I See You

Third album by The xx (formerly The twittertwitter). Modern production fails to disguise a lack of quality songwriting. Rating: 1.5/5 Playlist track: A Violent Noise Date listened: 20/11/23

Not unpleasant but somehow boring.

Modern indie is just Lite FM for people with full sleeve tattoos.

Here are some adjectives other than the word ‘boring’ to describe ‘I See You’ by The xx. dull mundane stale stodgy tame tedious tiresome uninteresting

I know this app is neither sentient nor, indeed, responsible even for the albums on the docket - but if I could appeal to its mechanical heart, I would way "please, no more of The xx". That this music is so highly esteemed is utterly, utterly baffling. It has as much heft as candyfloss. The vocals are annoying and churchy, though sometimes the guy sings like a robotic frog. No más. Avoid.

About as much substance as the royalty-free music that accompanies pre-teen contemporary dance recitals. The singers sound like they’ve never had a single emotion in their lives and are pretending they know what it’s like to feel but they’re don’t actually get it. I’m genuinely astonished this album’s not rated lower on this website. Sure, it’s more radio-friendly than most the stuff at the bottom of the global stats, but it commits a far worse crime than being “unlistenable”: being boring as hell

I'm confused with this entry, as there's no reference in the 1001 book or even the ex-1001 list. So I'm unsure why it's on this website. 🤷 As for the album itself, I enjoyed it, it's subtly sublime. Though I preferred The xx's first album (which was previously listed in the book, now an ex-1001, or "xx-1001" for the dads in the room 🤦).

Remember when this dropped as the first post-"In Colour" xx release and it was immediately clear how Jamie was doing 90% of the heavy lifting for the band's musical output. The move toward greater sample usage meant the songs felt fresh, kinetic, and a bit more inspired than those of the band's previous output, and several of these tracks ended up in my heavy rotation. Looking back, however, it almost feels like this could've been "In Colour 2" and almost suffers for the other band members being there. Romy at least has some great solo moments that feel heartfelt and genuine, but Oliver feels kinda like he's just there to provide the obligatory male vocal and maybe play a cool bass line before going back to playing the root for every single bar. The project had clearly transcended both of them by this point and this one feels almost like an awkward goodbye in recognition of that, especially since everyone went their separate ways following its release. Regardless, it's by far the xx's best album and has some stellar standout tracks.

I'm straight up offended that this is on a list of albums you have to hear before you die. There have been bad albums on here, but I can always at least believe there's some greater context I'm missing. But this is cardboard. Porridge. An homage to a high street Apple store. I hope I never have to hear it again.

These guys again? I just rated their debut album a rounded down 2.5 stars 25 albums ago. I'm afraid they didn't get much better. They went from a toned down and uninspired yet pleasant shoegaze-meets-indie-pop to what seems to be toned down chill-club-muzak. The instrumentation might have worked with much better vocals. The vocals might have worked with more intense and touching instrumentation. The combination is lacklustre to say the least. This is probably still my most listenable 1-star rating on this list, but I can't bring myself to give it anything higher.

This is the music that comes on at 10pm when your driving home and your phones dead so you can't listen to your own music and your wondering if it's worth driving home in silence just so you don't have to listen to such trash.

Having known Jamie XX for a little bit I never made the connection that he would be from this band. Honestly this album blew me away in how much it vibes and flows into itself. An album that feels like it was made for late night driving. Not an album for every moment but when this album clicks it's exactly what you need.

This was marginally better than their first two albums. The music utilized sampling very well and created a nice quasi club-like atmosphere. The musicianship was all fine but the album sounds like it should have been released about five years prior. The vocals are just dreadful though. The male voice was better on this album, but I just cannot stand the female voice. There's a fake soul-like quality to it that is just grating and thin sounding. The affection in general is just puzzling and there is an occasional awkwardness to syllabic placement. There are so many indie bands from this period who are more original and are much more deserving of a place on this list.

didnt expect to be that good. loved that kinda sweet trip touch and pop/electric genre. 9.5/10

It's been over a hundred albums since I heard The xx's debut. In real-time since that debut for the group, second guitarist and keyboardist Brian Quareshi left the group, they put out a second album Coexist, they contributed a song to the film soundtrack for The Great Gatsby, first guitarist and vocalist Romy Madley Croft took a songwriting course, and producer Jamie xx put out a solo album In Colours. Those last two points are important for developing their third album I See You, as they looked to open and expand their sound. Boy, they delivered that notion in spades. I See You is the natural evolution of The xx's sound to incorporate more alternative dance, and I am here for it. Due in part to Jamie's solo work, the production quality has significantly expanded and there are more samples they're able to incorporate such as the use of Hall & Oates's vocals on the chorus of "On Hold" or the homage to Sade's "The Sweetest Taboo" on "Say Something Loving". Jamie's production becomes the big noticeable factor in this album where he and co-producer Rodaidh McDonald aimed for a more aggressive sound. From the get-go with "Dangerous", there are ominous shrill blasts of synth horns opening a roiling bass groove against the scratchy percussion, leading into the guitars and spurts of jagged synth on "Lips", the use of negative space as musical punctuation on the hook of "A Violent Noise", as well as the elegant strings against the guitars that crescendo on "Brave for You". There's the overall feeling of being at a late-night after-party where the vibes are going but the subtle details seep in and enrich the moment. While the production has been vamped up, the core of The xx's sound is still there with Romy's liquid but defined guitar lines and Oliver's prominent bass, and their vocal chemistry and interplay have greatly improved over the years. I still consider Romy an overall better singer, but Oliver has become more expressive, particularly on songs like "Replica" where he captures the balance of tension and yearning. That takes us to the lyrical content, where in tandem with the expanded sound, I See You is The xx's party record. It's the desire to venture out into the night and find some means of escape, a notion that is populist and well-framed enough to acknowledge the members' own lingering weaknesses and insecurities as they go out to try anything. Romy's hesitant bravery and desperation alongside Oliver's own carefully contained fears and apathy work wonderfully across the board. It's why they would seek the danger in each other on the opening track "Dangerous", why they'd second guess every step in their connection on "Say Something Loving", and why they would share in the disenchantment on "A Violent Noise". It all culminates in the climax of "On Hold", where the relationship falters as Romy moves on after being held at a distance, and Oliver is confused as he is late to realize what they could've had. That's where "I Dare You" and "Test Me" work effectively as closers in capturing the essence of the album title - these two clearly see each other and can almost feel each other's desire, it's just a matter of taking the dare, the risk to genuinely embrace even if there's a chance that it all falls apart. In fact, "Test Me" draws an even deeper parallel for The xx as a band and its members, with the choices in greater experimentation that could risk who they were, to venture into more dangerous territory and more violent noises. I get the notion of "dangerous" for this record might sound eye-rolling for some people, but this is an album about modern relationships for those introverted, a notion that I can relate to as I am trying to push myself out in the world and find that special someone out of the fear of loneliness. In a way, I've found a lot of pathos with I See You as a record. I'll be taking the songs and lessons from this album to heart.

I liked xx by The xx (the previous album that came up on here) very much. While I’m always a little skeptical when a second album from a group I never heard of appears, this album is really terrific! I See You retains that kind of moodiness of xx but brightens things up without losing the feel. The album opens strong with Dangerous and after the first four songs I thought we were headed for another 4 rating. Then Performance played and the lyrics grabbed my collar and had my full attention. Who knew such a restrained song of heartbreak could be so devastating. After that Replica… “Your mistakes were only chemical. Do I chase the night or does the night chase me?” The moodiness isn’t completely dark on this album though. Brave has such strength and hope powering its sentiments. What can I say about On Hold? It’s phenomenal. As it started I thought we were in for another moody tune, but the beats fade in and Hall & Oats’ loop helps elevate this into a perfect late night dance floor tune. I can’t get enough of this song! I Dare You is so wonderfully joyous - these are the feelings that makes a relationship. And yet The xx’s trademark restraint is still quite present. What a compelling love song. Test Me closes the album leaves us with the quieter, restrained The xx style with those complicated feelings creeping back in. I See You is an incredible exploration of relationships and the complicated feelings one has while in them that had me spellbound. I’ve already listened to the album four times and I can’t get enough. So, so perfect.

Jamie's rhythms and beautiful sounds, Romy's and Sim's gorgious voices are once again an immense joy to hear.

okay, reminded me of "easy listening" music from the 80s.

Why this

For being indie pop, this was pretty boring. Felt unenthusiastic. Production-wise, great, but man it feels like there isn't anything here of substance. The best song on here is On Hold for me, and even then, I would give it a 3. Album rating overall, 2 stars.

The XX makes music that has wonderful vibes 3.5-4 stars

A year or so after hearing their debut here, my 3/5 is a more sympathetic one: they offer immaculately packaged indecision and vagueness - songs don’t seem to chorus or conclude as pop songs ought to, lyrics are frustratingly imprecise, vibes rather than thought - that I believe is a deliberate sort. Maybe the depressing news that comes every day now has pushed me towards greater empathy for those not wanting to commit.

Another fine but unnecessary album, especially since they have another one on this list.

Meh

Good album, but not 1001 albums material.

I quite liked the music. I doubt whether it is good enough to make the album one of the so-called 1001 best. But that also applies to many other albums on the list. Following a tip-off, I rummaged through the known editions of the 1001 albums and didn't find this album. Strange. Well, it's not one of my top favorites anyway, but maybe I'll listen to it again. 3/5

This is pretty good, but it's not something I'm likely to seek out in the future. Lovely female vocalist, in particular. 3.5*

It's so rare to get a 21st-century album, and even more uncommon to get something from the 2010s decade (in fact, this may be the first for me, at least according to my history page's decade-rankings, but I think it might be combining 2000s and 2010s albums into 2000s). It's funny, though, as this 2017 album sounds like it could have easily been made and released at least a decade earlier. Given their label as "indie pop", I was hoping for something a bit edgier and less commercial sounding; I think my favorites were "Lips" and "Brave for you" (and somewhat "Replica" too), but nothing grabbed me as much as I'd hoped; I was also disappointed that somehow their videos made the songs seem even more bland and uninteresting. They *do* have a nice layered sound, though it would have been nice if they'd scaled back on the echo/repeater effect and avoided the retro house/club/dance vibe. It'll be interesting to hear their 2009 debut album as well, and find out just how different this album is from their earlier work. I particularly liked this largely-positive review on rateyourmusic.com, as it captures my sense too: "[I]'d like to believe that The xx have a Rumours tucked somewhere in their collective mind, a work of screaming passion and anger and beauty, pushing boundaries, blowing minds, changing lives. [I]'d also like to believe in the Tooth Fairy and reversible climate damage. it doesn't mean these things are coming true any time soon. "

Most recent album I'm gonna listen in this list. A bit excited. Well, it was pretty average.

Solid Indie Pop album. I appreciated the Hall & Oates sample in "On Hold". Lots of powerful, emotional and raw lyrics. 3/5

I liked this album a lot more when it came out, it didn’t do much for me today though. I Dare You is solid. On Hold is terrific, one of the xx’s best songs. The rest is alright, not particularly great

Didnt enjoy it as much as their first album. Standout song: On Hold

Started off strongly but sort of melts into a puddle of sameness.

7/10

Underwhelmed by The xx again. What am I missing?

Ehhh

So bland, grating vocals, tired backing. How did the school open mic night get so far?

The first few songs I liked the beat but then it got kinda sad and slow as the album progressed. Skipped a few songs.

😴

Un-remarkable indie pop. Listenable but nothing stands out. High 2/5

A couple of tracks weren’t that bad. But for my taste, I will go with arcade fire when I am in the mood for “indie pop.“. Which is not often.

Eh? Oh, right. I knew this was coming just thought I had meh'd it already. For a second I thought there were three XX albums in the list which would be frankly insane. Anyway, this pretty much slipped by without incident or any particular emotional connection. Most of the songs sound more or less the same and so I thought I'd accidentally stuck 6 Music on for 40 minutes. If I wanted some music to put on in the background to ignore while I worked this would fit the bill, but I have much better alternatives.

I didn't know this was them. I think it's better when they don't sing.

4/10 Another album that doesn't need to be on this list. I counted 18 yawns during my listening. I can't put my finger on particularly frustrating tracks, it's just as a whole piece it is massively underwhelming.

The xx’s first album is their best contribution to music, and even that is a little boring and barely a must-listen. This? I mean it sounds nice. I guess if you were a big fan, it would have been exciting to hear them get a little more dancey or whatever. But there’s nothing about this that screams influential or iconic or standout in any major way.

I know of one song from this artist (Intro) and nothing else. I generally tend to overlook electronic music of this era, scoring it lower than perhaps it deserves. Hoping this is the 2010s electronic project that finally clicks, if not I hope that there's at least something unique about it. Dangerous Interesting bassline. The vocal layering is pretty cool, the male/female vocals combination with the swapping between lead and backing vocals is a pretty neat idea for this track. Suffers from generic writing. Instrumentally a bit uninspired, the horns are kinda rough. Fine. 3/5 Say Something Loving Opening buildup sounds pretty nice. Slow. Boring writing, by the numbers vocal performances. An absolute snoozefest of a duet. Feels manufactured and forced, evoking zero emotion. Did not like. 2/5 Lips The claps are awful and sound dated. Hate the backing vocals. Same boring writing, different instrumental. The chorus at least has a bit of a kick to it, but otherwise this bores me to sleep. Did not like. 2/5 Violent Noise Has one instrumental part perhaps worth caring about, the rest of the song is slow, repetitive and formulaic. Bland, low energy instrumental with vocals that do nothing for me. Did not like. 2/5 Performance More of the same bland, uninspiring drivel which does absolutely nothing for me. Another piece of disappointingly unintetesting songwriting, and another track which goes absolutely nowhere. Get me out. 2/5 Replica Some long awaited variety in tempo and instrumentation. Has some pretty parts in the post chrous instrumental. Chorus has a decent melody, and is produced really well. The lyrics aren't great. Fine. 3/5 Brave For You At this point I'll be more entertained listening to static or whale noises. Stop it. 1.5/5 On Hold The sample is interesting? Structurally it does something different from the previous few tracks. The bassline is decent. Fine. 3/5 I Dare You It's pleasant enough, goes in one ear and out the other without leaving an impression. Feeling sleepy all of a sudden, cannot for the life figure out why... Average. 2.5/5 Test Me The part in there that has quasi-ambient qualities, where it's pretty calming and nice sounding, more of that please. Genuinely the first and only time throughout this entire record where the track actually resonated with me. Has a bit of repetitiveness and tranquilty as well as a nice little melody to let your brain follow with that synth line. Decent. 3.5/5 I don't want to talk about this further. Forgettable and generic, with boring songwriting, safe and by the numbers instrumentals and vocals that don't produce a single memorable moment. It's pleasant to listen to, and for sure competently produced, but lacks any personality or edge. Goes in one ear and out the other and leaves you with nothing. The only positive thing I can say about this album, is that its acceptable background music if you're feeling tense. Really brings down your energy levels and makes you sleepy. Will not return to. 2.5/5 leaning more towards a 2/5. Fave track. Test Me Least fave track. Brave of You

At best it's a budget Weeknd, at BEST! At worst it's meddling, forgettable dirge.

retail music

This album tried my patience for an hour and a half... which is pretty impressive for a 39 minute album. (4.25) ★★

I've said it before. I love Jamie XX. I think Romy's voice is great. But I just don't like the XX very much.

The album gets points for Jamie XX's solid production and I enjoy Romy's vocals, but a good record that does not make. The majority of the songs are drab and feel incomplete. I've never cared for these guy s in general, in large because Oliver sings like someone who didn't have any friends or family telling him he shouldn't and then because of the sparse instrumentation, his vocals are way out in the front (seems to be a choice made by the band as all their albums are like this). I've tried to like these guys time and time again and I guess I should just accept the fact that I simply don't and won't. Also it's worth pointing out that this album is actually NOT on the original list, nor has it ever been.

not for me. It's just style over substance, but the style is predictable and borrowed. so the lack of substance has nothing to hid behind. I imagine them writing songs struggling to find a rhyme for "me," so they just end up rhyming it "me," saying the mood will carry the song, and calling it a day.

It’s average. Not even remotely my thing.

I didn't dig this one much. I found it an odd mix of dance and pop, with sappy lyrics that would fit in any modern day sad song. Not so suprisingly, this was nothing for me, but I could see the appeal, this record had nothing that was rather memorable. Favorite song: On hold. Overall score: 4.4/10

At least it wasn't too long. I think there was one bit I quite liked, near the end, but it only lasted a few seconds. The rest was pap.

Did this group really need 2 entries on this list? Thinking of all the other great artists that aren't included AT ALL, subjecting us all to another go-around of this boring vibe music feels malicious. If you like this sort of thing, great, but this isn't radically different from the other XX album here to warrant a 2nd inclusion.

No you don’t. Wish I hadn’t heard you.

This album was ok, nothing groundbreaking or particularly interesting. One of those albums good for background music while working. Didn’t have any favorite tracks. 2

This is their second album on the list. Very questionable. It wasn't great but not awful. Pretty unremarkable.

Ooh the band that’s most famous song is just a short intro piece, this isn’t that album but I like that album, this album on the other hand seems to have personality but seems to almost try pander to the sound of 2010’s mainstream pop/electronica instead of being particularly interesting I don’t hate this album but I couldn’t name you a single track 2/5

Mix of dance house and techno-ballad fusion.

Can’t find this album in any version of the book, but I figured I’d give it a shot anyway. Unfortunately “I See You” failed to grab me the way their debut did; at times I even felt that the music was hindered by the vocals, and when I paid attention to the lyrics there was also not much there. It was an overall forgettable experience.

Look forward to this, but I was expecting a bit more

Yea…no thanks

thought this was a cool album for the 90s or something. 2 starts for actually being from 2017

Not really for me. It sounds pretty dated, and it's overall boring.

Songs I like: On Hold

Robert n'a plus aucune énergie en cette fin de générateur et nous sort ses toutes dernières cartouches indies qui ne nous feront évidemment pas le moindre effet.

I liked their first two albums when they came out. This one isn't as strong I find. 1.5/5

More like Bore-ance and the Machine

i’m really trying to not give threes anymore and I feel like I either have to be harsher or more lenient and honestly for this one I think I’m gonna have to be harsher. I don’t think it gave me anything I was looking for it wasn’t anything new and that’s why I’m gonna give it a two I just feel like sure they were cool aspects to it but all in all it wasn’t a memorable experience and for just listening to it yesterday I don’t quite remember how it sounded and usually I can recall a little.

True wallpaper music.

it's like lift music. its a collection of sounds that don't offend but also don't arouse any interest.

Not as good as they think they are

The dude singer rapes your ears. I’ll take Jamie xx and leave the others.

Unfortunately a very bland record imo

If you’re after frumpy girl/boy fronted indietronica then Everything But The Girl do it much better. This is just very soulless and stifled, where mostly every song drags and every element from the stiff and unfeeling modern-style vocals and the cold, frosty, cheap, generic beats and the disconnected track list with no flow at all is designed to induce torpor as much as possible. The song where they take a clubby Hall and Oates sample and slow it down to make it sound stupid and with all the fun sucked out is one of the worst I’ve heard on this project recently. This band should have been called The XXXX because that’s what they would have scored if they played on Britain’s Got Talent.

wank

Bad mems prob

Terribly boring

Hmmm, Indie-Pop-Rock oder so..., kann ich nichts mit anfangen, Musikgeschichte wird diese Gruppe nicht schreiben.

This is not a very good album.

This was pretty terrible and makes me reconsider whether whomever put this list together really understands good music or not. I could have gone my entire life without listening to this and would have been just fine. However, it still isn't as bad as Everything But the Girl.

Really didn’t like this

Such a nostalgia album for me. Big fan of I Dare You and Lips, they've been on many playlists since this came out

9/10 I love the xx. The dreaminess appeals greatly. 7-15-2025

own

Listening to The xx is such a dreamlike experience, it's really hard to describe. Their sound is so lush and sensual, and just manages to transport you to a completely different world while you can just fall asleep to some of the best and softest vocals out there.

Das gefällt mir sehr gut. Ruhige Musik, schöne Stimmen.

This overcomes what held back the first two xx albums, namely being too 'chill' or lacking exciting. Not to say that this is stuffed with bangers, but there is certainly more life here. Lots of solid hooks and a bit melancholic at points but still really good. Production from Jamie is basically flawless as well. 9/10

Lovely album.

Älskar det här soundet!

Loved this!

Not for everyone but I really liked the vocal interplay.

These guys are just great vibes. Massively helped listening outside on a hot sunny day.

I absolutely love how creative Jamie xx is. I know him from his solo production work, and to see him harness those inclinations into some smooth, funky, relaxed pop only makes it more accessible, not less interesting. Perfect use of duet, and my personal bias -- I love women with deep, raspy, or unique singing voices. When a record is this fully and completely realized -- I have to respect it. Did not expect to give this a 5, but here I am. What a pleasure to listen to.

Nice, always liked this album. Short but soft and somber with great beats

The XX brings the ideal version of pop for the modern age. Heartfelt, passionate and musically inovative.

Perfect album.

I especially liked On Hold, though I had never heard of the group.