xx

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

it just sort of plods along but i dont hate it

Alright, not my favourite genre.

This is a very nicely produced, chill, atmospheric indie pop record -a late night album because of the calmness and simplicity. Perhaps it is a bit too soft for my taste, and not as melodic as I thought it would be. Not sure I'd listen to it again, 3 stars overall.

I enjoyed this one, nice listen and very chill/atmospheric.

This album starts out great, big tunes in the first half then gets less great and samey towards the end

Decent. A little too slow for me. Poppy, just not something I’m gonna promote.

As much as I have listened to the opening track aptly titled "Intro" and think it is a great song to write or code to, I didn't know much about this band, but I had high hopes. Sadly, the album did not live up to the expectations at all. The music was so stripped down I thought my audio balance was off and I was missing a channel.

Chilled, not my fav but decent

Good enough.

Definitely a little slow, but it felt like this kind of indie pop was a nice change of pace on this list.

Not what I usually listen to, inspired a lot of music you can tell tho

아.. 잘 모르겠네

The delivery and production works for me for a song at a time - as an album it drags

Fine.

Pretty good!

This is a solid contemplative pop album. I like the vocal duo, but their strength is in the strong, deep, brooding vibe they create. Not a lot of hooks or clever lines, but they hold your attention with their sound. At times it feels borderline ambient, but you still get the impression that even in those moments, they are intentional.

I really enjoyed this. I kind of read the description for the album and rolled my eyes a little bit, mostly because I think there have been enough English pop albums already on the list, but I did end up enjoying this for being a little moody and atmospheric jam chill record. 3.5/5

If you've consumed popular media in the last 15yrs, you've probably heard the first 4 songs from this album. Beyond that, the album will feel brand new if you can stay awake for it. Also- I refuse to believe the intro isn’t a Blue Man Group track.

Great voice, does what it says on the tin.

The first album to kick off this list. I feel like all my notes throughout this journey are going to be "very chill" or "good jam," so I'll try to write something more haha. This album reminds me of the kind of music I would drive around late at night listening to. I particularly liked the songs "Shelter" and "Night Time."

I have no idea where I have heard these songs before, maybe some kind of medical drama? It’s mellow and soothing but a little sad to just throw on randomly.

I listen to SiriusXMU as background music while I drive, so I knew the xx as a pleasant enough transition between songs. There are a few decent tracks here, bt it's most just drifty less-than-dream pop. Good in bursts, tough as a whole.

Chilled album which has good parts

Pretty solid album, loved the vibes honestly. Nice open sounds and rhythm, chill but not too chill. Basic Space was lit. 3 stars

PARKOUR???!!!!!!! I truly didn’t know that the xx was even a band

Liked it better than I did when it first came out.

Decent background music, but probably not one I'd revisit.

Intro does a great job setting the vibe for the rest of the album, the reverb guitar really stands out. Some of the songs are a bit too sleepy.

Good starting, an iconic intro. But the rest of the album fell flat and I was ready for it to be over.

It's fine

I like the xx this album is perfectly fine

De intro schept verwachtingen die de rest van het album niet waarmaakt. Op een paar korte momenten na gebeurt er te weinig, zijn de melodieën te simpel of te saai en zijn de stemmen wat te zeurderig. Toen het album uit kwam werd je doodgegooid met de Intro, en snap nu waarom ik al die tijd enkel dat nummer heb geluisterd.

This album got me curious. I liked some of the songs more than others. Easy to listen to the whole album. Not quite grabbing me.

I’m with Elizabeth on this one—I feel like it’s fine? Easy to listen to, but minimalist in the wrong kind of way for me or something. Strong coffee shop soundtrack vibes, so maybe if I’d listened to it while I was working and I would have felt differently.

Nice, tidy, little indie joint. I liked it

Very boring for me, but I see its appeal Edit:relistened at night and it's actually a pretty enjoyable album, I don't love it but it's decent at least

This was pleasant enough but felt really insubstantial. Just one mood throughout that was fine, but not exciting really.

This album holds a lot of nostalgia for me and I'm glad it's on this list. Even so, I can only take so much of this. Intro and Crystalized are great but the back half of the album did seem to drag on a bit. 5.5/10 (2.75/5)

Fine

New to me, band and album. And yet, when the Intro fired up to open, it was a wait, what? who? moment. Overall, it's a pretty subtle, chill album, not remarkable, but also not awful. It's got a cool vibe that gets it over the 3star hurdle.

Legendary track to open the album, rest of the songs were okay. Not really my style. 6.1/10

Remember this album from years ago and it was nice to listen to it in full. The standouts are “Crystalised” and “Islands” for me, and probably the main songs I’d return to. I can hear influences from the White Stripes but can also hear how they influenced 2010s indie/ pop with simpler guitar riffs, vocals and beats.

Did I like this? I did. Surprised as anyone

This album was very fun! It reminded me of middle school and how Indie music was at the time. I had never heard this album but have been a fan of Jamie xx. 6/10 Favorite track - intro

i kind of enjoy a lot of the sounds. the intro is soo good. but i really can’t get with the vocals. i don’t know why but i just find them too boring and sleepy, unfortunately. fave song is shelter. i don’t mind the vocals and it’s a really nice song.

Was okay. May listen to more.

eh...... falta tempero. mas tem algumas pedradas pra ouvir enquanto compra roupa na renner

I think crystalised and the intro hold up, but I had forgotten how sleepy most of the album is.

Okay.

The sound is very sparse and clean. Sounds very ethereal, dreamlike. Something that rewards close listening, but also works fine as something to zone out to. The lyrics don’t stick out much to me. The vocal duetting adds a nice touch. Everything sounds like it’s floating. Fantasy sounds like a conversation with a ghost. Perfect album for a rainy day. It is not exactly my kind of music but I like it. I wouldn’t go out of my way to listen to it again but if I heard it I wouldn’t mind. Also the cover is perfect for the music, aggressively minimalist.

Doesn’t feel at the same level as the rest of the list but it was relaxing and I liked it.

Somehow never listened to it before, it's nice enough but I can't say I'm fussed

This wasn't bad, it was just forgettable. It's ambient and overall pleasant, but none of it really stood out.

Not bad. I recognize it from the 90s. It’s completely 90s.

Its pleasant but didn’t really leave me with anything.

The intro is great, probably the best song on the album. The rest is pretty good. this is one that I'd like to give a half star to, so I guess add that to the score.

Moody blues

Decent indie electronic. A little slow for my taste but consistent. High 3.

Very 2000s. Not essential but didn’t hate hearing this album. I can’t say anything about it stuck with me after multiple listens but I remember this being “cool” when it came out.

Very mellow again, very minimalist but by accident 😅

They were one of the most popular bands around back in the late 00’s but I don’t really see the appeal of this lo-fi electronica. It’s ok for a single spin but it’s not engaging enough to be repeated often.

Not as bad as I expected - I had the idea I disliked this band. This was pleasant sounding stuff, just nothing that interesting either. I still have a song from the album before this in my head but that won't happen with these songs as I forgot them all immediately after listening. Still, they were nice, chill songs.

Nice and chill. 3/5

This one is tough because on any other day, this would be a 5/5 (including when the album first came out and Intro was mindblowing to listen to), but for some reason my brain registers these specific soundwaves as void of emotion, too simplistic, and annoyed at the guy's singing voice for sounding too much like a weed addict bum ex.

Felt like it was close to a 4 but fell a bit short. A lot of good melodies, lyrics, and singing. Overall a good listen.

This is too breathy for me, but I get it. I'd love these guitar parts over a driving fuzz bass guitar and drums.

Intro is a really great song that I have heard many times before. Other than that I haven't heard the XX at all. I kind of get why today. While the other songs aren't bad by any means they just aren't as good as Intro. The whole album has a great mood running throughout it that I enjoy and Infinity is one of the songs I added to a few playlists for the future.

I had never heard of them lol but Cool album awesome trancelike atmosphere. Guitar is so fn cool and weird. Vocals are pretty good too just some resident sleeper tracks. Intro Is phenomenal (In my rave experience I have heard this mixed in a couple times)

good production, very smooth/chill pop

I thought this album was okay but it didn’t do a lot for me. The intro sound I knew and the entire record reminded me of a silversun pickups album (granted, probably influenced them). Nothing wrong with it, but 3 stars

cool listen

Slow, relaxed and semi fun. I don’t think it’s a bad album, I can see it’s for some people - just not me

Yeah not my thing really

Good vibes. (31 known/61 new)

sound like banger 2010x

At its best when it's presenting you with small, minimalist and frankly pretty cute indie pop songs. At its worst when it sounds like they plundered the sound bank of some multinational firm's PR team, missing only the voice-over ensuring you that this corporation believes in a better future for us *and* our children.

Intro is awesome. Then the whole album falls off a cliff into a sea of boring.

Great music but I didn’t enjoy the vocals

3/5 all songs where decent

This album has three amazing songs in a row where the sparseness of the vocals and production serves to build emotion and tension—Crystalized, Islands, Heart Skipped a Beat. But sadly, that same sparseness is too simple and lacking to carry the rest of the record.

it’s okay. nothing i’d turn off if it came on, but very bland

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