xx

Actual review date: May 6, 2025 Well that was a long and unexpected break from reviewing. I listened to a bit of this before life got in the way and I kind of liked what I heard. I listened to it full today and it was decent. It started off promising but did get a little boring for me. Still, I didn't mind it but it's probably not something I'd keep on my phone. More of a 3.5.

I liked this in college but found it kind of annoying on relisten

Mid alone but good based on the significance in the industry

this album is okay not my favorite but the songs are actually pretty good just didn’t really like it too much. it just wasn’t very compelling and stuff.

Chill beats and cool vocals.

Surprising.

Sì boh carino, con alti e bassi non particolarmente degni di nota

I like the chilled vibes and slower pace. Makes a change. The guitar is catchy and fun. Vocals seem a bit flat / lack depth though.

I never really “got” xx even though I was alive when they became an indie sensation. A handful of their sons are enjoyable late night driving songs. But ultimately I’m always waiting for the beat to drop or a hook to start and it never comes. 3/5

Ah, the quintessential Tumblr album. I don't know if this has aged the best but it does make me very nostalgic in a sad way. Very vibey and chill, minimalistic album.

This album is cool because it's different. But it makes me feel sleepy. I could definitely see myself listening to this on a rainy day, looking out the car window, just vibing and being melancholy. Will I come back to this one? Maybe? Probably not? Am I disappointed that I gave this a listen? Nah.

this is so industrial house but no

Beautiful perfect...background music. The intro is incredible and so evocative, and there are some more standouts - fantasy (that outro!), basic space - but on the whole the sound is too shy to listen to regularly. I'll still round a 3.5 up to a 4 because it's an album I will be returning to next time I'm doing physics homework.

I've meant to relisten to this album, I don't think I've heard it since maybe 2012. Intro is cool. VCR is cute and great. Crystalized is a really great song immediately followed by Islands which is just as strong. If it was just these four songs it would be a 4/5. The album starts to nosedive a little after Islands for me with each track progressively getting worse. The MIDI harp on Heart Skipped a Beat hurt me. Fantasy is a great idea but a bit of a snoozer, I'm sure it's stronger live. Shelter rights the ship slightly but there is only so much Direct In Reverb Guitar I can take and it never really reaches the climax it was building to. Basic space gave me false hope again that they were going to pick it up but nah. Infinity did bring an improvement finally, though those claps were infuriating. The melody is the same as Party All The Time by Eddie Murphy. Night Time is like a good attempt at making a band focussed Crystal Castles song, I liked that. Stars is another song that I want to like but the idea is so stretched out that it's difficult. I think if I listened to this album nonstop all day I would come around to like it, it definitely needs to grow on you. There is a lot to like about the songwriting on this. I often see people cite The XX as a gateway to Dreampop which I did not understand listening back to this. I don't think Cocteau Twins or Loveliescrushing is going to magically make sense to you after listening to this if it didn't before. I think the main appeal of Dreampop's lofi sound is that there is such strong intentionality and production behind those bands where this xx album feels like they just didn't know how to record and instead of learning to mix they called it lofi. I'm probably being too harsh, it can take this light 3 and we can move on.

When I saw this album on the list, I was like, yeah, sure. But having two XX albums on here is pretty crazy. I know this album was huge in the late 2000s and early 2010s, but it hasn't aged with me too well. This album definitely hit for me back then, but the lack of diversity across the project makes it kind of boring. The sound of this album is as if The Edge took his guitar effects and applied it across the entire band. Not saying that it's bad in that sense, just super reverb-y, delay-y, and monotone. Definitely an album that hits hard for depressed people. I think I'm giving this a strong 3, but this is a hard one for me to rate. PSA: probably giving the other XX album a 2 just because I don't think this band is deserving of two spots on the list.

Only knew islands and the intro song before coming into this, and after VCR I wasn’t sure about this record. I ended saving about half the songs. This album is a particular type of vibe and if you’re in the mood it’s great. I don’t think this is an absolute must listen though. Still good. Strong 3/5

It was fine… I got really sick of hearing so many duets, and the best part were the instrumentals, riffs and all.

Me costó la primer mitad, pero luego empecé a apreciar las sutilezas y lo juguetón de las voces. Quizá deba recolectar un tema para poner en lista, pero me falto alguno que sea explosivo. Habrá que ver la evolución de estos artistas. Nota: 3.0

Decent background music.

Chill, nostalgic

ну такой фончик

Nice enough, the songs blend together a bit. I remember the tumblr girlies being obsessed with this when it came out. 3/5

I like this kind of music - strange and emotional and vibey. But it did feel a little dated, imo. Islands was the standout for me; the others blurred together a bit.

It was fine.

It's ok. I remembered it being better somehow?

I liked the atmosphere created at the start, but it doesn't really go anywhere with it and I was surprised by the end. I felt like it was a lot of promise unrealised.

It was good, just kept fading into the background on me

I have tried to listen to this album soooo many times but every time I get bored. This was probably my 10th listen. Islands and Intro are classics but then the rest gets a little samey. I’ll try it again soon but for now a 3.

Atmospheric and faded into the background. A couple of instantly recognizable tunes.

Meh. Its cool. But boring. Its mellow. But not in an interesting way

Good

Had never heard of them and immediately wanted to not like them because they were English, but I was pleasantly surprised. Has a chill vibe to it.

Another album that I actually was pleasantly surprised by. The vocals were good and mixed in well. It kinda reminded me of evanescence jumping on what otherwise would have been instrumental tracks, but adding to them instead of detracting from them. Glad to have heard it!

-i need to stop judging albums without listening to them honestly… came into this expecting bland coworker music but ended up enjoying it quite a bit. such pleasant and ethereal instrumentals -got kind of dull at moments and the vocals are more of an acquired taste, but i came to like them too. especially the female one. not bad at all -Favorites are Islands and Heart Skipped a Beat

Very breezy electronic and indie record. Has some hiccups production wise, but still pretty good

It's alright

wel chill, maar toch een beetje saai

I've heard intro thousands of times - the rest of the album was sparser and more yell/stomp-y than I would have guessed.

Not sure what to think of this after the first three tracks. I can appreciate it but it isn't exactly captivating, might be owing to the fact that so many other artists have copied their vibe that it doesn't sound special anymore. Still pretty cool tracks, not a standout quality that makes them hit hard though. I honestly don't feel compelled to finish this album lol I think it's just an issue of being willing to accept the vibe/atmosphere of the album, bc if you can do that it's a smoother listen that you can just sit with, but otherwise it's mostly just boring

xx is an album that is just squandered potential in my eyes. The first 5 songs were all great with them each having an otherworldly indie sound with beats that did the job well and just a general vibe that you could easily relax to and get lost inside your thoughts. However, tracks 6, 7 and 8 were all lacking due to music that was trying to hard to be ambient and vocals which sounded like Romy and Oliver were just getting bored of this and while tracks 9, 10 and 11 were good, they just weren't able to hit the heights of the first 5. This album is the embodiment of the saying (I don't know if this is a real saying or not but who cares) "You had it all but lost it somewhere along the way". Best Song: Intro Worst Song: Shelter Side note: I love the music video for Islands, I love how it tricks you into thinking that it is just going to be a simple visualizer but then everything goes awry and it was just a really cool subversion of my expectations

Chill

killer first half and then it becomes a little too slow and drawn out for its own good. still a very interesting and clearly influential project!

moody mid 10's indie pop, i like it and enjoyed but also sometimes it felt like it was trying too hard :/ 3/5

Surprisingly, I kinda prefer I See You. 2 xx albums is far too much though tbh. Better have some solo Jamie here

vibey but not grabby

This album was alright. If I was going on a late night drive, or studying for a test, some of these songs would be good for that. No songs stood out though. Solid album Favorite Song: Crystallized Least Favorite: Night Time

Very enjoyable music that had me bobbing quite often. However the music felt like it did fade into the background quite often.

It was ok, might take a few listens but not particularly up-beat or to my own taste. In 2025 it actually feels a bit dated.

Minimalist is the watchword, I guess. Beats, guitar, lyrics. Otherwise it's all fairly straightforward pop. The songs sort of work but I can only summon minimal(ist) praise. I don't quite understand why they seem to be lauded in some quarters.

On a lazy Saturday morning I really appreciate this album. Liked it more than I expected

TBH, I forgot about this album. My bad. It was a major hit and on most every playlist to this day. Not amazing, but worth noting.

Interesting- haven't heard something like this before. Kinda folky. Kind of dancy. Almost feels like a 90s thing, proto emo, before emo stunk. Maybe shades of Bright Eyes.

The hits are still bangers, but all-in-all more subdued than I remember. It did strike up nostalgia. I remember seeing them at Lollapalooza 2010 with my girlfriend (now wife). Great memories. Glad to revisit for those memories.

Subdued indie pop

I enjoyed it enough the first time that I listened to it a second time later in the day.

Takes me right back to when I was 15 - I remember everyone being obsessed with this, which was maybe one of the reasons I don't think I ever listened to the whole album because it was 'too mainstream'. The latter half of this album trailed off a bit, but the vibe is still so special and feels so unique even more than 10 years later

i was doing math while i listened it was unobtrusive i like the soundscape

Some tracks are great and incomparable, but others are lame

Musically so good, but I HATE the vocals.

Pretty minimal and almost whispery at times. They sound like they’re trying to be the Velvet Underground but just don’t have the emotional depth to really follow through. 3.4/5

It's a cute album, though it felt as if the songs went by so fast I could hardly sink into them and enjoy the sound of them. But I mean, for like dreamy pop this had more going on than the vast majority of its kind so that's great imo.

This is a refreshingly unique album. The almost minimalistic music and low-key voices add up to a pure experience, as there is not much distraction. However, it becomes a bit the same after a while.

Прикольно на фон поставить, хороший альбом для прогулок по ночному городу

It's okay but everything kind of sounds the same? There's only so much you can do with this specific sound texture.

Never listened to this band apart from a few random songs here and there. This album is pretty chill. I probably would've really enjoyed it back in high school but its not something I would choose to listen to now. Favorite track: Crystalised

This album was OK but a little dull. I enjoyed having it on whilst chipping away at work.

Fav track — Crystalised I’ve been loving this track for years and only now have listened to the full album. Just cute and tender at times, probably felt cosmic back in 2009

Eh. Wasn't really for me but wasn't actively irritating either. 2.5 rounded up

It was okay, decent background music while I was working. Probably not something I’ll come back for more of, but it was interesting enough that I didn’t skip around.

Good album. Chill, simple vibes but with some nice little grooves and catchy tunes. For me very reminiscent of Angus & Julia Stone.

Well produced and well performed. Songs lacked oomph however.

A nice voice and some good beats in the background. I thought I heard some cover songs in there, but maybe they were just inspired.

This is definitely my favorite of theirs. Even then, it is incredibly front-loaded. Those first four tracks are so good and then the rest are meh to me. Rating: 3.4

Not the most exciting but it's very pleasant

I kind of liked this music, but I thought a lot of the songs sounded a lot alike.

Listened Before? N Very mellow. Good chilling/background music. Very minimalistic and I like the approach of the layered male and female vocals. Beyond that, there is no standout track here and the album overall is just not memorable. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Crystalised

Only heard “Islands” this is a distinct vibe… good album

Never heard of these guys. There was something compelling about the music. I liked it.

I know this one - it's not bad

A little dark, a little weary but not bad.

I like this, but I find it quite monotonous. The exaggerated vocals begin to grate after a while.

A whole vibe - transcendent car ride

First song chill. Wish they didnt sing that much afterwards. But still kinda vibey. But nothing more than that. 3/5

The opening track is a '5', and nothing else caught my ear.

Wasn't at all familiar with this group, but I enjoyed it. Has a sound very reminiscent of a lot of early 2010s indie rock groups.

Enjoyed it

I knew one song going into this review, "Heart Skipped A Beat" and learned they have a few more popular songs with over 200M listens. I had no idea that they had any popularity, or a following, but clearly the least listened to track on this album has 40M listens, so I wasn't paying attention. Loved the "Intro" to set the tone and lay down the groove they have in mind for the record. I enjoyed the entire album but I'd never put this on a Top 1001 albums list. It's too one dimensional. People listen to this because it's chill and good background music, not because it's influential, cutting edge or amazing. It's a solid 3+ stars but if this album disappeared tomorrow I don't think anyone would really notice. Morcheeba did more compelling mellow trippy music with sexy vocals in their heyday.

This isn’t the most exciting album in the world, but it is very smooth and well-produced, and a little innovative to boot. You could throw this on almost any time for almost any mood. Still, its applicability to everything means it ends up not being specific to much of anything. Best song: Islands

This has some very pleasant sounds on it, but it's all rather mellow and sublimated for me - I prefer some grit, a little edge, but this is mice.

Somehow my first listen to this! Feels very of its time but also I can feel its fingerprints all over pop music since it came out. Enjoyed it more than i thought!

Somewhere between EDM and Chill. Great background music. 3.5/5

Not quite sure where to put this one. I loved (and overplayed) this and their 2012 album quite a bit in college. 3.5 stars feels right but rounding down because it doesn’t reach a 4 for me

Tbh kind of boring to me but not the worst listen

Hmmm, okay for my taste. A little to mellow most of the time.

Not sure how I feel about this upon first listening...it was interesting. It sounds ahead of its time with the lowkey, almost whispered vocals, but also very much of its time with many of those subtle late 2000s indie tropes in the actual music here. Many of these songs feel like lead-ups (or even intros) that never develop (heck the most popular song here is an intro that goes nowhere). I didn't hate it - the subdued nature of everything makes the occasional lack of a coherent song structure less noticeable. Aesthetically, it reminded me a lot of Portishead, especially with the female vocals on 'Shelter'. The music composition of this is much different though, with many songs consisting of these, often pleasant, reverb melodic guitar lines (akin to groups like Explosions in the Sky I'd say). The guitars were the best part of this album, my favorite being the ones driving the catchy 'VCR' and 'Night Time' which may be my favorite song here. It's a minimalistic album, which is cool, you don't often see an album this understated, brooding, and dark do this well in the mainstream, especially not in the bombastic-mainstream-year that was 2009. I appreciate this record, but it's not something I see myself revisiting very often.

3.4 stars rounded down. “Fantasy” and “Shelter” are the standout tracks. The rest is worth a listen.

It was pretty good but not for my taste

It was okay, but I’m not sure if I’ll listen to it again

Beetje saai af en toe. Paar leuke nummers

Very nice, but it's unfortunately giving planet fitness playlist a little (especially towards the end). Still, love the spacey and laid back production, would fall asleep to this Fav Songs: Crystalised, Islands, Shelter

This was an easy listen. I quite enjoyed it.

Sparse and laid back indie rock. Good background music and a cool collection of sounds in additional to the usual indie rock elements.

Enjoyable but I would have liked a few more energetic songs

Pretty laid back but not bad.

The woman has a great voice and is nice to listen to, the guy I don't really like listening to at all. The instrumentation is sparse but the right instruments drop in at the right time, especially the guitar. I really liked the first few songs but it dropped of hard after that. The latter half was boring and didn't relaly have much enjoyable about it. Wanted to give it 4 stars but 3 is the most I can muster.

I wanted to like this, and it did sound like a few artists I listen to but I also found myself bored for the first couple of songs. In the end I landed in the middle. Not the best but certainly not the worst. Would probably spin it again

Enjoyed it, chill.

Minimalista y tranquilo. Las voces hacen buen juego y la atmósfera está muy bien trabajada. Requiere algo de esfuerzo y un par de escuchas para tomarle gusto.

Aldri hørt om disse før. Veldig minimalistisk og lett å høre på. Vokalene er ikke særlig interessante, noe som gjør hele opplevelsen litt døll og kjedelig. Funker nok som fin bakgrunnsmusikk når man er sliten og går non-verbal når man er ute med venner. Skjønner hvorfor noen kan like det, men var ikke interessant nok for min del. Skulle vært mer kick. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Was really bored to start off but turned into a pleasant listen. Nothing to write home about though.

I liked most of it. Initially i didnt think I would recognize any of the songs. But it turned out that I actually had listened to some of those before.

Undeniably catchy songs. Like block party but without the intensity. Ruined by the guys mumbly and girls breathy vocals.

Okay, not that bad but some tracks weren't my style. Overall 5/10

Direct goeie om te beginnen, de rest is rustiger dan verwacht maar wel goed

i would pay RateYourMusic a million dollars if they would let me post my I See You review again unchanged except for the standout tracks having been adjusted. my opinion hasn't changed. the exact sum of the band member's parts, just with one more person who they decided to kick out of the band afterwards because they were bored. xx sounds like a day that threatens to rain but never does, preferring to thunder in the distance and never shower you with any real vibrancy in the music. i am never excited to hear a The xx track; i am simply subjected to it. do you think the band finds it demoralizing that people consider a wordless, two minute intro their best song? or does all the money the group gets from car commercials help to assuage their cognitive dissonance?

Great guitarist. I’m not fond of breathy singers. Seems like a lack of vocal ability. He talk/sings too. Seems like depression music. Still they’re not screaming or rapping so an automatic pass from me (in a good way). 3/5

Enjoyable but didn’t stand out

I've known this album for a long time and have listened to it quite a few times over the years, and even own it on LP. With "Intro" and "Crystalised" at the beginning, xx immediately starts off promisingly. I have always liked "VCR" as well. It is a somewhat languid song, but that is their style. That style is precisely the biggest flaw of this band: Their music is often a bit lifeless and (too) dreamy for my taste. But hey: Enjoy it in moderation, then it is perfectly acceptable. "Islands" and "Heart Skipped A Beat" are still good songs, but still, I understand very well why this album has been forgotten. I can't find any element that makes many of the songs unforgettable, which would tempt me to put it on again. From "Shelter" onwards the album definitely collapses. The music becomes even dreamier and slower, the melody is increasingly hard to find and the somewhat whiny vocals of both Romy and Oliver are starting to stand out more and more. The album meanders on and my attention wanes. 3* for this modern classic with a small 'c'. Not a grand prize, but a pass.

Þetta var skrítið. Mér fannst ég þekkja mörg stefin í lögunum án þess að þekkja lögin. Ætli þetta sé ekki ein af útvarpshljómsveitunum sem ég heyri í en hlusta ekki á. Lögin voru mjög fín en ég mun líklegast ekki muna eftir þessari plötu. Ekkert að henni samt

Decently mellow, but not overly memorable.

I enjoyed this album. Vocals are pretty cutesy, and some songs get a bit dark and meandering for my taste, but it's a really good sound overall. I think it's most effective when they aren't leaning to hard into the cutesy or the moody and find a really nice poppy middle.

Never really listenened to the guys,but i was surprised that i like it,melancholy electronica,like a sad daft punk.

This album was sooo calming. Honestly I'd work to this for sure (I was working when I listened to most of this album). The vocals are so well done, the instrumentation sounds so clean and clear. I really like it. I need to be in a mood to listen to music like this but I can see listening during a night walk/drive for sure Liked Songs: "Crystalised" , "Islands" , "Basic Space" , "Shelter"

I like an atmospheric album now and then. This was a chill vibe, but not so chill that I was completely uninterested or disengaged from it.

Da bini grad chli nervös worde wo das Album azeigt worde isch. Nervös als würd mer sin Teenie-crush nach 10 Jahr wiedermal gseh und mer frögt sich, öb mer grad wider die ahziehig gspühre wird? The XX isch definitiv eini vo dene Bands woni ahgfange han Musig gnüsse, und The XX am Züri Openair 2013 no immer s best Konzert woni erlebt han. Let's go! Und so fühlt sich the XX no ah für mich: chli 10er Jahr-Indie, chli pupentierend, chli unsicher, chli übertrieben melancholisch und chli gspührsch mi fühlsch mi. Es duet mer leid The XX, aber mir hend eus doch eifach biz usenandglebt. Es liht au gar ned ah dir, dinere truurige Stimme und dine doch sehr nice Gitarre-riffs. Ich han mich eifach wiiter entwickelt und bin kein truurige Teenie meh... Sondern jetzt en truurige Erwachsne. Goodbye. Ps. Was defür Spass gmacht het isch de Radio wo nach em Album gloffe isch: Alt-J, Moderat, Apperat, Röyksopp: all die crushes woni no immer biz en crush druf han. PPS. Sorry für de wiedermal überlangi text, han eifach zviel Ziit grad.

Schöne guete Fritig liebe Album Klöpp ToBu Zerst mal herzlichi gratulation a the xx fürs beste intro i de gschicht vo de intros. Thömbs öp, für das meisterwerk vom ne track. Abgseh devo isch album solid, aber halt au nöd meh. Weiss nöd öb mir es klars 3er-album uf nes 4i chan lüpfe wege eim track, hans gfühl nööd. Offnigi frage wo bliebed: Wieso heissed sie und s album xx und hend nur immer eis x im cover?

Loved this album when it first came out. Holds up, I guess, but doing the close-listening thing reveals it to be pretty insipid. I mean, these lyrics are trash. 5 star background music album, but what makes it good for that makes it bad for, y'know, listening. Splitting the difference with a 3. Either way, I don't think this is an album you have to hear before you die.

Cringe lyrics but good music and good vibes Still kinda mid overall I have 5/7 songs ig

I think this is what the kids call "shoegaze" or "bedroom pop." Nice to work to. "Infinity" recalled to mind Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" and "Smalltown Boy" by Bronski Beat. I listened to this album 2x, and then their latest release from 2022; I preferred this self-titled album over their new album.

Quite nice.

2 stars if it wasn’t for island and intro. Intro by itself is 5 star

++: Intro, Crystallised, Infinity +: VCR, Islands, Heart Skipped a Beat, Fantasy, Shelter, Basic Space, Night Time +-: Stars 7,3/10

Really nice, chill indie album. It's basically my definition of a 3 star album—pleasant enough for a re-listen, but not interesting enough to think about it again. Best song: Shelter Other highlights: Intro 3.5 stars

Favorite Track: Islands

VCR has remained one of my favorite songs since middle school. In all honesty, I appreciate this album as the cultural monolith it was at the time, practically a bible for American Apparel wearing Tumblr try-hards. I am not sure if nostalgia is clouding my perception but it soundtracks such a specific section of Gen Z online experience... ugh. I'm re-blogging black and white gifs of Alex turner again. A little surprised this album is on this list.

Shit day, got let go. I gotta be honest, it's not going to be easy to shake that association, but overall it's pretty alright. There are some iconic songs and I love Jamie XX, but this album also felt a bit too monotonous to really love it deeply.

Not something I'd choose to listen but pleasant

Vocals are a bit strange and lacking, but the overall chill vibe of the record makes it captivating. Solid.

This ended up being a decent little listen. Didn’t blow my socks off, but I’m not mad at it

Alright here we go. And the 2009's Barista's Choice Album of the Year goes to.... The XX! From 2009 to 2015 I couldn't get an almond milk dirty chai without hearing this stuff. SUPER disaffected, well-made, minimalistic hipster music that will offend NOBODY. I liked this when it came out too, but by 2010 I was over it hard, it was wildly overplayed. The appeal of feeling "cool" without the burden of having an "actual edge" is so appealing that this album seemed to do gangbusters and I had enough quickly. I still never mind hearing this out in the wild but honestly this is the only time since 2009 that I've listened to this on purpose. When it comes to music like this I can count on encountering it enough times without needing to seek it out for myself. There's nothing in this album I need to return to, but I'll be damned if it's not tastefully done. These minimalistic arrangements allow the tone of each instrument to really get a moment. All the amp tones, snare sounds, breathy vox, it all gets its time in the moonlight. This plays like more of a vibey mood-setting record than anything. Songwriting-wise, this works in a vague "I'm feeling disconnected but not sure why" kind of narrative throughout. The strength in this is in its minimalism. We've all heard music about feeling a bit ambiguously alienated that tries too hard. Gigantic anthemic overtones blow out the drama to 11 and it feels like much too much. I get it you had a disagreement with your partner or your dad doesn't get you but calm down.. Well that's where XX come in clutch, got feelings to sort out and figure out what to do with? Want to feel deep but don't know why? They'll get you there.. real calmly. Let's land this plane nice & easy. It's a funny thing, out of all the cafes I heard this playing in, I never remembered hearing it in a bar.. best not to mix too many downers I suppose..

pleasant but a bit backgroundy

Not bad, but kinda washed out after a bit.

Didn’t realize that I knew half of these songs. Kind of replaceable late aughts indie pop. Not a bad listen, just very 2009.

Snore. I thought this would be a good album. The intro is great but I found it dreary. Her voice was good. He was dull.

I knew the XX from the radio and was pretty sure I didn't like them, but actually thought this was a really decent album

This music could be the soundtrack to a very good indie movie. It’s not earthshattering, and didn’t have a ton of energy to grab full attention. But it does set a very pleasant vibe! I’m not mad at spending some time with this. Kinda dreamy.

it was fine. Did not match the mood I was in though

3/5

My new favourite chill time album. Honestly the vibes here are unmatched! Favourite track: Night Time

6/10

I imagine the CD being blindfolded and placed against the wall. Ready..... Aim ..... FIRE!! Mickey Mouse": "Right, who's next, Coldplay?" Goofy "Say, wasn't dere (sic) last album ok." Mickey: "Ed Sheeran then?" Donald Duck "Mutter, mutter ..." The music is pleasant enough indie electonica, with a low key vibe, quasi deep lyrics and so-so vocals. Something doesn't quite work for me, but it's ok.

It's a staple album that I think many people know from the hits, myself included. Diving in while a lot of the sound stayed the same throughout the album i never got bored of it like similar albums I have listened to already. Female vocals are executed well, and the instrumental backing makes the song pleasurable for the ears. Basic space was a cool change-up in pacing compared to the songs that got us to this point.

Ibtemember really liking this when it came out. Not as much this time, but still good.

If anyone was stupid enough to read my reviews they would see a small number of recurring patterns, and this album falls in the "I wasn't expecting much, but it was better than I expected, although still not particularly good" pattern. It probably lies somewhere between 2 and 3 stars, I'm feeling generous so will give it 3.

A moody listen, could be nice in the right environment. Very minimalist

Pleasant but I did find it a bit same and, sorry to say, insipid.

Nice lil indie pop.

I really like the first song, but otherwise it’s pretty plain.

It was fine.

Tempted to go higher on this, I do think it’s very influential and I love its internal world, that very minimalist sound makes this an indie classic, and I love how Jamie xx in particular took that sound to make the much better In Color… much respect to this and I could go higher after more listens, it holds up better than I remembered. Plus that Intro track is sooo good

Cool sounds but I much prefer Jamie xx’s fun solo stuff. Kinda thought this was a bummer.

Hmm really loved this 1 at the time but have kinda come around to thinking it was boring and i do generally like romy and jamie’s solo stuff a lot more!

meh

too short but gucci damage

10 years ago I would have been really impressed by this but I think it was just kind of good.

3/5 Would listen to didn't have a fav song

A bit too mellow for me.

had high hopes from the intro but then it got a lot less interesting to me. very chill.

Good background music while troubleshooting and then rolling into some creative marketing brainstorming—pleasant enough, and it feels like it might keep growing on me.

Chill, but maybe a little flat

A decent vibey album. There are more than a few moments where it becomes too sparse in sound though. 3/5

Words that came to mind while listening to this album: melancholy, emo, minimalist, moody, tortured, sparse. It feels like the music that gets played in very hipster coffee shops and trendy, overpriced goth clothing stores. Which is not to say that I didn’t like it. The interplay of the male and female duet vocals is engaging, especially on Stars, Basic Space and VCR. The instruments are muted and create a sonic fabric, layered over each other in a way that washes over the listener. Cool ambient mood music to put on in the background. 3⭐️

I love the song islands. There are definitely other great songs, with nice guitar and rhythm but there are also songs where I kind don’t vibe with the forced angstiness of the voices and slightly basic lyrics

This is fine. Neutral background music. Expertly done, minimally challenging.

Pleasant enough, but why are we listening to it? 2.5.

This was a big deal when it was released. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5

some cool stuff but really nothing special

Meh

you can tell that a ton of music producers heard this and went “ohhhhhh shit, we’ve gotta do this sound now”

Had some fun parts in it but not really into it at same time. It was ok but idk.

pretty good, a little dated at this point though

The intro song is amazing. The rest is hit or miss.

Ihanaa

So…! This album is good. However! The first song … originally named Intro… is, for me, a high that the other tracks don’t reach and a tease that the album doesn’t deliver on. It’s all crescendo and no pay off. Fantasy and infinity are both tracks I really liked but nothing culminated in anything, just as a lot of tracks promised to. All this being said… this is a new band I’d never heard before somehow. I like their vibe and they feel real. 6/10

Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background A bit mellow for my tastes, but I will give it this...the music is constantly changing/evolving throughout a song. It's never dull, but it doesn't reach any high highs either. Enjoy the songs were the singer's voices blend.

I really enjoyed the groove of these songs. And having the two different vocals was very effective. It was quite meditative for me. I was surprised when it ended. I was expecting a song with finality: “Here’s the end.” You know? Enjoyable. Top tracks: “Islands,” “My Heart Skipped A Beat”

Still not swayed that these guys are any more than average. Probably a better album than the other one on this list but I feel a bit miffed they got two albums when there's plenty of great artists and albums who didn't get one. I'd prefer if only Romy Croft sang and I didn't have to hear Oliver Sim so much. Last time I compared them to Bastille and the 1975 but now I feel like comparing them to Matt and Kim or Of Monsters and Men - given the duet style they consistently employ. You could do a lot worse than this album, but you could do better too.

It was fine, the first song was the best one. Didn’t like the singing

can hear why i was obsessed with this as a teen, was a defining album of its moment but feels slightly uninspired now

Definitely understated. It's nice. Duets always a cool touch. Like the reverby guitar riffs (apparently just practice amp setting). Real lyrics, all about love. Mellower than I'm usually in the mood for.

Not too shabby

Had already listened to this album. Gave it a listen this morning on my morning commute, still the only 2 good songs are the intro and night time

Super mellow music. It's like Cowboy Junkies on quaaludes.

Obviously a very influential band who I remember being quite excited about at the time but never got to see live, so many bands have aped their sound and they are good but I didn’t get as excited listening to it again 15 years later

My kind of music. They lost me there for a bit somewhere in the middle and the occasional out-of-key lines irked me, but it's just so easy to listen to. Big The xx fan.

I remember this album being everywhere when i was in australia in 2010. I wouldn't say it was anything special but fond memories of a place and time. Plenty of recognisable songs

Nice ambient stuff, won’t make much of an impression but that seems to be the point.

Punchy flowing background tunes with an interesting blend of subtle vocals from both singers. Very airy, chill, soundscape on this one.

Super tranquil, peaceful listen. Calming.

Knew nothing of this group or album prior to listening, but immediately hearing "Intro" felt like an epiphany. I've heard that track so much across YouTube, social media, and in adverts that I honestly thought it was royalty-free music or something similar until now. The more you know... Now onto the rest of the album. "Less is more" is the theme here, as the sound production is minimalistic, yet very crisp. Touching on themes such as love, desire, and loss, everything feels and sounds intimate as a result of this combination. Intentional or not, some of the songs that feature both of the vocalists come off as romantic duets. However, I do think this style of production tends to result in the separate tracks bleeding into each other a bit. If you've heard one track with short guitar figures and clapping percussion, you've almost heard them all. This is a very 2009 album, pretty much smack dab in an era of budding indie pop acts. Not to say I completely hated this album, in fact I quite enjoy that era of indie pop/rock. This album hits a sort of ceiling midway through and doesn't strive to do much more than that.

How can it get anything higher than a 3? It just is just fine. That’s it. It’s pleasant to listen to - background music. It doesn’t have one song that sounds out. They don’t do anything that hasn’t been done. No song stands out on it; this, no singles.

I appreciate it, even though it's not really my style of music. Like it's trying to be melancholy yet not melancholy enough to be convincing. Just really underwhelmed me. I never felt any sustained feeling of emotion listening to it. Nor did I feel any enthusiasm anticipating the next song in queue.

Minimalist would be the best descriptor. Not bad, but any means, but you'd have to be an a definitely specific mood to enjoy it. I think if you were to put this on at a rave various items would be flying - wouldn't fit the bill at all. That said, at a laid-back party where the folks in attendance don't like jazz (Jazz = just an excuse to play the wrong notes.) I think it'd be good and possibly even attract a fair deal of attention. Never heard of the band before, but I AM going to look it up.

It was solid, very lo fi and atmospheric. Wasn’t exactly my style of music, but some seemingly cool lyrics on the project.

ai ai aiiii

Stripped down indie pop, not much to love here. I do like how extremely loud the bass is on this album. Other than that I can't say any of the tracks are memorable.

I like this one, a lot! Cool, chilled out synth pop(?) at its finest!

Really enjoyed this album and the first song makes you want to run through a wall. Great for getting ready to start football

Not my kind of music, but some good tracks, Dangerous and I See You.

This is a real chill album. Male/female duo vocals. Nothing that hasn't been done before. But there was an interesting minimalist approach to these songs that was kind of nice. I hope other xx albums are different than this. Because as good as this album was, the slow chill soft vocal vibe got tiresome. If not, than this band sucks.

Ok, calming. I recognized the intro.

It was better than I thought. Really calm, I enjoyed it

Mellow, silky, engaging. A very pleasant listen all the way through, if nothing stands out as particularly exciting or ear-grabbing.

Good atmospheric tunes. Nothing mind blowing but good none the less.

It's got that detached indie rock kind of thing going on, which hits my brain in a pleasant sort of way. Reminds me of TV on the Radio a bit.

I remember being obsessed with this album in 2013. It's still good, but not great.

Soft. Easy. Emotionless. Hoped for a few moments of lift that never came. Tuned it out after a while. Darn. I really wanted to like this album when it began.

Boring, as always. the intro hits different.

Pretty disappointing; I expected a lot since it's a post 2000 album and one that I'd heard good things about, but none of the songs really stood out and the whole album just kinda blended together into one mediocre indie song. The intro also sounded like the background music for a car commercial.

Would you look at that? It's my first album from 2009! This one's alright. It's far from my favorite album, but far from my least favorite as well. It's not the kind of thing I feel like listening to much at all, but I respect this album. It's quite well made. The sound is quite pleasant to listen to. The vocals and instrumentals are both big parts of this. Clearly the instrumentals stand out as one of the most popular songs from this album, "Intro," is an instrumental. The writing is solid. My problem is that is a bit repetitive and I can see why others would call this boring. I personally wouldn't call it boring to the extent that I've seen others call it, but it is a fairly slow album, so I can see where those people are coming from. However, I personally like this album, but I wouldn't really say that I love it. High 3/5.

I already knew Intro and Crystallized, so it was nice to give the rest of the album a chance. Not bad, but it's VERY background music-ish - in that I stopped paying attention a few songs in, and by the time I started listening again, it was nearly the end of the final song. After Crystallized every song pretty much blends together into one long song.

Very chill vibes. Sounded like if you blend Cigarettes After Sex and the Smiths. Enjoyable but all the songs sounded the same, and there were no particular standouts to me.

As inoffensive as it is inconsequential. 3/5

Fine, minimalist indie-electro-pop? Not much to it, though I did enjoy the vocals of both singers.

Hmmm... be curious if this is in my retro-post punk phase and I just missed it. Kinda missed me.

Too mellow for me.

Felt like I should’ve been smoking a cigarette looking out a rainy window to this

Yes, new and different at the time, and somewhat interesting, but the payoff mostly never arrives. The tasteful low-fi/DIY vibe is arty and self-contained but what seems approachable and thoughtful, then lands as non-ambitious to a fault and not as cool or avant garde as it wants to be. Guitar work is simple, though occasionally driving and engaging, also repetitive within and across tracks. The songs seem to build but then don’t arrive or resolve or get anywhere, the intersection of understatedness and anti-climax. One is very passingly intrigued but ultimately unmoved.

Oh man, I knew that intro from waaaaaay back but I didn’t know the context! The record was fine but too vibey for me, not enough rhythm. That style of “indie voice” hasn’t aged well I fear, found it grating after a while. Bit of a “don’t you want me” vibe with the 2 vocalists. Pretty good I guess.

Meh

Just needing to get this out of the way...but you will not believe this band whose album YOU MUST HEAR are English. Shocking, I know. No band had done lo-fi, boy-girl harmony slowcore like this before, unless you count Low, but they are not English so they don't count. This is music designed specifically to be featured on "Grey's Anatomy," so it was surprising to me only Islands had been on the show. Perhaps the producers of Grey's Anatomy did not know this group was English. There is nothing offensive here and there is nothing to get terribly excited about either. I struggle to determine why this album is in the book, as I just don't see anything special here. It's well-produced chill music with very little instrumentation and depressing lyrics. Coming off This Year's Model, the XX just don't demand my attention like that album did.

Nothing crazy. Loved the instrumentals, vocals were a bit off at time, almost wish it was a pure instrumental album.

yung lean and some girl talk-sing over a maximum of three instruments usually made by a computer

I've always love the Intro and hear it all over the place. The rest of the album was pretty good.

Pleasant, chill, but not essential. I like it but not for this list.

Not unpleasant, I like the simple bass lines running under it, and generally dig the vibe. Not really the type of vocal delivery I enjoy.

Almost a 4.

A couple of interesting songs which maybe enough to warrant checking out other albums, but this tends to become a bit background listening

Meh. was a fan in college. Don't know if my tastes have aged well enough to listen fairly.

How does an entire album get outdone by the instrumental single. Jamie’s solo stuff is way better

I liked the vocals and music. It was easy to listen to.

- very ambient - because of this a lot of the songs blend together, but it makes for an enjoyable indie listen - it's crazy how the intro for the album is the most popular song

The best shoegazing

ok, not my cup of tea

It’s okay — but after a while, the sound and lyrical substance blends together and feels very similar across the board. Basic Space is probably the highlight for me, but it’s not an album I would put on unless I would like moody background music somewhere.

Just like the other xx album on this list, it is oh so very cool.

It's minimalist, moody and intimate. Tracks feature spindly guitars and wispy vocals that give credence to the sparse soundscape. Unfortunately, that's most of what it has going for it and the record begins to feel like it's repeating the same ideas over and over again, insofar that it starts to go in one ear and out the other.

Special!

Decent Debut Album of Minimalist Pop

I've had this album in my collection for some time now, and I think I've got mixed views on it. I love its minimalist pop, but it's sparse sound is something I don't cry out to listen to terribly often. Perhaps it's a bit of its time and place. I don't think the xx ever had a long term future - the second album seemed more of the same and I'd lost interest by the third album.

Boring overall, but not terrible

Intresting

I'd just listened to tons of The xx a few days before getting I See You, and that was like, 9 albums ago, so I'm amused to be getting this album as well. Listened to it a lot in college, and I still love Intro, Crystalised, and Islands. You know that specific type of nostalgia that's kind of haunting and a little painful? This whole album makes me feel that way. I think I See You is better, which I gave a 4, so I'll give this a 3, but it's probably closer to 3.5.

Always had a soft spot for this album…

Destination "cooking montage"

Please do not operate heavy machinery while under the influence of this album. Very relaxing. Insomniac approved.

That's not my taste in musik. But ok.

I did not like this on release but really warmed up to it by now. Still very middle of the road since it's such a drag

Great chill album. Excellent for cooking dinner

xx is the debut album by the English indie pop band the xx, originally released in 2009. I've never heard of the xx prior to listening to this album today. The album cover immediately reminded me of that Arctic Monkeys/Doc Martens/2014 Tumblr aesthetic, so maybe I first saw it mentioned there long ago. The xx do a good job leaning into the ambient pop vibe on this record. The instrumentals are very minimal. They're mostly electronically composed and give off a darker feel. The vocals commonly feature male/female duets and are low volume and whispery, contributing to that darker feel. This album would be very cool to listen to driving through a city at night. The songwriting was ok, mainly dealing with drearier topics such as heartbreak. Overall the album was alright. Not normally my type of music, but not bad by any means.

Bit dreary, but ok

Laid back, sensual, draws u in

Very unique sound. Loved the stripped down rawness.

Good atmospheric album

I'm ambivalent about this. It's not bad, but it's nothing I haven't heard before even though I haven't heard it before. Reminds me of Whitest Boy Alive or early Chad VanGaalen.

Música re oscura, tranqui, con tintes de electrónica. Me gustó bastante, pero no es la gran cosa tampoco.

Ok. Bit dull

cool, muy tranquilo

If i need music to have really nice vanilla sex to i'll reach for khruangbin instead

The Spotify algorithm put on Beach House when this finished, which is basically the same except better.

Inte så pjåkigt.

Time hasn’t been immensely generous to this record for me, but in a cool August evening in 2012, it’s home

I've never heard of this band, but it was interesting to learn that I somewhat familiar with some of these songs. As a few of them have been used in commercials/pop-culture

Um album para se ouvir numa praia sozinho, por do sol pensando na vida. Calmo e reflexivo. Bonito. Mas nao achei marcante

very good. 3.5

the xx are a pretty good band but it remains extremely funny that they peaked on the first song on their first album

I love the vibe and the intro is classic but this is an album for going to sleep.

the xx created quite the beautiful enveloping atmosphere. there's a whimsical, dream-like feeling that lets the whole album flow very smoothly. the feminine vocals were particularly important in creating that vibe. while the album appeared to be memorable and enjoyable in the first few songs, it lost any initial excitement, and it's hard to differentiate the xx between all of the other indie bands from this time.

At first, I was kind of surprised to see this album pop up on this project. But then I reflected on it a little bit and it started to make more sense. Really, this album was at the forefront of the indie pop movement that began to pick up traction around this time, in the late 2000s. The atmospheric, dreamy, electronic qualities found here would go on to be incredibly popular devices within the genre as it rose more into the mainstream. The dynamic between the two vocalists (a male and a female, both sounding rather depressed, harmonizing and singing many of the songs in somewhat of a call and response) was also quite the draw for this album, and again would be another motif utilized heavily in this genre. I'm not saying The xx invented these styles, but they did them well, and got a lot of attention for the way that they did it on this album. A few years later, when indie rock REALLY took off, this album was still a staple for listeners. That said, this album makes for a nice listen, but I wasn't overly wowed by it then, and I'm still not wowed by it. Just a little too sleepy-dreamy all the way through for me to go from liking it to loving it.

I liked this one

Delicado y agradable

Delicate vocals, pleasing melodies, and interesting direction for some tracks. However, majority of the album didn’t go anywhere, and never really evolved beyond one sound.

was okay, not really my kind of music sounded like something an a weird tumbler playlist, ok for background noise 3/5

I’ve always really enjoyed this album and feel there aren’t any skips. It has a lot of exposure and can get played out but it’s for good reason there are classics on it.

2.5

Starts off very strong but loses it towards the end. Revives very strong drama GCSE memories which will always make this a fondly received album.

Indie rock, atmospheric, bit boring

Very chill album. Would be great for driving late at night or something idk I am not a vibe 😭 I think the blend of male and female voices worked quite well for me. The songs got a little repetitive, as they sometimes felt like they were building up to something that never came (😏) but it was still a very enjoyable album. The various instruments (mostly the xylophone in VCR) and different techniques kept the album interesting, but I think there definitely could have been more variance between the energy of the songs. Having the loudest song right off the bat is a choice, not sure if I like it. I enjoyed the solid bass line, I feel like it kept the album pretty cohesive, but maybe a little too cohesive lol. Heart Skipped A Beat baited me into thinking the energy was gonna shift up with a surprise drum beat but it ended up being nothing :/ Overall 3/5, I guess I would listen to some of the songs again but it was nothing special and there were some songs later in the album that I didn't really like (such as Fantasy!!! fuck dat). Favourites: Intro, Crystalised

It was OK!

Soothing melodies and voices Nothing extraordinary for me Very monotone like background music Similar in that sense to Play by Moby (my previous album) but didn’t grip me in the same way emotionally that play did

Another perfectly acceptable xx album that is totally fine and also too bland to get even the slightest bit excited about. I just don’t see what about these milquetoast records is supposed to be so vital you have to hear it before you die. They are in no way shape or form bad, they are pleasant enough, but I can’t hear anything in them that takes them beyond generic inoffensive indie pop.

Nice and mellow.

A bit repetitive and the singing is whiny. Some interesting ideas that were developed much better by Jamie XX in his solo electronica career.

I don’t get this album or the hype around it. I could barely hear the singers at times. Like mumble singing. The stripped down, quieter sound was interesting, but I mostly was just kind of…bored. I wish I liked it better but it just wasn’t for me. 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 for benefit of the doubt. Standout tracks: Intro, VCR, Basic Space, Stars

70/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

3.5/5. Much better than their other album on this list. Still really not for me, but I enjoyed parts of this.

Intro is obviously good in a car commercial kind of way. Islands and Heart Skipped a Beat are the next songs that grabbed my attention. It's very sparsely arranged stuff with some nice melodies and a mix of male and female vocals. Not all the songs do anything for me, but it's an easy listen.

first song is from commercials/online but cant pin down where. A bit slow but I actually like it. 3

some good ones, not a "listen front to back" type album for me though