I See You

Their first album was fine, in it's time, but when it came up in this list I realized I had utterly forgotten everything about it (and I listened to it quite a bit). This is a much less fine album with one song that I remember and many songs that are also on the album.

# Album Name: I See You # Artist: The xx # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: Great modern album. Took a few listens to click in but i got there in the end. I wouldnt call it indie per say. # Top Tunes: I enjoyed the whole album. # Would I listen to it again? Yes

Sounds nice. Lyricism is weak. Vibe is cool. I’ll probably never listen to this again but it was good.

Pre-listening thought: I'm quite looking forward to this. A few months ago I was driving home late at night and heard the Jamie xx remix of Dopamine by Robin, which is fantastic. Ok, I've started listening and Track 1 is not what I was expecting. I hope it changes tack and gets better. Oh dear, into Track 2 and it has, if anything, got worse. Fair dues, it definitely got better the further through I got. The last 4 or 5 tracks were quite enjoyable. If I listened again there is a very good chance I would skip the first 4 tracks.

solid

Mycket mysigt album, dock är det ett band som verkligen håller sig till sitt sound och det kan bli lite långtråkigt ibland! Gillar Jamie XX väldigt mycket mer och det är alltid intressant att höra hans input i deras låtar. Gillar debutalbumet mycket mer så denna får en stark 3:a.

Hello gang, gårdagens album ”I See You” av The xx var en intressant lyssning. Jag gillade att det inte var likt något annat vi har lyssnat på hittills och de elektroniska dragen kändes uppriktigt väldigt uppfriskande. Jag diggade albumet överlag och förstår varför det är med på den här listan. Det präglas av sköna melodier och ljud som ständigt fick mig att spetsa öronen. Jag ger det en stabil 8/10!

Bra album! Blir en kort recension. Vet inte om jag ska ge 3 eller 4 stjärnor

Airy synth music with wispy singing. It’s just soft and boring background noise to me. I just don’t get into this kind of music. This is certainly not an album I needed to hear.

Helt ok. Jag gillar de flesta låtarna även om de börjar låta lite samma efter ett tag. De skapar en otrolig stämning live med vissa låtar som inte blir riktigt samma här. Men jag gillar albumet.

Maybe my brother is right and I should listen to Jamie xx

On hold va kul Beste sag: On hold

More modern electronic music. Nothing stood out.

Inte dåligt, men väldigt tråkigt och intetsägande. Funkar säkert när man är sugen på något melankolisk.

Not my thing, unfortunately. Nothing memorable

The album i see you by the xx is not the best album also not good I find it boring it has 1-2 good songs no more

Nice enough album but nothing really sticks out as outstanding for me here.

I like the XX, and have seen them live. But I was not really impressed with this album. In fact.

Okayy

ooh. another band i’ve never really listened to. looking forward to learning about them. and . . . it's fine. nothing i'll return to

What a drag, I was just waiting for it to be done

Really missing the rawness of their first album. Never got into this one as much.

Fairly boring and almost uninspired. No real energy to the performances. 2/5 Won't listen again

So forgettable I forgot I was listening to it while it was still playing.

Some of the production is nicely textured, but almost all the songs are boring. The vocals grate.

Music that makes me cry

Decent, but nothing outstanding.

General thoughts: Right at the moment I saw the combination of release year and genre, I was a bit hesitant, not saying newer is worse per se, but the creator of this list has demonstrated so far a lack of taste in some gaps in the history of music, in this case, in this decade and genre. Music can be minimalistic, can be slow, can be deadpan even, but you can never be boring, never, and this is boooring. 'I See You' is so plain and boring, and don't get me wrong, I like minimalistic arrangements, but this is not it, this album is spiceless and very artificial; the few signals of life get shadowed by the worst writing decisions I've seen. What I mean is, whenever I have a hint of hope for a track, they somehow mess it up. The lyrics are pretty mid; voices aren't bad, but same again, they dont add much life to the songs. Literally, what they did on "On hold" is what they're missing, not saying they need to sample or include rap, but to add some touch of originality that strays from its current state of background music. The album gets progressively worse, and the closer is the worst; they had a nice horn arrangement somewhere, used it for 10 seconds, and then threw it out the window. Outstanding song(s): On hold Weakest song(s): Test Me Cover: As bland as the setlist. Seriously, who suggested that cover art? Ed Sheeran? Real rating: 2.15

Hey this is my 1000th album! Too bad it's nothing spectacular. Tomorrow's had better be stunning.

It's not as boring as the other xx album, that's one positive. It didn't have the beauty of the other album they have on here either however. I didn't really dislike any part of this, but it feels like such a forgettable and inconsequential release that I find it hard to say much about it. Did it do anything wrong? Did it do anything right? Who listens to this? Have those people ever heard other music?

As with their other album, I'm finding this just way too stripped back and wafty. Particularly in the vocal delivery, which stays the same across the whole album. I don't mind some of the musical / atmospheric elements per se, but they don't have any real impact outside of a very gentle texture. It's hard to engage with this when it's so slight, and again, as with their other album, it's just so fucking boring.

Some cool tracks here but some others are really boring

Nice, chill album. Almost a more modern version of The Smiths; interesting that this was recommended right after Morrissey.

Good when woman. Bad when man.

god so corny

This was THE tumblr girlie band. They are quite good, did enjoy it. 4/5

my first thought was "this is adidas store music" (as someone who was frequently buying soccer things there in 2017). i liked the beginning half of this album more than the later half. it was also such a jumpscare to hear the choral sample in "lips" - the composer of that song came to our school and i had to sit through a 15 minute performance that was pretty much exactly like the sample it was awful.

nah

Maybe not the best xx album, but very interesting and worth a listen.

Actually pretty good but trails off near the end.

The first one was boring drivel. This one is too.

Boring

Slightly funkier than their Ambien-soaked debut, this album too falls victim to the fact that the singers sound totally disconnected from the material.

почему-то прям очень неприятные для меня ребята, что он что она(

Solid album. Favorite tracks: Dangerous, Say Something Loving, Brave For You

Loose cool energy, solid beats, and the xx formula: hushed, intimate, R&B-ish.

There’s an integration that works here between the smoky back rooms and the dance club. And having said all that, it’s nice to chill out with on the back porch.

Skipped first track. After that it was nice, chill, but mostly background. 3/5

Un álbum muy variado y si se nota la evolución en la música que producen a este entonces Tiene canciones muy potentes, personalmente mi favoritas son Dangerous y On Hold Su propuesta en general es buena, se reinventan sin perder la esencia que los hizo volverse un grupo tan aclamado en la escena indie Reescuchable, bastante recomendable y se disfruta Me atrevo a decir que es el álbum más divertido de los que tienen hasta ahora

i mean its alright like, overrated af imo. it was a good listen, but why tf is it here, why does this album have to be here, never heard of this guys in my life, why oh why do i have to listen to them before i die, there are so many more artists from this time that are more worth listening to before you die.

Empieza con un temón de Fifa, cosa que no esperaba decir de ningún disco de esta lista. Es de 2017 y no es ni el mejor álbum de la banda, raro. Como disco me gustó bastante, pero me molestó que esté en esta lista, cuando me toque el primer álbum seguramente le de mejor nota, pero este no es más de un 3.

Some a bit boring some really nice

The xx is just the Millennial version of Everything But The Girl.

I like The XX, and I was into this album when it came out. It definitely expanded their sound, and incorporated the success that Jamie XX had with his solo debut album (excellent uses of samples). I get that there might be some hesitancy on more recent albums and their inclusion on this list, but The XX have had a big impact on music and culture in the last decade.

zou niet misstaan in een lift... behalve misschien als je echt veel verdiepingen hoger moet...dan zou ik toch een trap overwegen

i turned it off. hopefully they don't see me any more

I think I'm too old for this

i liked it. if i was emduring a breakup or experiencing heartache i could see the vibe being impactful. but all i can focus on was the distorted reverb applied to strings. (especially in Performance) even though i love strings in almost any form (sampled, live, tracked, midi, emulated via synth) i cannot *stand* that artistic decision _(⁑⧘ 」∠)_

Idk if I have much to say but this is like so 2010s

I didn't find anything to like here.

I think this album is an improvement over their other on this list, but it does get fairly bland. I love a good duet, but I feel like we got 10 pretty ok duets.

2010's indie at some of its best. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5. Most of the top reviews on the site describe this album as boring, or some of the other million synonyms for the word. It’s a description probably borne out of both the older skew on the site & a certain disdain for 2017 production. The former may just be a generation gap, but the latter is one that’s loosely understandable almost a decade later (we were really hanging onto the ‘boom’ part of ‘boom/clap’ for a while). I wouldn’t characterize this as boring, but I think I see why it’s easy to call it that; this album isn’t doing anything remarkably unique in the totality of the 2017 indie space. It is, however, unique to The xx, who normally specialize in letting the emptiness of a minimalist soundscape set the tone. That emptiness is replaced by a bit more than usual; sort of a lo-fi version of ‘90s house with some of the trends of mainstream pop at the time. It’s slightly jarring at first, but once you settle into it, it’s generally nice, and every production choice works hand in hand with the lyrics & vocals (most apparent on something like “A Violent Noise”). This album’s biggest strength is in that production, but it’s accentuated by the songwriting. I think the mistake here is confusing ‘simple’ for ‘boring’; a lot of these tracks are expressly straightforward & laying themselves out without much additional room for interpretation. It’s mostly centered around finding connection & trying to overcome the tension that comes with it, whether it’s a lack of comfort, self-prophesizing cynicism, chasing highs or coping with lows. I think these are very simple concepts, but the execution behind them is what makes the tracks work. It’s consistently strong execution that pulls the most out of everything it can. If you’re not inclined towards the actual soundscapes in the production here, you probably won’t like this, but if it’s not as big of a deal, it should be easy to recognize the intentionality behind every choice. All of the little backing synths & microbeats swirl & melt in ways that drive the pulse of each track. The weak spot here is that even with how much I like the execution, a few of the earliest tracks do still feel like they’re not doing anything past the basics. I still won’t classify them as boring, because I liked them, but I think “Dangerous” feels a little plain (though inoffensively fun) & “Lips” just isn’t super compelling past a regular sense of love. The album hits a good stretch from “A Violent Noise” onwards, but I’m not super sold on “Test Me” as the closing track. I just don’t know if you should end an album about connections & a desire for acknowledgement on one with such unanswered undertones. I honestly think it could’ve been the opening track. Regardless, I think this is a pretty good album. I don’t think it’s as good as “xx” was, but that’s a hard album to top. My biggest comparison here is in how much this feels like an Everything but the Girl album, with Romy sounding distinctly like Tracey Thorn throughout most of her verses. It feels like a naturally carried torch from Idlewild’s controlled tones & the baseline electronica of Walking Wounded, and I just can’t help but enjoy it for that reason. Mileage will vary, as always, but I think this does enough to warrant bumping it up to a 5, at least for my tastes. I’m glad it’s on the list.

Een soort Suzan en Freek van de indiepop? Op een bepaalde manier klinkt het precies zo qua samenzang, maar of het echt een setje is heb ik verder niet gecheckt. Wel duwen ze er een boel extra elektronica in ten opzichte van het duo uit de Achterhoek. Het is allemaal heel gladjes geproduceerd, maar afwisselend genoeg dus ook deze keer luistert het prima weg.

Ik vraag bij MJ Cole om vergelijkingsmateriaal en krijg direct daarna deze plaat. Het is wellicht geen garage-house, maar ook dit album combineert een moderne beat met meer gevoelige zang en rustigere muziek. Er komt nog eens een wat klassieker instrument voorbij. Zelfs de hoes heeft dezelfde kleur. De beats en vooral de bassdrums zijn wat minder heftig, waardoor je wat minder tegenstelling ervaart. Het is daardoor wat saaier en het doet wat aan jaren '90 artiesten als Seal denken. Dit gerecht had wat meer peper kunnen gebruiken. 3,5 ster.

Dit doet me iets denken aan een moderne versie van Everything but the Girl. En die zangeres werkt op mijn zenuwen. Ik heb hetzelfde bij deze zanger en zangeres. Het is neppe emotie die ze erin leggen, ik geloof ze niet, artsy fartsy dromerig gedoe. En dan staan ze er ook nog 2x in. Tja, het is wel typisch zo'n snobbandje natuurlijk. Er zitten genoeg momenten in om even wat meer los te gaan, maar dat doen ze dan niet. Misschien een keer met een extra elektronisch beatje ofzo, maar dat vind ik echt te matig. Avicii of David Guetta hadden hier wel raad mee geweten gok ik. Het is nu vooral heel veel slappe hap (of zoals Eric al zegt, het had meer peper kunnen gebruiken). Ik ga dit 2 sterren geven, dit is niet aan mij besteed.

Sounds like an album trying to sell me shoes and overpriced shirts

This album was OK, but it was a bit on the dull side. Sounded like if David Guetta started an indie rock band. Not a ton to say about this record, it kinda played, a couple songs were interesting, maybe even good, and then it was over. Low 3/5

Music for a soundtrack or for a sad teenager to listen to on the bus while staring out of the window. The track Performance was extremely underwhelming, a very straightforward metaphor, if it even rises to the level of metaphor. Jejune. The same goes for Brave For You, its moral and message is something you might see in a cartoon for children.

Harmless enough but very samey. In fact not only is this album samey, it’s also pretty much identical to their first album which *also* appears on this list. Marking down as a 2 as I don’t this this one has any merit being on here

..

I liked this, better than the first album I got from them. Still nothing better than 3 stars, but three really listenable songs that might make my playlist

Meh

pretty nice, mellow

Überraschend gut, konnte man sich gut anhören und war sehr chillig

Nicht ganz so gut wie die ersten beiden Alben, aber liebe die Beats von Jamie xx. Vor allem on hold und I dare you sind top.

Mega Stark, könnt ich mir pausenlos anhören

oooooooooooke

++: Dangerous, Brave for You +: Performance, Replica, I Dare You, Test Me +-: Say Something Loving, Lips, On Hold -: A Violent Noise 5,0/10

Not my favorite of their projects.

Someone singing over your mum’s Pure Moods CD

I literally had an album by The XX yesterday, so I'm just going to copy and paste my review from yesterday: "More boring indie slop. The singers sound as bored as I am. At least its only 38 minutes but it feels twice as long."

EDM-house really took over the mid-2010s huh, or maybe since this is my first "The xx" album that I might actually be describing their niche sound? It sounds so of its time and also very "modern" (in that I'm reliving my teenage years) that I'm still a bit turned off by it. I'm not sure how to describe the album but to me it's uncomfortably familiar: the dance-adjacent production and the ambient synths. I think trite is a better word; I heard elements of this album from listening to Top 40 radio every day as a teen.

It might take a few listens, but the first impression is really good

The XX are a special and unique band. I'm not mad about the bad reviews - just sad for those who don't see it. This isn't my favorite of their 3 albums, but that probably says more about the quality of their first 2 albums. I See You (I can't believe it's been 9 years since their last album!) has by far their most expensive sound. Some tracks sound like they skipped straight to the Jamie XX remix, which isn't always a good thing for me and may grate on some at times. However, underneath that production they still write some of the must nuanced and modern love songs; songs about knowingly ignoring red flags, only realizing your feelings for someone when you say something out loud, and losing someone you never had but thought you would. Every track feels so personal and real. I struggle to understand how anyone can say they lack feeling - Performance and Brave in particular feel so personal it's almost surprising they would put it to record.

This was good, the XX are quite an enigmatic band and I remember being pleasantly surprised they announced another album, eg after a hiatus and Jamie had done some solo work, etc The aforementioned producer's influence is clear as this is a dancier record than they had made previously, but retaining the ethereal sound and dual vocals which make them a distinctive band

So dull

Seems to me that this British indie pop group could have come up with a better name than xx. Anyway, this is a rather recent album with a few nice tracks. I don’t think the male singer is very good - or maybe he’s trying to sound laid back deliberately.

Very weird to hear the xx with vocals! Two vocalists, even! They're both competent; the lyrics are kinda grade schooly, but they're clear! and the music is good. Nice album. Very chill electropop; maybe a bit too chill, but I suppose it has its place. Highlights: 'On Hold', 'I Dare You' (apparently they sang these both on SNL, which I have exactly 0 memory of. November 2016... what a time) Lowlights: 'Performance', 'Test Me' (zzz)

Overall: 5/10 I'll have to agree with the reviews on this website that the majority of this album is pretty boring, but there's a few gems on here that I actually love. The vocalists voices go well together and they're pretty chill. I prefered the first xx album, and I won't be listening to anything else by this band, but this album wasn't the worst thing I've ever heard. Fav Song: Dangerous

I liked it more than I thought I would!

On the one hand, the danceclub beats and broader sonic palette add some interest and dimension, but the songs aren't quite as good as their debut. 3.5/5 I'd keep the debut on the list and omit this one.

"Say Something Loving" and "Replica" are my favorites.

This is a pretty uninteresting album. I didn't feel anything from it, musically it didn't grab me, and I didn't notice anything thematically engaging. It very easily fell into background music even when I tried to hold attention. Even as someone who listens to ambient music at times I found this to be something that bored me.

unexpected but really liked it

Eugh I mean the first track was good and the songs that have music videos are ok the other songs just sound the same

Poppy, fun

It’s hard for me not to write about this album in the context of The xx’s 2026 tour, whose sole purpose seems to be reminding the general public “hey guys, we’re totally still friends and totally still a band and totally not breaking up any time soon!” Notably, The xx are not performing any new music on this tour, nine years after I See You came out, instead emphasizing solo cuts they’ve made in collaboration, including Romy’s “Enjoy Your Life” and Oliver Sim’s “GMT”. The tour emphasizes how great The xx are/were as a festival act…and at least inadvertently advocates for a not-so-secret agenda of mine: emphasizing just how great I See You is. Full disclosure: I write an album of the year list every year and I See You was my favorite album of 2017, and looking back it still holds that spot. Also, I’m huge fan of The xx and while this is an entirely subjective opinion, I think this is their best album. On a pure gut wrenching level, I think this album dispatches ambiguity in favor of directness (or at least, as close to directness as they can get) that accurately describes the loss of control and difficulties in maintaining self-esteem in adult gay relationships (especially on songs like “Say Something Loving” and “A Violent Noise”) that frankly often hits close to home, with the band’s best solo performances to date from Romy (describing the grief in the face of the loss of a loved on “Performance”) and Oliver (describing generational trauma on “Replica”) serving as additional highlights on the album. Beyond the lyrical/vocal highlights, this is clearly where Jamie was starting to flex his might as electronic producer extraordinaire to complement his bandmates’ guitar skill in austere indie and R&B styles to transform them into something slow but maximalist on this album (see the insanely sexy “Lips” or the energetic vocal sample chop on “On Hold”). The sleeve of the vinyl record of this album is a reflective metallic surface, designed to reflect the audience whenever they held it up. It’s funny, because while I of course see parts of myself reflected in this album, these days I hear just as much confidence from the members of The xx, pushing their sound to places they’d never thought to explore before, embracing a new era that may never happen. I want new music from The xx so badly. I’m not sure I’ll ever get it. But when I see them again in a few weeks, rest assured I’ll scream along just as loud to “Say Something Loving” as I did in my car 10 years ago. The xx always made music for feeling above all else, and I’ll never stop feeling this music deep in my chest.

I have their first album somewhere on CD. This isn’t as good as that, although there are touches I quite enjoyed

This album was in heavy rotation ~10 years ago - I loved the fire and ice dynamic of Oliver and Romi's vocals set to light and airy tracks - and then dropped off / fell out of favor somewhat quickly. Listening today, I'm reminded how great it was and wondering why it fell off. Maybe because its ambient and moody? Maybe because it started to feel cliched i.e. the proximity to music used for the cheesy-fake emotion scenes in shows like the Bachelor? Favorites include Violent Noise, Dare You and Test Me. I would happily put this on any time. 4/5.

It's a bit soporific, heard a lot worse. Gets quite samey

Wow! Only knew one song from them and it was instrumental… This is amazing. Great voices and instrumental composition aswell with some digital overlays!

This is fine. Very similar to the last xx album this list gave me (xx). Nice chill music. Very samey. The production irks me a bit here and there. The male vocals are better for me this time around, if rather nondescript. The female vocals are more nondescript this time than I recall them being on xx. I even listened to a bit of xx again and this album is just kinda middling in comparison. Music was better on that one, vocals are kind of a mixed bag in comparison - I was right in remembering that I liked Romy Croft's performance more and Oliver Sim's less on that album. Middling for me overall.

Achei mais comercial e menos autoral em relação a outros álbuns do The XX

The production is gorgeous here, you can really tell this was released not too long after In Colour. Though that is definitely a better album. Feels like Jamie xx might be doing a lot of the heavy lifting here. Doesn’t overstay its welcome at least

Some really interesting ideas here that I just felt were ruined by repetitiveness nonsense. Some of these songs truly could have been 30 seconds long.

Actually not as terrible as I had braced for based on the reviews. Just sounds like one long song though. But it’s probably good music to fuck to.

Meh

Quite some time back I had to The xx’s debut album generated. I had seen it being praised on several occasions but I mostly found it to be pretty underwhelming and boring (although I might listen to it again sometime in the future). I feel similar about this album. It’s really repetitive and doesn’t change much sonically. The vocals are really monotonous and subdued, and overall not really engaging. There were some pretty moments in this (I liked “A Violent Noise” and the outro to “Replica”), but overall this is just a boring album to me. Luckily the runtime is quite manageable.

Didn't really find much of note or interest here. Felt middle of the road trying to be emotional. Might need more listens.

What elation I had when I opened my 1001 project and saw that this was my next record. I'm already on my second listen today. I love The XX so much, and I was a little surprised to see this one on here, but I'm happy it is. Hoping that their self-titled is also somewhere in the list. This album captures so many moods and has such beautiful fluidity. The group's vocals harmonize so well with each other on every track and they know how to dance so perfectly with the intricate, yet spacious, music compositions they've created. From the jump, "Dangerous" is engaging and uplifting, with such a fun beat, layered with complementing elements. Every track thereafter is its own, yet is a critical piece fo make the album a complete story. "Performance" is such raw emotion, always gets me, such a beautiful song. The sequencing, engineering, production, performance, all of it, I absolutely love it and will play this record many more times before I die.

The only on I know from these guys is Intro. I really like the way GPT described this album. The xx are masters of restraint: guitar lines that barely move, bass parts that feel like a pulse in a dark room, vocals that sound close but guarded. On I See You, those elements are still there, but they’re surrounded by horns, samples, brighter synths, and more rhythmic energy. The album feels less like two people whispering in a bedroom and more like two people trying to carry that private sadness into the outside world. Say Something Loving is pretty. Has a really pretty emotional build up. I only gave the first album I got from these guys 3 stars? hm it was their xx album. The one with Intro. Lips is really pretty too. Lots of texture here. I don't know man, this album is actually really growing on me. I'm giving it 4 stars.

very good

I was surprised to see this album instead of their debut but it was a joy to hear. You can really hear the soloists they’ll become. The sound has developed so much from the first album.

I really tried to like this today, but it kind of just doesn't land with me. It really just feels like when indie went bad. I like the electronic elements, and even some of the pop stuff, but it just feels like some appropriation of what was once really good music. The album ended and a Yeah Yeah Yeahs song started playing, and for a second I thought it was The xx, and I was like "Ohhhh this is a cool song. This must be the big hit that everyone likes. Its definitely familiar" and then I realized I was listening to Karen Os vocals. It was all clear at that point.

really fucking boring

A few good bass lines and some interesting ideas here and there, I think I will revisit

Ahh yes FIFA 18. Not a bad album, dos equis but 3 stars

“Oh! Its finished” was our most pertinent observation.

This was one of my favorite albums the year it came out. It’s a solid album and maybe the xx’ best album.

Fine, just kinda the xx.

Espera más, me gustaron 2 canciones

Legitimately loved this album. Seems like something I would like to try to make.

Minimal use of drums makes this sound like amorphous blobs of tones with vocals. This album did nothing for me except make me mad that I didn't just listen to Hall and Oates instead.

That's creepy!

This was fine, just didn’t hit the same as their older stuff, a little too pop for me this time around.

Probably the most "meh" album I've listened to so far on this list. Not bad, not good, just did not stir anything in me at all. Really, really, really boring.

I fell asleep listening to the last few songs on this album, and I have absolutely no desire to revisit it to hear it out. I wouldn't call this DNF though - I really did try to get all the way through it. Just wasn't my thing. At times I thought - that's a great baseline, or this is a fun little melody, but then the song carried on without it.

When I hear this, I think that this is the definition of indie music. Throw in some shoegaze, some ambient/dreamy textures and this is the outcome. It’s okay and that’s all this is. I liked their other album more than this. It had a bit more backbone to the record. I just felt like something was missing from most of these songs here.

I liked it when it came out but it hasn’t aged well. The first album is better.

No one would be upset if this was playing in the background. 6/10

Album 233. I See You (https://open.spotify.com/album/6Zw6NKh3oIUhDRMOyBmsUU?si=3BwmnTF0T56Wb4wL0U44iw) — The xx (2017) Good. Same vibes as their debut xx album. 3/5 Liked: — On Hold

Nothing on this list should be less than ten years old. Especially when it’s this boring and lame. The “best” songs remind me of bad modern Broadway musicals. The worst songs are uninspired generic techno beats with a vocalist on Quaaludes. It’s telling the only 5 star rating I saw was from someone who knows the band personally.

Don't know why TWO of this acts albums are in this list. Granted, there are 2-3 passable tracks with better tunes, but this to me sounds like stripped back bedroom laptop recordings without a great deal of substance or 'wow' moments. Not my cup of tea, sorry.

I was expecting myself to say something pretentious like "not even close to their first album" It isn't... but, god damn, they know how to play a chill mono-voiced sound to perfection.

I have no idea why this is on the list. There is nothing special. It’s not bad. But it’s boring pop music.

A fine indie pop album, but that's just it, it's fine. Incredible Hall and Oates sample on On Hold

Pleasant for cooking

Didn't mind it and I always find electronic music helpful to focus .

This didn't really click for me. It just sounded a bit generic or even corporate to my ears. I wasn't a big fan of the vocal performances, and I wish it leaned more into the weirder, dreamier, or poppier places it could have gone.

It's fine, but yeah... this being immediately taken off the list after one edition makes sense. I don't think it's even a particularly essential album in the context of The xx. It's ok though, I just don't ever really come back to this over their debut or Coexist. So.... glad I had a reason to give this another listen but yeah. Excited to hear their new stuff whenever that's out, though!

It’s not terrible, it’s quite pleasant, but that’s about the best I can do for it as it was just a little bland, like Everything But The Girl reinvented for the next generation. Ironic band name really as they are getting The ⭐️⭐️

Ew. This is the type of music I would think of if I said I dont like modern music. I dont say that now but maybe 10 years ago I would have. Its not horrible I guess. Like its not a thing I would even think about if I was shopping at the jc penny and it was on over the speakers. But sitting here and listening to 40 minutes of it really got to me by the end. Its just so generic. I dont hear anything new or interesting. Its the popcorn marvel movie of music. Its fine to like it but i just cant see it as fine art. Its art of some kind just not good art for me. Its just so smoothed out. Its perfect. It makes me feel like a robot made it. It grosses me out. I just cant really find anything worth it for me. The music just stinks all around. But its not a 1 star stink I guess. It took a long time for me to get mad at it at least. Only in the last 2 songs did I get the come on wrap it up feelings. If it went on much longer I might have been able to justify a 1, but as it is if I heard it I just wouldn't notice it instead of fly into a blind rage. Still not good though

Second album proposé après xx que j’avais plutôt apprécié (noté 3/5, sympa sauf voix masculine). J'ai un peu moins accroché sur cet album, je n'y ai pas retrouvé les ambiances qui m'avaient séduit dans le précédent album. Le premier morceau et sa section de cuivre m'a plutôt déplus. L’accompagnement s'améliore par la suite mais sans retrouver le niveau du premier album. Je ne suis pas sur d'avoir envie de l'écouter une seconde fois. =>2/5

Easy to listen to, with some songs grabbing your attention like Hold On. But mostly it didn't grab me.

For one song it's fine, but man, this album drags on. It kept feeling like it was going somewhere and then just never arrived.

I liked it, but not sure that I needed to hear it before I die.

I see another brilliant album.

I'm not a fan of The XX and I wonder how they became popular. Every so often you realize that maybe the music you like is not the same that other people like.

Nothing too crazy, I enjoyed the female singers voice for a couple songs so I will bump it up to 2 stars.

I liked the sound, although, it could use some beat drops or something to break the songs up and make them a bit more unique.

It’s fine. Easy to listen to background noise but it’s dull. Nothing remarkable

always liked them

Totally new to me. Music lacks something, but I like the vocals. Disappointed that one track was in that crappy Essex nightclub style, but fortunately just the one.

Insufferable drivel. I hated every second of listening to this. Jamie xx has done far more interesting work separate from these two vapid nothings.

I hate the XX

I enjoy the minimal production and both of their voices, very enjoyable vibes.

Enjoyable! Quite liked it

Not a fan. Anytime I'd start liking it, they'd start singing again and I'd have a bad time all over again. I just need singers to actually sing the notes instead of dropping off the moment they hit it.

Downvoted by your standard thick prog/dad rock loving American. If having to listen to British albums annoys you then maybe this list isn't for you. Oh and be quiet, you are all annoyingly loud.

Does an album need to be perfect to get a 5? Because while this album is pretty dragged out in my opinion, it's still an amazing indie rock/indie pop record. Like I'm not sure what else to say, I think this is going to be a relisten for me in the near future

Enjoyed the production and creative sampling, and the different feel of this album to XX. I do like her as a vocalist and think she steps up to this more expansive style, but I think his voice worked loads better in their early more confined sound.

I didn’t really leave myself much room to manoeuvre by giving their debut 3. This didn’t really develop that sound in an interesting way for me and feels a bit disjointed.

Jamie is still carrying the other two, but in trying to reach his level they've actually regressed. While I appreciate the craft, I wanted this to be over for most of it.

I kind of hated the singing on this. It sounds like they're trying a lot harder than the first album and it rubs me up the wrong way. Production really good in places, like the drums on track 1.

Great album. Not my favourite XX album (the self-titled one gets that nod) but it’s right up there for me and happy to have this on in the background while making dinner or hosting a dinner party.

I wasn’t familiar with The xx, and although I’d seen their album *I See You* before, I hadn’t actually listened to it. In terms of their basic sound and vibe, The xx remind me a bit of the Eurythmics - in other words, *I See You* isn’t half bad for an electronica album. The “trick” here, as there, is the use of real instruments, which simply make everything sound more alive. Add to that Romy, a singer who strikes a good balance between emotion and control (and in this respect, too, reminds me of Annie Lennox). Did I actually like an electronica album? I have to admit that after the rather weak start with “Dangerous,” there’s quite a lot of good stuff to follow. It’s not exactly my new favorite album (it’s too quiet for that, and the concept doesn’t work with more drive - see “Dangerous”), but it’s a very pleasant surprise.

As a gateway into a particularly appealing form of electronic pop with terrific vocal performances, you’d be hard pressed to argue that the xx doesn’t belong on the short list. Olive Sim and Romy Madley Croft’s vocal melodies highlight Jamie Smith’s danceable soundscapes making this record thoroughly enjoyable. Not all songs work perfectly but they all have something to say. Say Something Loving, On Hold and I Dare You are the standouts for me. 4/5

Jamais écouté avant. Quelques morceaux assez accrocheurs, ambiance dance mélancolique, ne suffisent pas à effacer l'impression d'un album mesuré au millimètre, calibré et lissé à l'extrême, où chaque beat, chaque ligne de basse, chaque nappe de synthé, chaque harmonie vocale, est exactement là où il doit être, dans les cases prévues à cet effet. Résultat : toutes les émotions sont stérilisées et on s'ennuie ferme. Franchement dommage, d'autant que la production impeccable et les quelques fulgurances pop laissent penser qu'en prenant plus de risques, en lâchant les rênes, il y aurait des choses à faire... Top : Lips Flop : Brave for You

вау. скучно

What a pleasant surprise it was to see a The XX album (from 2017?!!!) and it’s thrown my listening schedule into disarray. Talk about a unique sound. Who else has produced such moody music, and can replicate the vocals of Romy and and Olly Sim? Some of their tracks can be a slight dud, but the power of the others (want to be on a road trip screaming Dare You) definitely overcompensate. And even then, this is an album I’ve overlooked from them.

"I See You" has many many lyrics, but absolutely nothing to say - a descent into generic indie pop shit. While the xx's first record was not earth shattering, it at least played with the electronics a bit more and didn't sound entirely like lovesick duets. As mentioned, this album (outside of Performance and the sampled bits of On Hold) reeks of copy/paste late 00s, early 10s indie pop - look no further than the horrible track I Dare You which sounds like kings of leon (the most talentless shitstain of a band on gods green earth). Really grating on the ears and pandering. 1/5

músicas que tocariam na renner

If you're gonna write shit like this, you'd better be Cindy Lauper. Or at least Madonna.

Lame.

I really liked their first record which would have made a better addition to this list. With that said, there are a handful of strong songs here but also too many that are decent but fade into the background. This has a stronger dance feel which seems to be where Jamie XX true passion lies. Replica and On Hold are probably the best tracks here.

2/5 - I could not recall one thing from this. Why is this here?

из легендарного 2017 с душой. в свое время как-то не обратил внимание на сей шедевр

I don’t really know what to do here. How does one be unbiased when they just don’t like the type of music they are hearing? Vocally weak but fitting for the type of music. The music has glimpses of dancehall beats and it definitely leaves the door open for remixes to bring life to some of these stale songs. Am I comparing this to the Black Eyed Peas? These guys lose Pet Shop Boys? These guys lose Armon Van Helding? Tie or whatever his name is Wet Wet Wet? Is that a band? Either way, these guys win. It’s just….this album….and being selected for this list….i just….i don’t….. it’s meh

A solid album, start to finish. I especially liked Say Something Loving. Nothing that I wouldn't want to hear again. 4 "consistently great singing" stars.

Meh, kinda pop drivel.

Great vocals and nice easy music!

Yeah, I mean, honestly, I have no idea why this on the list. Their first album is the only one I would ever consider essential listening. It's fine. It's rich and lush, Romy probably sounds at her best here but this doesn't compare to the rest of the list. This was a great album for 2017, not much else.

Some albums that came out within a year of "I See You" by The xx that were not included on this list, and are much more deserving: 22, A Million - Bon Iver Lemonade - Beyonce Blonde - Frank Ocean Damn - Kendrick Lamar Flower Boy - Tyler, the Creator Obviously, it's hard to get a sense of what music is important or worthwhile in the moment, but this album sounds dated now, and it hasn't even been 10 years since its release. I believe music like "I See You" will be the "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" of the 2010s—doomed to be remembered as an apt representative of the tackiest of its era.

Great vocals and cool beats. Reminds me of 80s New Wave but with a newer sound.

First album was great. More of the same here. No evolution. A bit dull

2/5

They've been popular for so long, and I even dated a girl who had previously dated one of the singers, and STILL this is the first time I've actually listened to the xx. Or perhaps not, because it's not the most memorable music. Has the potential to be really great but sort of misses every opportunity to be exciting :(

Utterly inoffensive, perfectly pleasant but not very interesting. A generous 3.

Didn't finish but seemed soulless. Terrible lyrics

I like every album this band put out. Good vibes.

Forgot how much I love On Hold!

I remember liking their debut album when it came out. This is pretty enjoyable as well. Love the vocals.

From other music I've heard from The xx I was expecting better than this.

Sunku vertinti. Viena man patiko, bet visos kitos išvis nepalieka jokio įspūdžio, onet blogo.

Not that interesting actually, ⭐⭐⭐

Catchy techno-adjacent dance-y with a slight trip-hop bent. Singers Romy and Oliver tag-team with soulful vocals, and steer it a bit toward house and adult-contemporary. One or two songs get a little annoying.

Relaxed with a bit of pump. Nice experience.

They tricked me again I liked this one better than the first album we had from them, I thought the first song on the album was actually good and almost made me forget what I hated about them. I think the vocals have a bit more energy put into them this time, they’re pretty pleasant for the most part. I Dare You is also alright, have definitely heard that one before and is probably better than any track on the first album. After the high of that first track, they go back to their old tricks of whispering softly, not taking any musical risks, and just being the La Croix of modern pop. It’s just so boring, feels more like the music they’d have playing in a shopping center or apple commercial than something they intended people to listen to. I’m more upset that I actually got my hopes up and thought they turned a corner Again it’s still not as bad as I remember them being, and maybe I was a little too harsh in my initial review, but this is absolutely not my kinda music. Pretty certain this will be my final time listening to these people by choice

I would kind of vibe with it and then get that overwhelming feeling that this would play in a Macy's

I like this album and hate this album. I love how it sounds, but there are moments where I just despise how it sounds. I’m so torn on how I feel about this album that it just has to be given a 3.

Again The XX is not really my type of music but it is an enjoyable listen. The soul sounds of the music provide a a smooth backdrop for both singers. Their harmonies and interplay back and forth on the songs makes the album a cut above other soul albums. Loved the lyrics on many of the songs but the music wasn’t that engaging to keep me occupied and the song became forgettable. Overall I liked it, but how many times I would listen to this album is likely very low.

Not in my edition of the book! 2017. 2 stars Pleasant but instantly forgettable electro-indie pop. No idea why this is on the list?

This one just existed.

When I heard the first few beats, my immediate impression was 2 pushing 1. But this was better than that. Kind of reminds me of Everything But The Girl where it sounds like dance/club music at first, but it goes deeper than that. It's solid music with a club veneer rather than club music with lyrics. Wasn't love but still a pleasant surprise.

When this came out it wasn’t my favorite. I am a little surprised to see it here, but it is British so… The thing is, it’s actually grown on me. Maybe I am just nostalgic for the feeling of this time, but I found myself really getting into this album. So 4 it is. My cheerleading continues. Boolean: yes, actually very glad to hear and hear again before I die.

Not for me

The xx passed me by a little bit, think I've said before that I dont think their quiet sparse sound is the best option for that sort of thing. This album must be a later one I'd reckon as there is a bit more going on, which is a potential straight situation when your whole thing is not having much going on. Was very listenable, first track particularly came together quite nicely. Unlikely to return to it mind.

I bought into this album a lot more than the previous xx one, some years back. Dreamy, relaxing, and then sometimes diverting. Lips and Performance were my favourite tracks. I had a surprisingly pleasant listen.

Knew what to expect going into this after their last album, which incidentally has grown on me since my first listen. Don't think this is quite as good, but still a good listen. Recognised "on hold" but the rest was new to me. Somewhere around 3.5

1.7

Yes, the second "The xx" album. Surely when you think of the totality of all music ever written, you would have to include TWO ALBUMS FROM THE XX. SURELY THEIR TWO THOUSAND SEVENTEEN RELEASE IS ONE OF THE THOUSAND MOST IMPORTANT PIECES OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION EVER RELEASED IN THE HISTORY OF HUMANKIND. YES THIS IS A VIABLE INCLUSION AND WE ARE RICHER FOR HAVING HEARD THIS MASTERWORK OF PURE DIVINE INSPIRATION. I am in a Kia dealership. I am about to sign a 9.8% APR financing deal on a brand new Kia Soul. The engine will wheeze it's final breath in 11 months, but I will be paying 620 dollars a month until 2024. "Dangerous" plays through a static-y speaker as I sign the papers. Signatures of resignation. As the boxy, poor decision lurches off the lot, I can't remember a fucking thing about that song because it occurred to me as dealership background noise. Much in the same vein as clicking pens, dry coughs, and muffled torque wrenches. What I won't forget; however, is the poor gas kilometrage I get in this bad boy and the embarrassed looks I get from cringing passerbys. I miss my PT Cruiser. 0 HIGHLIGHTS: Brain Damage-amage-amage

The XX - a band beaming in from a different dimension! The first album was a solid 5 stars, but this feels a little bit like a faded copy, similar but less ambitious Its now more like dinner party background music, which is just fine, but less satifying for a closer listen in headphones

I’m 16 albums in to this now and yet another album I have to ask the question, why do I need to listen to this before I die? Can think of some artists poorer albums that are better than most on here I’ve reviewed so far. Not a dig at the site, I know it’s created from the book. It’s just filler music, it has no substance or weight, the lyrics are garbage and make little sense It’s instantly forgettable

I stopped paying attention 15 seconds in and then came back and thought the same song is playing

Immaculate production, mid songwriting

It's fine trancey, melodic EDM. A few good songs, but overall kind of disappointing. It doesn't really blaze new ground or even refine upon 90's and early '00's electronica. Not as good despite having more powerful production tools. Interestingly, the tracks I liked the best ("Performance") were the ones that set aside the MIDI instrumentation and used physical strings to create the sounds that were then processed. That sounded cool and was a more unique sound that would have been prohibitive with earlier tools. But... it still falls behind other contemporary bands like Glass Animals.

Wow c'était archi nul.

Pablum is the word that comes to mind for the vast majority of this album. Ground down to the simplest easiest to digest basic pop music. However, the final track Test Me absolutely saved it. That was quite good.

Standouts Dangerous Performance

None of the songs stood out. Decent indie/electronic. Appreciate the mixed vocals. Couldn't tell if any "hits" came off this album.

I See You is essentially a pop record with its themes and production. It's not ultra-hyped, glossy pop juiced with synthetic hormones in order to appeal to the tween market, but it's still pop. The arrangements and presentation have opened up to hail the listener in a particular way that signals a desire to connect. That is, if records can be said to have desires, and I think they can. This album wants to communicate its feelings. It wants you to know things about it. It lets you know it sees you because it wants you to hear it. Tracks off this album can be played in cocktail bars and chill clubs without losing the mood. Not strong enough to tip the scales of my own personal preferences, but not a crime against my ears either.

It wasn't in my book...but dayum was it great.

Never got around to this one before. I love the debut by The xx and was expecting to enjoy this. Unfortunately it didn’t hit me on my first listen. I’m very happy I gave it another go. Dangerous, Lips and Replica were great but On Hold blew me away. Amazing album. For sure I’ll be looking for vinyl

Listening session: may 9th, while cleaning Listened to before: no Thoughts: this was just boring, not something that belongs on this list in my opinion Favourite track: On Hold

Not my fave xx album but good

Kind of boring

Nicer groove

dreg

Nah man this is boring. I thought about giving this a 3 but there’s just way too many people in this genre that prove to me I don’t have to convince myself that this album is good. It is not good. It is boring. And derivative as fuck.

ja is ok. bissi langweilig. 2/5

Bangers maar niet xx

Yllättävä musatyyli, mitä lie hienommalta nimeltään mutta olkoon nyt sitten indie poppia. Ehkä vielä yllättävämmin pidin tästä kovasti! Pitää kuunnella joku kerta kuulokkeilla. Hyviä biisejä, iso äänimaisema pienellä bändillä. Mielenkiintoinen, tunnelmallinen. 4/5

this is THE xx album, the first on here does not even compare

I mean, it is not like it is unbearably bad, and maybe it would be worth the list if was released 30 years before, but it really doesn't make sense in this context. 6/10

I found this pretty bland. Just not my kind of thing.

This is #day634 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… we're still talking about albums you must hear before you die, right? I kind of understand the band's debut being on the list, as it was in the spotlight in the late '00s indie/electronic scene. Still, I find its inclusion questionable. But having to hear another one? I mean… The formula isn't holding up here. It all just blends into one characterless nothing. This is a 1 out of 5. Looking forward to #day635.

The most energetic piece of the XX's oeuvre, which isn't saying all that much considering how low-key their output is. At least this one has honest-to-God rhythms on it! The interplay between both singers is one of the strongest points of this album. It functions almost as a core feature of the individual songs and their themes rather than a background elements that it was on the previous 2 releases. The hidden details in production also move this album in a more unconventional direction without losing the accessible indie pop sound the XX built themselves on. Of course, this album has the usual XX issue of not generating enough energy to kick the songs into the next gear and make them true standouts in the indie pop realm. It's especially true in the second half, which is where the bulk of the slower (than usual) balladry is stored. The album would really benefit from them being spaced out in this regard. With all of that said, this is still a solid consistent album nonetheless, one that I can confidently say is the best album in the XX's catalogue. Key Tracks: Dangerous, Say Something Loving, A Violent Noise, I Dare You

Opaco, da sueño

Not my style. It doesn't hurt either.

Interesting record. Not my style and probably nothing I would seek out, but I can see the appeal

This is very plain. I don't see myself listening to it again.

Very enjoyable and unfortunately for other albums, this artist has some bias working for them

Review - this album is nowhere near as good as their debut. Maybe the production was wearing a bit thin, or it's just that the juxtaposition of their calm quiet voices and the increasingly bombastic production was a bit much for me, but stylistically I just found it didn't work for me as well as their debut does. Some good songs here and there but a lot of forgettable songs. Just have their debut on the list. Rating - 4.5/10 Need to hear? NO

Well somebody made some money and bought some new toys. This band’s debut album was on heavy rotation in my house when it was first released. I loved the simple but effective production touches that dressed up the clean guitar lines. The melodies were beautiful and catchy. There was a sparseness, a use of silence to create drama and longing that underpinned the sexually charged vocals. When I started this album I was afraid they had lost there way and honestly I think Dangerous is just a mistake despite them obviously being proud enough to start the album with it. Similarly I could dismiss the next two songs though they’re fine enough. However with A Violent Noise and the aching Performance the album takes a remarkable turn. They suddenly rediscover what makes them great. The drama, the sexiness, and the compelling interplay of loud/quiet, noise and silence return to their palette, and the rest is incredible. I had to listen to it twice just to be sure I liked it as much as I did. Their sound has grown and they have a lot of tools at their disposal. Interested to listen to the album between this and the debut and to see where they go in the future.

Well produced album with a collection of songs I found fairly forgettable.

One of the most overrated artists of the current era. I do enjoy their house sensibilities, but it does sound like music for buying clothes in a mall. A couple of songs are bangers, but this is a dull album overall.

No. 175 I enjoyed this album. The voices and music were really nice to listen to.

51/100. Musically this project is not really that interesting and while the singing is alright it doesn't do much to elevate the material. The dark and mysterious production is probably the strong point for this record as it creates a very specific atmosphere that feels polished and modern.

Pop just isn't my thing in general. I could understand and enjoy some songs but it just lacks something for me. 1. On Hold 2. I Dare You 3. Replica

This is pop not alternative in my eyes. Professional writing and recording but not my scene.

Showing my ignorance having heard of the xx. Excellent album beautiful music and the interplay of the vocals is mesmerising. Again the word that comes to mind is beautiful.

#110/1001 🇬🇧❎️❎️ I loved their first 2 albums but never got into this one despite having a CD copy. It has a fuller sound than the others with lush soundscapes but just doesn't feel that essential. Best Tracks: Lips, A Violent Noise, Brave For You.

Clearly this is about this album by the XX, but it also gives me an opportunity to talk about Hats by the blue Nile. That’s an album I’m familiar with, this was new to me. However, they occupy the same space of sophisticated pop. Music that soundtracks furtive glances, and poor decisions. Music that glories in the beautiful in the mundane. Is it as good as Hats no, but this is a smoky, shifting thing. That’s good honestly

Not a big fan of the xx but this album is fine. Just not my personal style so it's hard to get past that.

I guess overall I don’t like anything that sounds like it would be played by the pool at a “hip” hotel

Bittersweet memory from the past, catchy tunes.

2 albums de XX dans le palmarès c'est un peu forcer la note.

sorry, je suis du bord de 'je catch pas la vibe' pour les XX. J'ai trouvé ça vraiment downant pour faire de la route, et je sais pas trop c'est quoi qu'on essaye de faire... de l'electro-pop avec une touche hip-hop?

Pas beaucoup d’amour pour The XX ici. Dommage. De mon côté j’adore. J’ai déjà écouté cet album 100 fois. J’aime le jeu entre la voix feminine et masculine, ainsi que la production de Jamie XX. Est-ce que son album solo sera dans le palmarès? Mes compatriotes ici présents seront pas contents! Replica, quelle chanson! J’ai des frissons à chaque fois.

I can see the argument made for the other xx album, but this one's certainly a biased introduction. By the time this came out, their influence was already very felt across pop, but this record didn't push that already existing reach very much I think. It's still well produced with beautiful textures throughout, definitely coming back to it.

I remember listening to this band way back in the day, but was not still following them by the time this record dropped. I had moved on from their breathy alt pop. I started to feel like they were trying too hard to be sensual and ended up sounding boring. Listening to today's album made me realise that I was right in having those feelings. This is music that desperately wants to add itself onto your sex playlist. To the band's credit, they do try and build upon their minimalist style. You get hit with horns right out of the gate on 'Dangerous'. The beats might be occasionally interesting when they take more cues from dance music, but its hard to get excited with those uninterested vocals bringing the whole project down. Album closer 'Test Me' features a Brian Eno style soundscape, but the album is too far gone to win me back over. Never outwardly offensive, this is just dull and drab.

I See You ist das dritte Studioalbum des englischen Trios The xx – bestehend aus Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim und Jamie Smith –, erschienen im Januar 2017 auf dem Londoner Independent-Label Young Turks. Die Aufnahmen entstanden zwischen März 2014 und August 2016 an mehreren Orten: in der Marfa Recording Company in Texas, den Greenhouse Studios im isländischen Reykjavík sowie unter anderem in den RAK Studios und weiteren Londoner Studios. Genretechnisch bewegt sich das Album im Schnittbereich von Indie Pop und Indie Electronic und markiert eine spürbare Öffnung des Bandsounds. Gegenüber den introvertierten Vorgängeralben xx (2009) und Coexist (2012) präsentieren sich The xx auf I See You deutlich extrovertierter. Jamie Smiths Erfahrungen aus seinem Soloalbum In Colour (2015) sind unüberhörbar: Blechbläser, dichte Synthesizerstrukturen und tanzbare Rhythmen verleihen dem Album eine Unmittelbarkeit, die das Trio zuvor konsequent vermieden hatte. Dennoch bleibt der charakteristische Minimalismus erhalten – vor allem in den Gesangslinien von Croft und Sim, die sich nach wie vor komplementär überlagern. Die Singles „On Hold", die einen Hall-&-Oates-Sample geschickt einwebt, und „Say Something Loving" zeigen exemplarisch, wohin die Reise geht: Intimität und Clubkompatibilität schließen einander hier nicht mehr aus. Auch „Lips" und „Dangerous" belegen, dass die Band ihr Repertoire erweitern kann, ohne dabei die eigene Stimme aufzugeben. I See You ist das mutigste und offenste Album von The xx – ein kontrollierter Aufbruch, der Risiken eingeht, ohne die eigene Identität zu verleugnen.

++

Shallow lyrics, whiny voices. Would like this much more if it were instrumental.

Not as good as their debut, but decent: 3.5

Wasn't really in the mood for this one. Most of the songs were kinda dull and weepy. And I get that's the vibe they're going for, but it needed some kind of oomph to kick it up a notch. Test Me had a good angry vibe, but it needed to be longer and really hammer it home.

Similar quality to XX. Still really enjoyed this album. Slow and sweet sounding. A bit tragic/sad. Really liked Dangerous and I Dare You

I had never heard of The XX. From the name I somehow got the impression of something all doom and gloom and maybe metal. Completely wrong. It was light, bright, poppy stuff that sounded enjoyable. The two voices thing was a nice surprise and the playing was pretty good. Having said that, after listening to it, I am having trouble remembering anything specific about it. So, light bright poppy stuff that went in one ear and straight out the other.

I don’t really like it

Flipping heck, not this lot again! I only had their first album recently - that one had all the emotional heft of a dead fox lying at the side of the road after being hit by an SUV on the school run. This one is the same fox, but with its eyes pecked out by crows. It sounds like the sort of thing my daughter used to make on her Barbie song generator on Windows XP. Please, no more xx!

Mostly blows

Not for me, I'll pass on this one.

I don’t remember much of this album, but I don’t remember liking it much either.

Generic pop

Solid enough dance pop. Missing some bangers

On initial listen, I thought this was somewhat compelling and I wanted to listen to it again, which is always a good sign.

Sounds like a hipster Disney musical

I didn't enjoy this as much as the XX's debut, but I see you was still decent fun. I think the slightly dancier, 90s house elements didn't fit the laid back vocals brilliantly but the music as a whole was just about enough to get a four.

Interesting style change but it works beautifully

I really loved this - taking a more electronic turn seemed to have revitalised them a bit and this is way less somber than the (also very good) first and second albums

A rainy day made this album an OK companion. Here's hoping for better weather. 2/5.

kind of interesting but kind of unremarkable

Hey I really liked this! The interplay of the two vocalists blended very nicely with the backing instrumentation. I would like to listen to this again, a bit closer and on better headphones.

i was surprised at the negative review, but yeah, that wasn't great. I really enjoyed their first album in college, but haven't listened to anything beyond that. apparently for good reason.

Much stronger than their more iconic debut. Sounds a lot like 1994-era Portishead but with a dancier vibe.

I didn't know a album from 2017 could alreayd sound dated

It’s cinema 🙌

Blind album, liked the debut album more for sure. This felt off like unsalted chicken compared to the delicious dish I had from the 1st album. 2

cet album émane la décennie trentenaire. je sais pas comment l'expliquer, cet album serait parfait dans une brasserie "roots" pour bobo chenus s'appelant julien ou quentin avec des doudounes sans manche et ils travaillent dans le marketing. je ne comprends pas trop pourquoi cet album fait partie des 1001 albums à écouter une fois dans sa vie. 2.5/5

Only good thing to come out of texas

I wish these people had not sung over the nice music.

I love the XX, I finally saw this live in 2018 when they were touring this album, and it was magical and amazing. The video clip for Islands from their debut has stayed with me, and Coexist, their second, was the more significant album for me emotionally in the throws of teenagehood (Angels is one of the most beautiful songs ever). That being said, I See You has a lot to love also, Say Something Loving is stirring and addictive.

Bored me to tears

Impeccable timing from the generator! I watched their livestream from Coachella yesterday morning (I think one of their first shows in nearly a decade) and it was such a good performance, capturing songs that soundtracked a wide span of my teen years. And then here was this album a few hours later. I really love how they opened out their sound here, and start exploring a lot of the dance music sounds that each of them would individually pursue later. Enjoyed a lot of the songs more than I remembered and it was a great vibe. I Dare You is an all time fave for me, and I always think about the music video with very young Millie Bobby Brown finding the band performing in this abandoned LA temple?? Such an underappreciated song I think, and On Hold (plus the On Hold remix) holds up too. Hoping their fourth album is in the works?

This was good to make breakfast to but I could not tell you what happened in any of these songs.

The XX gets a 20 divided by 10 from me.

no xx

ehhhhh

This is excellent. Instead of listening to the other album I have for the day, I listened to this three times and then let the algorithm play. It's feeding me a bunch of Frank Ocean, Massive Attack, James Blake, The Acid, and Radiohead. Overall an excellent morning, thanks to this album. It's an easy 4, maybe even 4.5 if we had half stars. I think the guy's vocals don't mesh with me as well as the woman's, but musically this is really well done.