was fine.

This was a tough one to rate. "Intro" and "Crystallized" have been in my rotation for a while now, and listening to it now, I enjoyed "VCR" and "Islands" as well, but this album kinda falls apart in the back half. It gets a little too loose and ethereal and forgets to make music happen. If it was just the first half it'd be a solid 4, maybe even 5.

Almost halfway through, and this is largely a snoozefest. Islands is alright, as is Heart Skips a Beat. I mean, this isn't a bad album, but I don't think it belongs on this list. There are groups that came before this that put out better music in this style, so I'll give this a 3.

This has some decent hooks but is overall anemic and sleepy. Without any real ear candy or fun production tricks this is a bit too boring.

Favorite track(s): Crystalised, Fantasy, Infinity

An interesting listening, makes you go throw different emotions 3/5

an opening track so cool it makes you want to smoke cigarettes in the dark with a lover. ending track is also great. middle is unremarkable. I think for those middle tracks, The Echo Friendly does this sound a lot better a few years later.

Really happy to see this on the list. It hearing this in 2009 changed the way I listen to music. Still sounds fresh 16 years later. But is somewhat inferior to this mammoth list

An intro with 700 million streams? What is this, Abbey Road? As warned, the music is very minimalist. It almost functions as a sort of blurred ultrafuturistic utopia-dystopia soundtrack. Like the beautiful gleaming skyline hiding dark, dirty secrets beneath. Well, either that or it's just a shiny exterior with nothing to hide. Either way, it sounds alright. The arrangements tend to include synths, vocals, and bass, sometimes with kick drum or acoustic guitar added. A few tracks have vocal back-and-forths – including Islands, Heart Skipped A Beat, Basic Space, and Stars. That seems to be the band's "thing". It feels gimmicky and gets old really fast. There isn't terribly much to pay attention to, so the most interesting aspect of each track is often the singing, and when the singing sounds exactly the same between tracks, you lose focus very quickly. Crystalised is about as busy as it gets. In the second half of that song, the xx really revs up the texture, including having male-female octave harmonies (not as good as non-octave, but we take it), solid bass and guitar parts, and a whooshy high-drone synth. And a really nice sounding percussion part. The wait and payoff makes this one of my favourite tracks. Shelter reminds me of Lana Del Rey's stripped-back stuff, à la Norman Fucking Rockwell. (Which I absolutely love.) Even the vocals are kind of reminiscent of the LDR, and the understated guitar part that mimics a slow build but never actually does it is classic alt-pop. Again one of the strongest on the record. The weakest tracks are towards the tail end, like Stars and Night Time, where you're often checked out. (Those songs easily live up to their name, in a bad way.) 3/5 Key tracks: Crystalised, Islands, Shelter

I'd heard Intro and Crystalised before. Not the best of albums, but that's more the overall fit with my tastes more than the technical skill part.

Cool!

This is the music that plays when the mc is sad

From what I can remember about 2009, that was the first year where popular music started to get real big, loud and dumb. Y'know, the party club era. A time where artists like Katy Perry and the Black Eyed Peas could shine, providing maximally produced hits for the people to jus' go fuckin' **off** to. Heck, the highest placed single on Billboard's Year-End in 2009 was "Boom Boom Pow", which is an utter cacophony of ideas and fragments. And after this, we'd get shit like "Like A G6" and "Sexy And I Know It" ... jus', a whole lotta big, loud, dumb tunes until, eventually, gradually the hangover started in the mid-late 2010's. And if that hangover had any forebearer, I'd say it was this album I'm talking about here: 'xx' by The xx. Seriously, in the middle of a year like 2009, I can only imagine what a fresh of breath air a record like this would've been. Next to Pitbull and Flo Rida and "Single Ladies", here you have an album which aspires to do, y'know, less. Minimalism! Music as defined by the empty space between the notes as it is the actual notes itself. Songs largely taken up by a sparse electronic beat, vocals, some bass, and a little atmospheric guitar work. When you compare it to its pop contemporaries, I can see why Big Important Critics™ would eat this shit up and eventually hand it that year's Mercury Award. It's an exercise in restraint in a period of time where basically no one had any. And its influence had stretched out for years: I mean, later pop hits like The Chainsmokers' "Don't Let Me Down" and Shawn Mendes's "Stitches" are clearly biting some of this thing's guitar styles. You can hear a lot of where pop would end up even now in this album. Which is all fine and good and all. But the thing is: I don't really find myself liking a lot of modern pop. I don't particularly like "Stitches", and I sure as heck don't enjoy "Don't Let Me Down". And as for 'xx' itself... One thing you need to know about me is that I am sort of a big fan of overproduction. When you take a song and jus' damn go over the top with it, giving it anything and everything you can. Oasis's "All Around The World" is one of the most overproduced singles of all time, and I have a soft as hell spot for it because of that. It's why I do enjoy a lot of pop music from this time: specifically **because** it's big, dumb and loud. I'm not gonna tell you all of its good, but I got the kinda brain that, when it hears a fun hook, I am all damn there. "Poker Face", the number two song of the year? Yes, please! And that's not to say that I don't have room in my life for sparser music. Sometimes you just need some quieter shit to calm down and not wear yourself out. I mean, I have such a fondness for Linkin Park's "One More Light", off the top of my head. But minimalism, such as what this album is doing ... in what this thing's aiming for, I think it did it well, but goodness is it not for me. I feel like I spent a lot of this album just ... waiting for something more to happen. And I knew it wouldn't, so it's not like I got my hopes up or anything. Darn it, though, if I didn't wish something more **could** have happened. I know it's just an issue of my attention span. It's not like I always need everything to be big and flashy to hold my attention, but in music that's so defined by empty space, it's gonna feel like there's just not as much to latch on to. Subtly is not often my friend, y'know? It's really not the album's fault. But, at the same time, it's not like I wanna lie and rave about how incredible the album's minimalism was when, in actuality, I just wasn't feeling it. And not even in a way where I'm like "Oh, this is so **intolerable boring**." I'm just like, "That's it?" And that's really the size of it. I get what this album's doing — I promise you, I do, and that's why I'm not being as hard on it as I could be ... but I can't front. Like, dang, I get why it was a big deal to people back then, but gimme the Black Eyed Peas over this any day. Even "Boom Boom Pow". Like, in terms of its influence, 'xx' might be so 3008, but I guess I'd rather be 2000-and-late. Or something — you try to work this song into a meaningful conclusion, goodness.

Intro is one of the most iconic songs of this era. Great album. I always remember them walking on stage to intro at Lollapalooza and the huge crowd reaction when it hit. Still holds up and glad to revisit.

This is an easy 3.5

I thought I was gonna hate this, but despite it being the same song 11 times, I was kinda into it and would probably listen again! 3.5

Joy Division with MPC and not as compelling. Not bad not great.

A fun indie jam, but for better lack of words this record feels too quiet to be monumental.

Beautiful, aching, simple arrangements on this sad, indie version of Captain and Tennille. Possibly the best late night album of the 2000's. Excellent production by Jamie xx, who adds emphasis to the emotion in all the right ways while remaining pulled back and never overwhelming the fierce intimacy of the singers.

4 dage med The XX har mættet mig. det fungere for mig i den rette stemning, men det her et reklame soundtrack for meget for mig. Jeg vil klart lytte mere en anden gang, nok ikke det her album.

"islands" and "heart skipped a beat" are already on my old favorites playlist - first time i can say that about any of these albums! the other tracks, however, left me unmoved. i likes the guitar in infinity. on the whole, snoozy

cool

第一第二首歌好熟悉

When I first heard this album when it debuted it felt like a breath of fresh air. In an era of overproduced Recession Pop, bubble gum indie dance, and the last vestiges of butt rock this minimalistic soundscape was like an oasis. It cultivated immaculately chill vibes. It’s still solid. Billie Eillish brought this type of sound to the highest peaks. This brand of shoegaze now feels a bit played out. I kind of view this music created by the grown up versions of the goth kids from South Park.

I knew they would be English just by the name.

Atmospheric indie that is easy on the ears but doesen't excite me too much

This is ok. Just ok. Its about as indie coded as it gets in every single aspect. Just run if the mill indie to my ears. I do like the idea of a male and female vocalist but I prefer women singers to such a large degree it made me dislike the man sorry. But neither of them are all thay striking anyways. Sounds like every other singer in this lane. Didn't hate it but I didnt get anything from it either. Just good enough. Participation trophy I guess

Lazy, slow and boring. Yet I kinda fucked with it. Into slapped, and the rest of the album had the same laid back, relaxed feel and was overall a very chilled vibe.

It was nice, not really much else to say

debut album, more indie pop this time, straightforward and very simple, almost plain in production value. clearly the kind of band that feels like the foundations are all one needs, nothing too crazy or complex. unfortunately, this minimalistic indie music only gets me so interested. singers sounding a little bored, very... i don't want to say primitive production, but it's usually just a drum machine, a voice, and a synth. or guitar. it's a very narrow, very... ambitious album. ever seen the snl sketches where it's supposed to be a high school talent show? that's the aesthetic i get. while it would definitely hit for people in lo-fi and indie spheres, it didn't do a whole lot for me when i listened.

Whack this on a nice soundsystem in the lounge in the background, you'll have a nice time with it. Though the entire thing feels painfully predictable. The do almost everything right, but nothing magic.

Siento que debería decir 4, pero no me está gustando tanto. Aunque tampoco me apetece mucho escuchar este tipo de música sí me gustaría escucharlo de nuevo.

didnt finish come back

This was alright, I recognized the intro track from a commercial or radio maybe. Maybe a 3, it was kind of a dreamy background music.

First 4 songs are great, album seems to get slower and slower after Islands. Middle of the road, weak 3/5.

I've heard a lot of hype around this album as, like,. incredible indie pop but honestly I don't get it. Especially about the intro, I just don't feel any real connection or interest in it. Favorites: Crystalized, Islands, Infinity

There's brief moments in this album that the overall vibe is working for me but then I usually have some nit that takes me out of it. It's usually related to the vocals. There's some kind of like clumsy attempt at a specific vocal affect that comes off inauthentic to me. Some of the melodies kind of circle around a specific sound that almost sounds like someone not realizing they want to recreate the feeling they get when they hear Chris Isaac's Wicked Game

Enjoyed, but a litttle samey

If you haven't been in the trenches of 2012 Tumblr, then you don't know what this album means to people. I saw girlies going to war for this. Not me, but some people really fuck with this.

Mellow

Fun techno-lite vibe

Some good tracks. Overall, a good album.

Shite

Saw it was from 2009, saw it was from London and just immediately lost interest. But we're here to give things a shot and try to be exposed to new music and I'm proud I haven't skipped it. First track, recognized it immediately and really loved it. I would want a whole album of exactly that. The rest of the album had some cool stuff but I didn't like the vocals. Glad I listened to it, wouldn't want to listen to it again though.

Ex-moderninho, 3 estrelas

strong first four tracks, then kinda goes away. 3

Smooth. Beautiful. Dark. Mysterious. Moody. English.

3.5

Surprisingly not bad

Some generic crap. Why is your most popular song on Spotify the Intro song? Heard this sound with better bands.

Not really my music, but it was OK to listen to. I would have it on in the background. Really beautiful voices.

First song reminded like a modern, simple version of Heroes by Bowie (check the vocal melody). Liked the carillon/xylophone. (Chiringuito music to listen to while eating an avocado toast). Música de chiringuito para tomar una tostada de aguacate. Good background music.

Was better than expected, but songs did sound very similar.

Bland and lacking solid vocals

Sounded nice but pretty boring and uninteresting. Really lacking in any emotion or effort, which I get is what they were going for but makes for a very snoozy album. Didn't even notice when it ended. British.

not at all familiar w them. enjoyed low key background music, but vocals were incredibly bland

There’s a reason why I only loved one song from this album in college. The vocals were recorded for the vibes only. That first song is pretttty cool though.

Iconic dream pop indie rock. Should be right up my alley but it doesn't fully connect Best Song: Stars Rating: 6.5/10 Stars: 2

meeehh, bom mas não faz meu tipo

Intro + VCR is legendary. The rest is totally fine. Love the understated nature of the album but they always felt like a lesser Sylvan Esso to me.

Good album. But i wouldnt mind dying without listening to it. Nothing world changing, nothing special.

Good for late-night ambient. Nothing too spectacular, but some of the songs are catchy. "Infinity" is a highlight.

Very nice. It's good to know they made the music before the samples.

A melancholic album, well-made... but without any particular flavor.

I bought this album when it first came out and instantly had a soft spot for it. Listening to it again while working, I can still feel that intimate atmosphere with sweet vocals, the melodic progressions built on a minimalist but emotionally powerful foundation, and that subtle alternative edge I’ve always liked. There’s a real sense of sincerity and restraint here, the kind that rewards quiet listening. The production is understated but precise, letting the textures breathe and the emotions come through naturally. It’s not a record that tries to impress with excess, instead, it grows on you, revealing its depth little by little. It’s not a game-changer, but within its style, it definitely left a mark and I enjoyed listening to it again.

3/5

Interesting but not one of the toppers, even from 2009

It was fairly pleasant, nothing spectacular but I enjoyed it. Favorite tracks were Intro, VCR, Heart Skipped a Beat, Fantasy, Shelter, Basic Space, and Night Time. Not sure how often I'll revisit this one but first impressions are positive so that should count for something. 7/10.

Chill vibes. The intro is on every dramatic movies soundtrack from 2010-2017

Grei bakgrunnsstøy

Fav: Intro Least Fav: Fantasy But disappointed, it’s not bad but it goes nowhere and just feels kinda boring. I thought Intro was alright and felt dread when I realised it was the best the album had to offer

Quite a nice low-fi feeling album. Though I don’t want to reward the soft voice with tons of reverb too much.

Interesting, put for me active listening was difficult. Great vibe, though

Not a bad album, but I'd have to be in a certain headspace. It's very moody, which I just can't do right now. Latter half was definitely better than the first, with Basic Space being a standout and maybe the most upbeat.

This album surprised me started of strong and just got better. It’ll be played in my house from now on.

I never loved this band but recognize a lot of the songs. Pretty boring, but definitely different than a lot of things out there when this came out, so a little bit of respect for that.

Was never a big fan of xx. Just always sounded "fine"

This album came out right when I needed it, so itll always have a soft spot for me.

Not bad nice voice

Lofi pop to get murdered in a David Lynch film to.

OHHHHH yippee 3

This is an interesting one. It starts off great. Love that broody minimalist kind of early Cure vibe, and the downbeat boy/girl vocals recall MBV. However, as it goes on you begin to realise maybe they only have this one idea? Maybe repeated listens will reveal a little more depth, but I'm not sure I have the patience to find out...

Refreshing sounds and atmosphere listening to this album with a clear view, fan of Islands and Infinity specifically. Really solid 4 song run in the start of the album, would give a strong 3 to this one just because personally still didnt get me that attached.

Like

As tired as I am of the abundance of no name English bands that are on this countdown, there is something about this record that I dig. Not that this is amazing, because it isn’t. The singers are average at best, especially the male one who is mediocre, while the songs and production are pretty basic. But they do have something interesting about them that made this a worthwhile listen, even if it is best categorized as a slow burn. When the album first began, l was instantly buying in with Intro. Yeah it’s an instrumental, but it was a great start. Unfortunately, they never seemed to get appreciably better than that, as backed up by this being listed as the only top song from the album on Apple Music. That said, the song constructions are generally good and it has a certain vibe about it that is cool. Not great, not bad. Pretty average, which is way above a lot of the other English acts on this list that no one has ever heard of.

It's good. Some songs I really like, but most are just fine. I really like the woman vocals much more than the man's voice, but together it somehow kinda works? I dunno, I liked the album it's pretty good.

This album is viscerally familiar and yet I didn't especially know any of the songs. After giving it some thought I have a funny feeling this might be one of the albums we played for a bit while I was working at Borders back in the day. It's got the right vibe, and from the right time frame. I do think this works best as background music. It's a chill and kind of sparse. This starts out more towards a 4 and slides down to more towards a 3 by the album's end. I definitely don't dislike it but probably won't go out of my way to listen again.

Very repetetive.

Perfectly pleasant listen. Never really reaches a grand peak.

Islands is my favourite!

Very one note. Its a nice note, but it is just one

I remember this album well. The xx were huge in the tumblr scene but I never got the hype I enjoyed the singles though, they save this from a 2. But overall pretty boring 3 ⭐️

Some elite songs in here, iconic.

I've already listened

I was still kind of plugged in to the music scene when The xx released their debut album xx. In fact, there was such a buzz about that album that I listened to it. I don’t remember it making a very big impression, but I could have been a narrow-minded music nerd at the time. So, I was kind of excited to be giving it another try. Upon first listen, as I was working at my desk, I really liked it. I thought I’d made a huge mistake back then. While the songs were kind of simple with just a few instruments and some digital sounds, the vibe was very chill and relaxed. And, surprisingly, the songs had a bit of a beat to kind of bop to a bit. After listening to it, sitting in a chair, concentrating and reading the lyrics, I kind of came back to earth. The songs are simple and kind of sound the same, which isn’t bad necessarily, look at AC/DC. The lyrics to me sounded very high school teen, angsty, kind of “I’ll never love again” at age 16. Plus, you can tell this band was a fan of New Order, The Cure, Joy Division, and other 80’s new wave, but what really hit me was The Kills. The Kills are a two-person alt/rock group that is very minimalist and I love that band so much. Check out The Kills’ Midnight Boom. But several songs, I thought, this could have been off of a Kills album. Because I could easily pick out the influences, I thought it was weird that this album got so much love. I remember a band called She Wants Revenge, which I really liked, but the critics killed them for sounding just like their influences. Many of which were shared by The xx. It was confusing. Not that I don’t listen to trashy music, I do, but I really thought She Wants Revenge was going to be around for a while. Nope. Maybe the critics were just being narrow-minded idiots at that time, and 3 years later, they were all in. This album was great when it was just on in the background while you're working. But when I sat down and really got into it, even at 37 minutes, I kept wondering, “When is this going to be done?” Not sure it’s one of the best albums of the 21st century, or of 1,001 you need to hear, but it’s alright.

I like their overall sound, but the songs were forgettable.

This is #day397 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… how about a throwback to the late-'00s indie electronic? When "Crystalised" kicked in, I realized what this band reminds me of: Young Marble Giants, the early-'80s indie/post-punk Welsh band. There's this similar stripped-down minimalism, though Young Marble Giants carried more depth in their sparseness. The xx are too sugary-indie and lappy for my taste. I like the shimmering guitar sound, though. There's something Chameleons-Cocteau-Twins-esque about it. Highlights are "Intro," "Crystalised," "Islands," and "Infinity." No idea why their other album made this list. Otherwise, this is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day398.

Cool music to listen to. Nice to just have on in the background.

One of the reviews said this album is for sad middle class girls in the 2010s. I've never felt so seen. Understand the criticisms in hindsight but too nostalgic to score low

I knew the song Islands from a video game I played in like 2012. The vibe is pretty much the same throughout. Calm, electronic and a bit Emo.

Want to listen to it again. Not completely impressed.

Chill pop album. Good background music or something youd here at a trendy clothing store or coffee shop. Not my typical vibe, but not bad.

I don't think I know the xx, but I know the name. Intro is beautiful. There's a lot of New Order in there, with distracted vocals on top. Shelter comes along and I think I'm starting to get hooked. Infinity reminds me of that Chris Isaak song, but doesn't work for me. The last couple of songs not grabbing me. It's ok.

If ennui had a soundtrack, this would be it. The minimalist electronica is serviceable, and in fact, even good at times, but the lazy, oft asynchronous mumblings are a real downer. I get it. This is likely the exact vibe they were going for, and I, therefore, commend them for hitting their mark, but talk about sucking the energy out of a room. Unlike the stupefyingly generic 'I See You' (which we had to listen to just three albums ago and had zero business being on this list), I can see the somewhat unique value this album brings to the table. I think its resonance, however, is completely dependent on the listener's biorhythms at the time of consumption. If you're feeling broody, this might hit like a 5; else, it'll probably land much closer to a 1. Guess I'll split the difference.

A couple of notable tunes I knew and dug. Chill and well produced.

New-to-me band. Not bad, a chill, vibey sound that pairs well with reading in bed. Crystalised added to Liked Songs.

Thought it was an alright listen overall, a few indie bangers in there.

Actually listened to this album a fair few times when it came out. It is an enjoyable listen and there are highlights with Intro, Crystallised and Night Time. There is a bit of filler and not quite 4-star worthy. Solid 3-star.

Difficile de faire plus cliché qu’un enchaînement de chansons nommés Basic Space / Infinity / Night Time / Stars haha Je n’arrive pas trop à déceler les émotions que l’album essaye de transmettre et c’est sûrement sa force mais je pense que c’est aussi son point faible (en plus de la voix de Oliver Sim qui ne me convainc absolument pas). Les mélodies sont au point mais tout est très « vide » et donc j’ai l’impression qu’on s’ennuie vite, à moins d’être dans le mood idéal , mais ça reste un album qui me rappelle des bons souvenirs (j’avais essayé d’apprendre l’arpège de Intro à la guitare)

Pretty enjoyable, just didn't stick with me.

This was an interesting listening experience. I thought it was really cohesive sonically, it's got that kind of mellow rock sound that's perfect for a long drive on a summer evening. At the same time it felt unlike anything I've heard before (maybe Of Monsters and Men come the closest from the music I usually listen to), I found it easy to get invested in. I especially liked the rhythm section on most songs. I'm ashamed to admit I'd never heard of The xx before, but I do see myself returning to this album.

One of those that I like better musically and melodically than lyrically.

Very atmospheric. Interesting mix of indie and hip hop elements along with some industrial and synth. That said, none of it was particularly interesting or distinct, just vibes. Not great to exercise to, but would be a decent album for sitting pool side on a summer day.

I was familiar with the first song (not sure why) so I enjoyed having a little connection as I went in. Halfway through I realized they had been on the list before. I really enjoyed the first half. VCR and Crystalised were good, they flowed well together and were a little different and didn't drag. After Fantasy it all started to just mesh and seem really similar and dragging a bit. I enjoyed it overall.

I would describe their musical style as minimalist, whispy, & pretty. Everything has a very light touch. It's creative and has a unique sound. When it works, it works really well VCR, Crystalized, Islands are all good songs. But when it doesn't work it just kinda comes across as listless and boring. The best songs are at the beginning and the album falls off after them. Heart Skipped a Beat isn't bad but it just doesn't have the melodic hooks that the others had. Fantasy, snore. Basic Space could work if they cut out the beginning and kept that beat going the whole time and made it more of a dancy song. Alas, "energetic" is not a word I would use to describe this band. Infinity has a cool Roy Orbison kind of feel to it but the guy is so mumbly with his vocals. I like that there is a male counterpoint to her vocals but I don't especially like the guy's vocals. He's so listless and mumbly (Oliver Sim). I like Romy Madley Croft's singing.

This album is so chill and vibey that it makes me want to fall asleep in a cuddle puddle and miss half the album. I do like it, but it gets samesy after awhile. It’s one I’m familiar with and that I don’t like as much as I used to.

not my fav xx album but this album feels like the late 00s in such an insane way, i need it in my veins, time to let the trap beats go and go back to THIS

i used to like a couple songs from them off this album but i like the fun remixes more lmao :( this is still nice and chill

Vibes, troppo calmo dall'inizio alla fine

Really love their instrumentals, but the vocals sound kinda... ?cheap?

Off the cuff remark: while it is a perfectly pleasant listen, I enjoy the male / femal vocals, perhaps I need to listen to it more, as I can't understand why it might be in a list like this ? Standout track: perhaps part of the experience is that nothing particularly stands out, it drifts by in a quite welcome way. Revisit?: I will, as I know I own it too, decent enough but unremarkable.

Maybe a 2

Rating: 3.1 There are a couple of serious bangers at the beginning of this album. Then at the end you’ll be screaming and crying at them to do something instead of playing their instruments really quietly and whispering at each other. I hate everything about the aesthetics of this band. What are you guys even doing?

Molto interessante, suoni intriganti, sicuramente da riascoltare in cuffia. Leggermente troppo simili i pezzi

At the time this must have been a nice contrast to the seemingly hundreds of generic messy indie pop bands in the charts. Sophisticated understated sound but a bit on the bland side for me. 3*

Fine, a little plodding. Intro is cool

i usually like this type of thing but it wasn't my favorite :(

Enjoyable moody little fella. Nothing wrong with the album but nothing groundbreaking either. Sounds like a mashup of Cults and the Raveonettes. 3/5

so far calming and relaxing. cool sound soothing voice. specifically fantasy felt like good vibes for a late night drive and j enjoyed the bass-y part of that.

finally something i've heard of and liked in the past! definitely best album in my opinion so far but it's not mindblowing. i only listened through once though.

2nd album Intro holds a special place in my heart, first heard on a TV ad that I Shazzamed, then used it as the backing track of an English presentation and Bobbi said she liked the song which made me feel like I'd made a good choice - I had been doubting whether it was too slow. This album is a bit of a grower, I've heard it in it's entirety before and there were a lot of good songs, but the pace of them was a bit too slow that they were hard to be consumed by and usually got relegated to the background.

was fun listening but wouldn’t listen songs from it on a daily basis

15/08/2025 It's just a little too slow.

Um bom momento pro gerador me dar este álbum. Me encontro atualmente completamente enamorado por uma mulher que têm discos como este em seus favoritos. Não sei se é apropriado escrever algo tão pessoal aqui nessas reviews… Mas que se foda. Não vejo porquê não. Algo que estou vivendo e acho legal registrar aqui. Agora, o que dizer sobre o álbum em si, separado da dinâmica de minhas relações interpessoais? Bem, ele é melhor do que o outro álbum do xx presente na lista. Isso vai sem dizer. Eu detestei aquele álbum. Este aqui não provoca uma reação tão forte assim. Na realidade, ele é bem subjugado, minimalista, airoso, e portanto, minha opinião sobre ele retém as mesmas qualidades. Instrumentalmente esse disco me agrada muito. Mas os vocais às vezes me desagradam. Esse estilo de dueto me passa uma imagem muito específica de um tipo de gente muito específica da década de 2010. Não é uma imagem agradável. Se o álbum inteiro fosse apenas a Olivia encarregada dos vocais eu gostaria dele bem mais. Não gosto da voz desse outro cara, não gosto do jeito que ele canta. Passa uma vibe forte de coque samurai, doodle tattoos e violão no campus da faculdade na área dos cursos de humanas, e ele quer muito te convidar pra conhecer a cervejaria nova que abriu. Não é à toa que minhas faixas favoritas do disco são a Intro, e as canções que a Olivia possui a parte principal. Mas ao todo, eu gostei deste álbum. Não só em comparação ao outro deles da lista, mas no geral. Um disco bem relaxado, descontraído, minimalista. É agradável e fácil de ouvir, muitas melodias memoráveis também. Se você colocasse um vocalista melhor nessas faixas você teria um clássico. 3.5/5

Atmospheric pop, recognized "Intro"

Chill vibes, a little repetitive towards the end

I liked the song Crystalised, But the album is a Bit difficult to listen to when you’re on a bus and there’s so much noice around… Not my kind of music genre, But I have heard some of those songs before in Ads or like reality tv

I really like how this album sounds. It's something that I really like about indie, the guitar, the drone, the vocal tone. But, I do think this album is a bit basic and surface level. There is better indie music out there than something like The xx but honestly, this album is pretty good. Favorite Tracks: Intro, Crystalised, Heart Skipped A Beat, Shelter Rating: 3.5/5

Made me extremely nostalgic for being on Pandora radio at the beginning of the 2010s and I would use one of my precious skips every time a song by the xx came on. In retrospect, this album isn't terrible. It's very 2009. I can't say that I hate the songs as much as I used to, but I will probably continue to skip them in the future... for old times' sake.

average indie band 3/5

Moody and interesting. I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. Points sounded like 80s new wave with a modern twist.

It's the first time I have listened to XX. I drove to work today listening to this group and they sounded great. Relaxing. 5/5

Interesting - sparse, but not cold and distant. There's a bit yearning, a bit of longing here. I think I've heard something from this in the past, but didn't go digging into my last.fm history to find it. Evokes some of the one-hit-ish wonders from the 80s - doesn't seem like it had a lot of staying power. Middle of the road for me, 3 stars.

Nothing stands out and is very slow and instrumental focused. Still quite good but nothing jumps out as a banger.

Schon super, aber kein Highlight für mich dabei, um sich dran festzuhalten

Started out great, but ultimately sounded pretty much the same all the way through.

I can take it or leave it. I guess I'll leave it.

Good vibes

i don't think any other indie album was as influential on the overall sound of the 2010s as this one, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or bad thing anymore.

A good duet album. It's pretty hipster-ish but I enjoyed it. Good vocals from both of them and the melodiea were nice. Close to a 4

I think this first song is used in like... Basketball promos? I can't believe that in 2009, we're still getting out of tune vocals on otherwise fully produced tracks. I definitely see the parallels to post punk. Crystalised is really familiar but I can't place it. It's so annoying to hear vocals on studio tracks that sound like they were recorded without monitors, but there's still something here. I think there are good songs on this album. I think they would jump out more if the vocals sounded better. I'm going to listen more. This would get a higher rating if the vocals didn't bug me so much.

Very personal sounding and calm.

3

...

Twee, but not insufferably so. Decent enough background music but I'd be surprised if I ever listened to it again.

Je ne connaissais pas tant que ça. Moi aussi faudrait que je réécoute mais ça manque un peu de piquant.

I think crystallised is a great song but the vocals are unbearable after a few songs

Pleasant. 3/5

decent

Probably a 3.5

You're such a loser for keeping this album on the list yet dumping MGMT and The Killers. English punk rock must have sucked you dry. Still good, arguably the best post-punk on here.

I’ve given this album a shot plenty of times, but I always leave underwhelmed. Jamie’s fantastic though, and their influence on pop can’t be understated. I guess I just look for a certain different sound when I want minimalism.

Enjoyed the songs with female singer on lead vocals.

If the best song on your album is called "intro," there might be a problem. I don’t know what to say about this album. I can’t say it’s generic because it’s not, but at the same time, it’s not really interesting and quite forgettable. There’s not much going on; it doesn’t have much to say. It’s not bad but not very engaging.

There's nothing really wrong with this album, it exists and it's an okay listen (even enjoyable, at times), but it doesn't instill much confidence that I would recommend it to anyone. The sound is stripped down, with the rhythms created on a laptop, which explains why it lacks much emotion or character. I don't mind the vocals and the music is easy to listen to, so that was great. I just can't understand how or why xx made the list. Is it essential? no. Will I die more peacefully if I listen to this? maybe, but it will be a slow, boring death that no one will notice or care about.

Dad- 6 Mom- 5 Mike- NA Lori- 5 Michael- 6 Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg- 5.5

16/1001 :: The XX - xx Heard before? ✅ Would I revisit? ✅ Rating: Light 7 Fav Tracks: VCR, Crystalized, Islands Was super into this album when it dropped in 09. There’s an effortlessly cool factor to these songs. Also, the way their voices intermingle is really special. I do think the 2nd half of this album trails off compared to the first album but there’s an ouch here that warrants repeat visits.

It’s hard for me to accept that this might be one of the best albums ever. Really? But I’m always game for some spare, beautiful melancholy. More mood than substance, though.

7/10

This is a new-to-me band, so I had no expectations. I enjoyed the music. Chill vibe. Pleasant as background music. Three stars.

Solid album but nothing special.

Så väldigt brittiskt, sammansmältningen mellan pop och klubb. Skört och vackert. Men fastnar inte riktigt hos mig.

This really seems like something I should like: atmospheric and minimal production, cold instrumentation, male/female vocals, programming. It's fine, but ultimately kind of mundane.

Music made to be played in Pac Sun c. 2015 Faves: Intro, Fantasy, Infinity Indie Pop. August 14, 2009. British/English. 11 tracks. 38:34 runtime.

Heard the first song before, Intro. Was very familiar, maybe from a commercial. This album was pretty decent and chill. Listened to it in the car and it made for a nice car ride.

No doubt it influenced a certain sound in early 2010s British music but I find this a little boring and one note. Some great tunes that would score dramatic scenes in teen dramas for years, but the overall experience is only okay.

Never got into The xx, even though I feel like I should have. There was a small window a little after the time when this came out that I got into this type of indie-ish sounding music, but I think I was a little late to the party and was exploring other artists on the rise. Fast forward to today and I just don't really vibe with this type of music anymore. It's definitely not bad and I can appreciate it for what it is, but I won't listen to it again.

That was some pretty good vibes from an indie band I've never listened to before

Well thought out. Has a consistent flow. However after multiple listening I didn't like the vocals. The music is melodic and nice. But samey

Groupe inconnu. L'album commence bien, avec une introduction quasi instrumentale sympathique (+1). Les voix rentrent au second morceau, avec un accompagnement assez minimaliste plutôt réussi. Mais ... je n'aime pas trop la voix masculine. Même constat pour les morceaux suivants, j'ai eu beaucoup de mal à m'habituer à la voix masculine, mais j'ai bien apprécié l'ambiance (+1). Donc découverte intéressante, mais qui ne rejoindra pas ma collection. =>3/5

Desde la inconfundible “intro” hasta “Hot Like Fire (Bonus Track)” “XX” de The xx es un álbum completo de música alternativa antes de que este género saltase masivamente al mainstream en la década de los 2010s. Un sonido muy limpio con instrumentos tocados de forma muy sutil y las voces de Romy, Oliver y Baria casi susurradas que cantan sobre el amor en la juventud, la soledad. Sin ser mucho mi estilo musical, se me ha hecho ameno y reconozco que es un sonido que ha inspirado a muchos de los artistas que crean música a día de hoy; incluso a Rihanna que sampleó “Intro” en su tema “Drunk On Love” de 2011.

Good stuff

Oddly soothing, considering how monotonous and bland it is.

A bit repetitive