Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Very mellow, low-fi kinda vibes. Been a while since I listened to their other main album but from what I recall it is very similar! 4.5
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.
On sait pas trop en quel honneur ils se retrouvent une deuxième fois dans le générateur, mais au moins c'était audible
not too bad- good to work to
Poppy. Not bad at all.
I liked their first two albums when they came out. This one isn't as strong I find. 1.5/5
I found it captivating for its simplicity It really drew me in Didn’t know what to expect but enjoyed it very much !
7 years earlier, these guys changed the face of indie pop for everyone to follow. This record doesn't have that innovation or consistency, instead favoring for something more commercial, loud and proud. It's a short string of summery pop bops, with a crisp indietronica production led almost exclusively by the works of Jamie xx. There are some great hits on here. Several of the tracks, however, are pretty forgettable and derivative of their other work, highlighting the minimalist electronica which can come off as boring, lifeless, and repetitive. Their debut incorporated dreaminess and ambient much better than here. It still sounds tight, but boring. That being said, half the tracks are amazing. Appropriate opener and closer (although "Test Me" could be improved). Nothing drags on too long. It's a really solid album, just cut 3 tracks and fix up the closer. Favorites: Say Something Loving, On Hold
More like Bore-ance and the Machine
Wallpaper
Fun album! Will listen again. 3/5 for solid pop and laid back vibes
this is the kind of album I love being exposed to if only because it will impress my wife. This was a fun chill listen and I it will become part of the rotation.
great productions here, and On Hold is a wonderful song, but others stay so inoffensive it can be frustrating
This is a pretty decent indie pop album that starts off pretty great and slowly tapers into the less enjoyable. The rhythmic beats and poppy sound is very enjoyable but after about 29 minutes the tune gets a bit bland and lacks variety. Overall it was easy to listen to and fun but nothing spectacular that would have me really wanting to revisit more than a song or two. 6.3/10
Non-offensive and a little dull, but I can appreciate the production.
Not much of an improvement on the last album from this band I had. More mehcore crap.
Not bad, but I like their other album more
Background introspection vibes
This album has a certain mood to it that will be just what I want to hear in certain situations. Very unique, with pretty melodies, A little bit of a 70s soul music vibe, a little bit of a folk vibe, very modern overall sound.
Remind me a lot of a band i really love, Oh Wonder. Xx’s vocals a more present than ethereal than Oh Wonder with the occasional use of 808 drums.
Pleasant enough but kind of boring. It makes me think of the early/mid-2000s, so I was surprised it was as recent as 2017. Best track: A Violent Noise
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.
This is not a very good album.
3.25
First song is great but the album is overall decent. I think I’d appreciate more if it was more my style
Mid. I don't understand why it's on this list
Forgot about this band. Vividly recall them performing "On Hold" on Saturday Night Live, which was a blast. Great overall album. Glad to be exposed their other material.
Not bad. A kit of reverb, synth and clean guitar and good chord progressions. Where are the drums though?
Based on the first track, I was really worried that this was going to be an EDM/House/Dance album, which I would have not enjoyed. BUT it was just a fakeout. A real emotional album, excellent lyrics, and instrumentation that supports it. A really wonderful surprise (as I've never listened to the xx before).
Although their debut album made a bigger cultural impact, I think that this might be a better album. A really great release.
Dookie
The XX is a classic. I even have it on Vinyl.
I’ve never really got the xx, though I can at least appreciate the impact and influence of their debut. This album just felt like a legacy choice based off of that - it’s so bland and lifeless and there are so many better albums from the last few years that deserve its spot
Rating: 9/10 Best songs: Dangerous, Say something loving, Lips, A violent noise, Replica, Brave for you, On hold, I dare you
This is the second XX album to come up. I wasnt a fan of the first. I listened to this album on Spotify. When it finished, Teardrop off Mezzanine by Massive Attack started playing. Now there a great album.
No deep thoughts or analysis, I didn’t recognise the band or album but with a blind listen through was pleasantly surprised. Enjoyed this and kept on repeat for much of the day.
I think this may be the most recent album I have listened to in this challenge to date. I’m surprised in its inclusion in this challenge. It’s a good album but I’m not sure it’s a ‘must listen to’ album? Sounded a bit vanilla to me?
I enjoyed this one. I didn’t think every track was strong, but on the whole I liked the sound and would probably listen to it again if I was in the mood. It turns out I have listened to The xx before without realising it (on the Great Gatsby sound track - which is great btw) Nice to listen to something more recent - so far the challenged has been 30% 70s!
Pas tellement plus aimé que l'autre. C'esrt vraiment très inoffensif et safe comme son. Bien qu'il y a un mélange de plusieurs styles, ça sonne comme quelque chose vraiment fade et fait pour facilement plaire à un large publique. J'ai oublié de quoi ça avait l'air à la seconde que ça a fini. 5/10
First listen for me. Lush-sounding album: the duo's vocals are great. I particularly liked "On Hold", which has the catchiest tune.
A very easy listening album
I really connected with this album.
Meh
Meh.
These dudes are from midielphia
Amazing album. Jamie xx puts on a master class of production. Oli sim and Romy have perfect contrasting voice that puts your soul at easy
Jaimie XX carries.
very into the instrumentals but the vocals and lyrics keep throwing me off on account of cheesiness
full review on ig: @musicwithnessa
Good techno-pop music. Hypnotic beats. I liked the songs Lips, Replica, and I Dare You. Overall not my cup of tea.
Did not like
Chill album with some good songs. 3.4.
Wow, does this album sound different than their first. I'm pleasantly surprised!
I dig it! An electronic pop album with very solid songs. A nice suprise given the release date and the style
iCUP
Don't really know what to say except, yeah it's fine? I really don't think I needed to listen to this before I died, but it was fine. I don't remember much of what happened, but the sounds didn't offend my ears, they were fine. Yeah, it was fine.
Modern indie is just Lite FM for people with full sleeve tattoos.
Singles: --------------- On Hold (#37 UK; #7 US Rock) Say Something Loving (#60 UK) I Dare You (#100 UK, #23 US Rock) Dangerous (#75, UK) 5/5: On Hold 4/5: Dangerous, I Dare You Rating: 3/5
This is my first time listening to The XX and I really enjoyed this album.
Lovely album. Great sonics and powerful lyricism.
Favorite tracks: Dangerous, A Violent Noise
3.75
Don't get the hype, sounds bland to me.
Different from what I'd imagined. Rather chilled
Lovely voices, songs a bit too spacey for me.
this indie pop album has its fans; apparently one of the tracks was used as menu music for fifa 18. can't really say i found it too interesting of a listen though, even with the often relaxing electronic beats and moderately interesting lyrical content. sorry, it's just not my thing.
It's a nice sound but it's very shallow.
Well holy cattle, batman. That was a sensational album. Loved it from beginning to end.
It's paradoxical. Their voices are amazing, the vibe is cool, the beat/instruments is lean and ethereal. This so much feels like my jam, but the hits aren't too strong here. It's perfect vibe background music, but there's not a ton that is forever memorable. I like Dangerous and On Hold the best, but it needs a bit more of a hook to get me to the next level. Still, because everything else is so well balanced for me, i'm excited about what comes next.
It is quite odd to get two albums by The xx in two days, but it has actually been a welcome surprise. It has properly introduced me to the band and made me pay attention in a way I had not before. I See You feels a little brighter and more open than xx. There is still that minimalist core, but the production has more colour and movement. The hooks are stronger and the songs feel slightly more immediate. On Hold is incredibly catchy and easily one of the standout moments. I Dare You has a warmth and confidence that really works. The whole album flows well and is an easy, enjoyable listen. Favourite songs: On Hold and I Dare You Least favourite: None that stood out negatively Album artwork: Simple, bold and instantly recognisable, very much in keeping with their aesthetic
This album is terrible😂 idk who listens to this stuff but there’s so much better music out there, so I wouldn’t want to waste more time listening to this stuff
Interesting musical combo, they have some soul. Probably wouldn’t go back to it much but worth the listen. At their best they channel The Cure.
Wow! i think i like them! Crystalized is the one of those ive heard, but theyre all good so far. Ill give em a rare 5. Sometimes it just hits right.
Not so great. Overall very tedious melodically
The XX are very good at creating atmosphere and vibe. The album sits very consistently in that atmosphere. I always like the contrast of male/female vocals together. Definitely enjoyed it. I also appreciate its not too long.
Felt nothing, sounded like soulless, plastic and boring music. Not my thing. [0121/1001]
First album that I had never heard of the musicians, but I actually really liked it. I think that’s what this entire thing is about. Yea!!
I like The XX when they do their faster songs, like On Hold or I Dare You. Sometimes it’s too ethereal for me.
This was fine but not great. I can tell the artists care very much about what they're doing here, but as one in my listening group put It, the whole record just sounds the same. Is it literally all in the same key? Had to check the music player app to see if I'd left it on single track repeat by mistake.... To me this was like She & Him (which I love!) but too serious. This is like She & Him except with Evanescence and that one guy from MGMT.
Ei huono mutta jäi vähän valjuksi. Ehkä pitää kuunnella uudemman kerran. 2/5
Tätä tuli julkaisun aikaan kuunneltua paljonkin, mutta tuntuu jo nyt vanhentuneelta. Sisältää silti edelleen pari bändin parasta biisiä ja niiden voimin ansaitsee 3/5. Kaksi levyä näiltä on taas mainio esimerkki listan brittibiaksesta.
Ihan jees indie-elektro-poppislevy, mut tää on vuos jollon kuunteli jo aika paljon uusia levyjä. En ehkä itse olisi nostanut tätä vuodelta 2017.
Dance rhythms. Horns. Keyboards.
Very modern. Not my style but well done.
Good listen! First new album I’ve really liked
Enjoyed (my wife Enjoyed more). Talented band, love the sound, the voice...lyrics are just a little bit repetitive for me. 4 tracks added to 1001 Experience playlist
Smooth, a bit somber. Feels somewhat over-wrought. The vocals don't have the strength to carry the so-so lyrics. Some songs like Test Me have a knock-off Taylor Swift feel.
Sehr minimalistisch, schwebend, melodisch, hat mich anfangs ein wenig an New Order erinnert. Der Wechselgesang gefällt mir. Das Album habe ich mir gleich 2x angehört. Passiert mir bei dieser Liste selten.
A nice baroque pop album with 3 stars
beep boop bop boring.
Jamie xx's "I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)" is one of my favorite songs so I always think I am going to like The xx, and they are always . . . fine. I will find one of their songs completely tolerable, but I'll think, "dang, is this like a ten minute long song?" and then see that it's been two and a half minutes. Nothing is wrong with The xx's music, but it’s just kind of there. It's like the quinoa of music.
2.4
Dream pop, alternative dance. Me ha gustado. Un 4.
OK
Kind of reminds me of Gungor! Not too bad but not something I’d have in my collection, I will say the lead singer had a great voice. 2.8
Track 1: Not a good start to the album I think. Track 2: kinda sounds like it would be at the end of catfish. Track 3: again just not doing it for me Track 4: a lot of synth midi sounds. Track 5: the bass line is nice in this. Track 6: I like the groove in this one. Track 7: very reverb Hall effect ish Track 8: decent song. Track 9: very echoey kinda like that it’s a conversation. Track 10: like the chorus on some lyrics. The piano adds a different layer which is nice. Overall: 3.9/10. I didn’t really like this that much. Nothing really stood out to me and it felt like a generic album during the 2010’s. I think the later half is better than the front for sure.
Solid album. I enjoyed it. Good music for a tired morning.
Starts well, but a bit the same after a while...
Good but not their best. By 2017, other bands were doing their sound better than them.
Zeer aangename sfeer op dit album. Ik hou van hun dromerige stijl
Started this record as a stranger to xx work. By the end of it,i was sold to their sound. Not my type of "rode", i admit,but really gret qork on the albim Loved the atmosphere, the vibes,the journey to meet that platonic love. Great work
Not what I expected and that's a good thing. I want to check out their other albums.
In the best possible way, all The xx songs sounds like openers or closers. It's grandiose, moody and atmospheric to boot. It also leaves me longing for the actual body or essence of the record which all of the tracks seem to be nicely wrapped around. Like a well-wrapped gift with nothing inside. But damn it's well-wrapped.
I See You is very fine and pretty, but it rarely resonates with me. It feels too sunlit and airy without any sense of consequence - the exception being “A Violent Noise”. It’s not bad, don’t get me wrong. But I would probably rather put this on in the background while competing chores.
Didn’t hold my attention.
I enjoyed listening to this. The pacing / beat is slower than I typically prefer, but the ethereal nature of the music kept me interested and engaged. I struggled between 3 and 4 on this one, but ended up going with 4. If half stars were an option, 3.5
It grew on me. I thought it was another middling English record but Jamie XX created something more interesting by the end. Another sound scape to float thought this season of my life to.
Just okay
This was almost a 5-star album for me. So close. It's great. Legitimately great. It's just a smidge too dated to earn full marks, though. For an album released in 2017, so many of the songs feel like they were released in the mid-aughts. That's enough to dock it a star. But only barely. It's a great album that I'll be revisiting.
Sounds a lot the first days of Florence. Great music
Great beat lyrics and mix of instruments
3.1.
Interesting soulful sound. Enjoyed it
Listened Before? N Hm. This one seems to be a disconnect between me and the mainstream music media. It's okay.... but "Widespread critical acclaim'? no. Nothing original or particularly inspiring is here. Seems like maybe the acclaim speaks more to the state of modern "indie" music than the quality of this recording. I found it repetitive and boring. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: On Hold
why did this album edge me into thinking it was gonna be amazing and just kinda fell on its face, at the start of each song I felt it was gonna be good but damn I felt like it didn’t unlock its potential
Booooooooring
Canciones con un estilo muy ambiental, relajado, con buenas voces y ritmos tranquilos. Me ha gustado el estilo
I've only listened to the first two albums from The XX. I absolutely flogged them. This started out a bit more upbeat and then really settled in to what I remember from them. The vocal work is dreamy and reminded me why I was so into their first albums.
I like the atmosphere on this one and certainly am becoming a fan of The xx. I haven't listened to the other album as part of this list so looking forward to that coming around. Faves: Dangerous, Performance, and On Hold.
Similar to the other album of theirs on the list, yeah, I dig it, and should probably spend more time with it. I think I like "xx" slightly more? It had more of a hushed tone... Fave track - hmmmm, tricky - ideally need more spins before picking. I dug the sample/sound effect on "Naive" though that's apparently a bonus track. "On Hold" from the main disc, maybe?
You know in hotels when they have a resort channel and it has some non descript indie indicating fun and adventure in a non-threatening way playing in the background
Occasionally veers into safe car-commercial pop music, but the dance beats and bass save it at those times. I liked it!
Probably less relevant than the band's debut, this records still profits a lot from Jaimie xx's stellar solo adventure two years before--which saw him exploring electronic and EDM soundscapes in a successful way (*In Colours* is surely an "essential album", there's no arguing about that!). As a result, The xx manages to create a rather strong tracklist that also grooves quite a lot, even if it's a subdued fashion more in keeping with the band's initial aesthetics. Yet is this result, as "nice" as it is, the stuff of legendary albums? I don't think so. You have nice vocal and instrumental hooks everywhere, sure. Yet you also have unobtrusive songwriting, with some (wittingly?) frail moments, lyrically and vocally speaking. Such frailty may charm quite a few listeners. But I still think it will very rarely truly *impress* the bulk of them. 3/5 for the purposes of this list of "essential albums". Which translates to a 8/10 grade for assessing albums in more general terms (5+3). Number of albums left to review: 341 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 298 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 158 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 212 (including this one)
Sometime in the last 15 years, Pop took a wrong turn. Gone is the fun, gone are hooks, gone are the songs. They have been replaced with something like this (and other - worse - acts, but you get the idea). This kiond of music doesn't speak to me at all; it's just overproduced boredom. 1.5/5
music for YouTube ads. release date of 2017 surprising for something that'd be generic indie pop long before then. music: hated. (⌐■_■)
After the first song I thought, “Huh that was pretty cool!” and then it got increasingly dull from there. I was disappointed because I remembered liking another album from this band, but then I remembered that one also started strong and then petered out. That’s all. This one was fine.
I didn’t much care for this album but I think if I was in a different mood I might have enjoyed it more.
I love nearly every song from The XX
I'm mad at it only because I've been in an ornery mood to brand something with a 1 rating. But goddammit, this thing won me over after just the first two songs. It's brand new to me and I'm already confident in declaring this outfit as the thinking person's Everything But The Girl. I'll give it more time to see if it keeps. And who knows. Maybe I'll hear this playing in the background of Banana Republic and realize I don't like it enough to throw $150 down for a new pair of pants.
Loppua kohti parani, mutta kovin turhake
Iha jees, rauhottava, ei kuitenkaan erikoinen
On Hold actually made me laugh out loud and is a good example of why I can’t stand this band. Juvenile, melodramatic lyrics mixed with over produced techno nonsense mixed with cutesy Indy pop bullshit. I tried to get into this band when they first came around and couldn’t. This album is even worse than I expected.
This is right up my ally in terms of indie but it was just meh. Allegedly they are back in the studio to release a follow-up and maybe that will get me into them but this was just meh.
Not sure if it deserves a spot on this list, but it was pretty enjoyable. Fave Songs: On Hold, Performance, Dangerous, Lips, A Violent Noise
The sparser songs are better than some of the later ones. Overall I love the sound and the hidden complexities XX weave into even the simple sounding songs. I think lyrically this album gets weaker as it progresses. Not as stunning as their debut but still beautiful.
Mixed bag for me. The good: It was interesting how all the songs flowed into each other, so it sounded like the album was one continuous song. The music didn't fit into any genre or decade, so it was very unique. The bad: It didn't really pull me in. There wasn't any part of it that stood out for me. Kinda sleepy.
So beautiful
Not nearly as good as the last album I had by them
I listened to lost of it without even realising. Like a poor copy of Everything But The Girl.
One description said this was atmospheric. That seems spot on. I like the songs like Violent Noise that have the male and female vocals sang separately rather than in duet. They both sing well.
Oliver Sim has a nice enough voice. Romy’s is good too. But somehow the duet approach doesn’t work for me. If they split up the duties (like Buckingham and Nicks) or harmonized more, it would have been more to my tastes. There are some catchy songs, like “Test Me”, Dangerous” and the hit, but I find the production on the quiet side with lots of empty spaces, too commercial, and none of the tracks really pop.
I read that the XX write their songs at night so there’s a very soft quality about their music with mimimal percussion so not surprisingly this music is quite sleepy. I think their first two albums were better and “Intro” from their debut was their best song ever. However after three album this sound is getting a bit old. It’s fine for background music as it’s very low impact, but as others have said, it borders on being quite boring.
This is not music for me per se, but the bass playing throughout the album is pretty great. I am not a bass player but there are some very tasteful bass parts on this album that sound very nice to me. Other than that it's not too special.
This didn't do all that much for me, proficient and slickly produced as it was. The vocals and lyrics in particular I just didn't warm to.
Was unfamiliar but like a lot
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.
Ok my first reaction is/was "wow" because after really not liking their first album (emo to the point of self-caricature; boring, etc) I was not expecting this melodic explosion at all. Modern as hell production, sampling, loops, etc; i.e. an electronic album in every conceivable way yet song construction fully in the standard 20th century pop-rock vein... much more variety in songs and mood than on their debut. I think my problem was that I listened twice. I loved the first pass. Yet the second go-around sounded... sterile. Seems like the first time around I was blinded with the apparent energy and melody and as I settle in and really digest the songs...none are bad (although I'm not a fan of "On Hold" - more of a tarted-up cheesy 80s song that tries to hard to not be and fails) but there's a clinical precision to the crafting of each of the tracks that overall it becomes too polished. I can see how people might love this - overall it does have a great sound and makes me re-evaluate the band overall, but I need more...daring? edge? a guitar solo or sense that it's not all/so crafted "in the box" - it's too bad because why should I hold a "group" up to a standard that I don't hold a stereotypical electronic artist to. I suppose standard-form songs like this for me come with some expectation of feeling the energy and that's what's missing here. 6/10 3 stars
I like the xx, and I like this album, but it's another case of being a little confused to see this on the list. The xx's music has always been gentle, sweet and pleasant, and it's been nice to put on when I'm in a soft indie mood, but I've never thought of it as groundbreaking or particularly noteworthy. In fact, it could be borderline boring to the wrong ears. I'm still going to rate it highly enough, because it's one of their better albums, and as mentioned, I like the xx. But with the paltry number of recent albums on this list...why this one?
Love this album and band in general. They really expanded their sound a lot with this album. You can hear the influence of Jamie xx’s solo project quite a bit. Definitely won me back after their lackluster second album. That said, I still think albums this recent should be excluded. I don’t think this album has really had the influence or cultural impact to justify its inclusion here.
Not heard of these before. Very nice album. Really well produced and arranged. The vocals and the pacing are very good too. At times it like a more indie version of Blue States
3.8 + Jami XX does more of the heavy lifting on this one, filling out the minimalism from the first album into something deeper and richer. But somehow, though the results are more nuanced, they’re somewhat less catchy and this one doesn’t have quite as many ear worms as that first record. Still, I do love “Say Something Loving”, “On Hold”, and “I Dare You.”
I don't particularly resonate with this brand of mellow, emo indie pop. When "On Hold" was on the radio I found it mildly annoying.
Impressive for 1997...oh wait, no, this came out in 2017. Nevermind, far less impressive then. In fact, this doesn't leave much of an impression on me at all. I'm bored, but the weird thing is, they sound like they were bored themselves in the process of making this. The most exciting thing on the record, by far, is a pitch bent sample of Hall and Oates. Listening to this album is like eating an entire loaf of refined white bread as a meal. Soft, low fat, and easy to digest, but lacking flavor.
I remember tangentially liking their debut album, but as I've gotten older I find it just a bit too straightforward and poppy for me. This album just continues more along those lines. Production-wise and vocals performances are good, but don't appeal to me at all. Regardless, it's doing what it is trying to do; not my thing.
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 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.
Better then I thought it would be. There are some really cool tracks that I would almost call hits.
They sing like they’re out of breath. Sometimes it felt like they were singing to a different song. The women’s voice was nice at times but the mans wasn't great most of the times. This sounded more pop than indie. I was hoping this album would’ve been better based on our list of recent 2000’s albums but this was honestly disappointing. 4/10
I’ve never heard a duet album before. It’s pretty good. It feels like they are singing about each other. It works. The beats are all really good. It didn’t give me chills or anything but it was enjoyable. The first song of the album is still my favorite.
A pretty and vapid singing album that Is pleasant to listen to as background music but I probably wouldn't seek this out. Enjoyable and there were 2-3 songs that I actually throughly enjoyed. 6/10
This is the music that plays in Department store make-up sections. My experience with The XX is every time they come on my Spotify Indie playlist I skip their songs. The instrumentals sound like what plays in a perfume/cologne commercial while the vocals give off people who try too hard at karaoke. I know this is labeled as indie pop but it just gives off a soulless soul vibe. I can imagine someone listening to this thinking it’s deep and they relate on a spiritual level all while sitting staring out of their parents mansion, misunderstood to the world, painfully generic. Also the entire album is just incredibly boring and safe. Of course it did well, this is what people who have no musical taste think emotional music sounds like but it’s just a vapid shell that checks off points to make a successful pop album on the stage of modern music. 1/10
Meh
This is one of those albums that I didn't care for at first but as I listened more, it grew on me. A very chill electronic indie, rock anthem with glimpses of drone at times. This is possibly one of the youngest albums on this list, as it was released less than 10 years ago, yet I feel like it's inclusion in this list is well warranted. The mixing of the album really makes it good studying and working music. Not necessarily the best in all occasions, but no song, and no album is applicable to all of life's situations. Yet this is a well crafted album, emblematic of its genre and pleasing to the ears. Fave songs: Dangerous Brave For you Performance
Liked it enough to add it to my albums! Good stuff!
Pretty inoffensive
Very different from other xx albums but super good with awesome vocals. 4-4.5
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
synth-pop beach lounge with breathy indie vocals. Fine but forgettable road trip music.
Easy listen. Pop/ambient electronica. Nice melodies and vocals. Not very interesting though. Includes radio hit On Hold.
Jamie's rhythms and beautiful sounds, Romy's and Sim's gorgious voices are once again an immense joy to hear.
a little boring. but strong album. 3-4 3
Pretty solid for a pop act and an indie act. I had low hopes but this was actually pretty good.
The music is cinematic with smooth ambient dreamscapes, which is ok. The lyrics are sensual but incomprehensible and a bit jarring as a result. Basically, to me it's lazy songwriting.
Really didn’t like this
Zzz zzzz what sorry did something happen?
I liked the debut album but this somehow seems a bit boring, doesn't really bring anything new to the party.
Ugh. A bit dull. I think the recipe is: (4 mins, 4/4 beat, mild crescendo) Take a slow moody guitar, breathy vocals and generic non-specific lyrics about one person feeling something about another. Mix with some basic electronic stuff.
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 🤦).
This reminded me a bit of Deee-Lite. You can argue amongst yourselves if that's a good thing or not. Seriously, I did enjoy this quite a bit. Some of the later tracks on the album were a bit uneven ("On Hold," for example), but it opened really well. "Dangerous"" was good and "Performance" was haunting. Wish the album stuck the landing at the end better, though. Still it was short and didn't overstay it's welcome. Enjoyable.
I mean sure? Let's throw Bastille and the 1975 in there too. Who else you got in England that puts pop and dance, and maybe rock together? At least I've heard of the other two bands. I'm not sure what makes this album (or this band) special. Especially because this was their third album and is pretty late in the game as far as this genre goes. So I'm not sure what makes it groundbreaking. Their sound is easy on the ears but it's not overly complex or impressive in its composition. Meh.
Why this
Awesome.
I don't understand why they bothered to make this album. A bland band. Bad.
Each year's indie-club record comes roaring in with some kind of character. The xx do it interestingly here, with horns shuttling us from Sinatra (providentially, in list terms), and remembered songs dispersed and somewhat grayed. That suits the record well, the strange loss of bombast from singles-in-memory. Most indie-club producers don't bother adding the depth which Jamie did here.
Not my thing at all, can't really comment on it Will I listen to again: 0%
2 songs in. i don't get the hype of this band. pretty bad.
So cool, some of my favorite songs, great production
2 Stars. Not interesting.
It wasn't awful or anything, but it also was completely unmemorable.
Pas vraiment mon style. Ej connais des bands qui font ce genre d emusique et C'est 5x mieux pour être franc. j'étais peut-etre pas dans le mood mais c'est just fade pour moi. 2.5
Good background music Heard it done better, but also a lot worse.
Ambiente. Dance. Pop.
This was pretty freaking boring. Yet, some strange force makes me want to give it another go sometime. Maybe. Maybe I just need to make sure my meds are working the way they should.
фантастика
It was fine, but not something I'd listen to again.
Did not like it when it came out. Good songwriting and excellent production. Romy’s vocals is it’s weakest point, at points tarnishing the product quite a lot.
I heard it on my commute to work and the songs just didn't deliver anything, they weren't bad but also not good, they felt like background music and after giving it some considerate thought, this album is great to play if you just want something in the background The XX has one other song that is quite famous and is in my liked songs "The intro" but it's just instrumental and electronic The lyrics of this album were quite sub par and the rhymes also are pretty bad, It's good to hear if you don't want to get distracted in traffic and etc, but not an everyday listen,
Da hora, me lembra uma sexta feira que eu agitaria a galera pra ir na Pixel. Muito música de baladinha indie. Gostei da energia. Depois virou uma música tranquilinha, que parece ter naqueles cortes de cenas de filmes de romance, uma chuvinha, e essas músicas no fundo. Legalzinho.
Se fosse pra resumir esse álbum em uma palavra, pra mim seria "morno". As músicas não são ruins, mas também não são boas, justamente por não tentarem fazer nada que pudesse ser bom ou ruim. Parecem ser músicas feitas pra deixar no fundinho de algum momento ou ambiente, tipo um evento empresarial, enquanto a galera chega e se cumprimenta, só pra ficar aquele sonzinho no background mesmo, chamando o mínimo possível de atenção. E talvez, dado o nome do estilo de acordo com o Spotify (Atmospheric Indie) capaz desse ser exatamente o objetivo das músicas kkkk. Mas como a proposta aqui é ouvir o álbum do início ao fim prestando atenção nele, achei extremamente boring.
Some nice electro pop. But sadly rather uneven.
The xx have some of the best-produced albums in indie music today. Just immaculate. By this album, The xx had well-established their melancholy, sexy, bedroom-lights-dimmed-low style but I love how "I See You" also feels colorful, particularly in the opening tracks. They use samples and mix in elements of dance music for some incredible, addictive songs. I love when the vocal sample comes in on "On Hold." I can't get enough of that. "Say Something Loving" is another great song that uses a vocal sample in an interesting way. I'm not sure I've heard another band slip in a sample like this to enrich the emotions of the song. And the lyrics about allowing yourself to be vulnerable enough to accept love are heartbreaking and beautiful. The vocals on this song (and every other song on the album) are fantastic. I love the male-female back-and-forth between Oliver Sim and Romy. It's part of The xx's signature sound and it makes every song feel so intimate and sexy. I particularly like Romy's vocals. She's got a solo album that came out recently that I've been obsessed with. "A Violent Noise" is a fascinating track. It's a sad song about going out with friends and dancing in the club but still feeling a lingering sadness (presumably from a breakup). The music captures the feeling perfectly. It sounds like it takes place within a club but doesn't actually feel like club music. It's the sound of being lonely in a crowd. Excellent album. I had it on repeat all weekend. 4.5
Great album by a great band. I love the vibe, the energy, the inherent coolness that runs throughout. The vocals feel more present in this album. I don't know if that's just an evolution of their production style over the years, but I think it's a good choice. The balance of their mix is a standout feature of theirs that I really tend to agree with often. I am holding out hope to hear their self titled album on this list as well.
2 voices, alt. Felt just baaaah
Think the voices complement each others very well to give quite a calming sound. Good album overall but abit basic, kind of sounds like 1975
Still lovely, with bigger, deeper beats and stronger vocals from Oliver (Romy's remain delicate, charming and beautiful). Very good progression, but I'm going to give three stars since it doesn't have the wow and newness that stunned me with their debut.
I’ve listened to The xx previously, but hadn’t heard I See You until now. This album was a chill start to my morning. My favorite tracks were “Dangerous” and “A Violent Noise.”
Their third album proves two things: dance pop can have true emotion, and that just because your first album nailed it doesn't mean you can't hit a different target square in the middle. Romy is captivating as always, and Jamie's production has continued to evolve, better capturing both bigger rock and more soulful electronic elements. What really strikes me is the continuity of the album. While this sometimes negates the element of surprise I think it shows a mastery many who try to make music in this space fail to achieve. Personal highlights are "say something loving", "violent noise", "performance".
2nd xx album, and now we'll have a moment of silence; for both have been removed by the latest edition, like everything by Adele & Kings of Leon :( After “Dangerous”, I was ready for things to get *funky* yet they stayed relatively xx-brand melancholic in subsequent songs. I’m not knocking I See You for that, I enjoyed it about as much as their last record. The samples here are pretty creative (who knew that was Hall & Oates in “Hold On”), and overall it’s a sunnier vibe than their wintery debut. The polished gleam coming off these songs (& the album cover) won’t be to everyone’s taste but what is? HL: “Dangerous”, “Say Something Loving”, “Replica”, “Brave for You”, “On Hold”
This was a little too experimental for my personal taste. Nice production value, but too many tracks just sounded like someone tossed a bunch of samples from a random noise generator together and hoped to produce something unique. It was... unique, but not particularly inspiring.
Meh.
Somehow slow and one dimensional, but at the same time it’s not actually bad and is somewhat enjoyable at times
Not bad.
My first time hearing of or hearing this band. It's okay. Not bad at all, just not my thing.
Not aware of this album (or band), so I had no expectations before listening. A Chill, cool record that isn't flashy or in your face and it's a good solid pop record. Not sure how this would be categorized, but I'm a sucker for co-ed vocals and it was an easy and somewhat relaxing listen. Actually, listened twice, once in the afternoon and later at night and it's enjoyable either way. Essential, probably not, but not a waste of time.
boring, couldn't go through
Love the instrumentals and vocals
Nice chill music with male and female vocals. I like this a lot. Nice to play with a date 4
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.
Un 5 et rien d'autre
incroyable si on me demande
I like this. It feels new and experimental and fun. Very cool. Shame they only have three albums, currently. 4/5
meh, generic - 6/10
It reminded me of the early 2000s indie EDM genera like Chvrchs or something else in the genera. I give it a solid OK!
I had a hard time placing this one on my musical map. Alternative? Easy listening? Electronic? Duet? Slower pace than expected for sure. Kept expecting the bass to drop but it never really did. Might grow on me if I listened more times but not sure if I will. Three stars.
Nothing too special about this album. I think there are better songs by the xx. I think overall their 2009 album xx is better and has more iconic songs. I do like modern music and how full the sound is with the electronic instruments and mixing
Quite pleasant in a dreamy sort of way, but doesn't excite me.
This was great! I especially loved the lyricism.
xx seems to be one of those cases of bands whose music I like when it's released, but within just a couple of years I look back and wonder what it was that I found interesting about it. I'll also add that, if pressed to name an xx album I'd curate, this definitely wouldn't be the one.
Soft rêveur. On dirait que chaque chanson est la fin d'un album. Musique à écouter quand il pleut ou quand on feel pas trop.
eh it's fine I don't think they've ever been for me but a pretty cool atmosphere building, just not an atmosphere I care for
Great stuff. Was a big fan, still am.
Most of The xx sounds like two estranged lovers singing over the phone, their faces tear-stained, their choked sobs off-mike. This was a nice collection of that evocative sound.
Rimelig lækker moderne elektronisk indie pop
victim of profit
Not for me
Never heard of them, but I kind of like it actually.
I See You is the third album by English indie pop band the xx - their first in over four years. The music on this album is progressive and wide-ranging, making it more accessible to the general population than their first two albums. Released to critical acclaim, this album was the No.1 album in the UK, No.2 in the US, and reached the top 10's on many charts worldwide. It has been certified gold in the UK. I love this band and am shocked I did not know about their third album. This was a pleasant surprise for me to listen to this album for the first time. The xx did a great job of evolving their music for this album without subtracting from the intimate style they're known for. Please give this album and the previous two albums from the xx a listen, because they're amazing.
Fine. Clearly British favoritism here.
I’ve been looking forward to getting an album by The xx because in the contexts I’d heard about them, I had a feeling I’d like them. I was surprised this was billed as alternative because it seems like straight pop to me. While I found it pleasant and inoffensive overall, it didn’t really do anything for me. I would give them a chance on another album, but I doubt I’d listen to this one again.
Very chill
Another album that I wouldn’t pull first but for a day of listening, this should be on the stack.
loved!
I really liked this album!
Saw them live few years ago so was familiar with this album. Not bad, 3 songs I like the rest I don’t mind.
It lacks the outright excellence of their debut, and honestly drags a bit by the end... but the intelligent craft of it still makes it a pretty solid experience. I just can't help but feel a tad disappointed.
Another superb album by The xx, I have no words to describe how this band always impacts me.
Not exactly my favorite style of music, but for what it is it's very well done. It has a nice feel to it. 3 stars.
The xx did a couple of decent tunes back at the start but they leave me largely cold.
Yawn...
Decent enough. Nothing that grabs the attention though. The Cocteau Twins less interesting cousins.
Pleasant enough to listen too but with nothing standing out. Easily forgotten.
Zoals al vaker gezegd hier; dat andere plaatje van deze lui is beter. In dit geval nòg iets beter, want dit is ook al behoorlijk tof.
Dit vond ik wel lekker catchy
Heel fijne vibe weeten die XXen te creeren.
Prettig, maar ook een beetje zouteloos.
This is another group I had never heard before, and I'll likely never hear again. The album wasn't bad and it wasn't good, ultimately falling into the unremarkable, forgettable, middle of the bell curve that represents my ratings on the 1001.
One of the stronger 2010s albums on this list. Really nice unique sound. 8/10.
Kakkosen ja kolmosen välis. Annetaan nyt kolmonen, en tiedä pitäiskö.
Perus ok
Not great, not terrible.
True wallpaper music.
Sterkt, men når ikke opp i katalogen.
Enjoyable.
Yeah, very 'nice'. Calming and that...
This just isn't my thing. I can understand why people would like it.
Best Song: I Dare You. Feels like the most similar to their earlier work. Worst Song: Brave For You. Melodramatic and emotionally overwrought. I find their schtick more enjoyable when it's more subtle and subdued. Overall: Not as good as their earlier stuff, which I'm more familiar with. This feels like more standard indie pop. Nevertheless, the interplay of their two voice timbres is always nice.
yeah sure okay!!
Delicate and Powerful, this has a more mature feel to it compared to their previous albums. Dangerous is an absolute banger.
I liked it, the vocal is so distinctive and nostalgic!! Not their best album though, nothing really stands out.
I'm not sure I'd ever listened to this in full! But it was a good listen, a lot more optimistic than their second album right? I enjoyed listening to it but I don't think the XX is my bag completely, doesn't always put you in a good mood but definitely apt on certain occasions
I do like this album and it's definitely got that XX style but it feels like the structure has become much more generic and sounds similar to a lot of other stuff. The vocals and lyrics are definitely them but feels like they lost a bit of what made the XX so original and good in places.
The first album I've gotten that I truly disliked. Very boring and basic
Fairly forgettable, like the music in a nightclub in some third rate soap. Almost entirely devoid of emotion, even the vocalists seem bored and uninvolved. I'm really not sure why this is on the list - someone trying to seem "hip" & "modern"?
Not my genre. Like a relaxed version of club music? Again, feels like car music, background sound for that environment.
'I Dare You' and 'Say Something Loving' caught my ear, but the rest felt hit or miss. A (high!) 2/5 for me.
Yeah not bad, not normally my thing but I liked it. Favourite was that one I'd already heard, though; Dangerous
really good album
didnt expect to be that good. loved that kinda sweet trip touch and pop/electric genre. 9.5/10
Love me some XX. 5 stars.
Their debut album is so good and it will be so hard for them to make anyhting else as good. It's a very difficult task. I don't think they lost the fight here on this album, but it lacks something. Not very mystic, nor mysterious. They try go in this direction, but I personally think they should make some slight changes in their style.
I don't get why the music of the 2010s is being represented by a random lounge pop album.
Really enjoyable. I’ve listened to some of The XX before, but didn’t realize how mellow their other songs were. 7/10.
The xx are pretty good. I have no idea why this album was deemed more culturally significant than their previous albums that really defined them.
8/10. Pleasantly surprised by a solid 2010s pick. I didn't realize "On Hold" had a good album to back it up, and in fact I liked some of the other songs a fair bit more.
They’ve certainly honed in on their target sound. 6/10
It wasn’t my thing. It just sounded like pretty generic pop music
Very enjoyable. It sounds very different to their classic debut album, but not in a bad way. They're able to still sound like the same band but explore some more upbeat songs and ideas
A very okay pop album. I felt mild satisfaction during it.
the xx at their best. Best track: I Dare You
Surprisingly good!
Imagine Dragons but without drums
Didn’t really find this interesting some vaguely pleasant stuff tho
Never really gave this band a fair shake and while I did enjoy parts of this I found it a little one-note and drawn out.
No mereix estar a la llista. Un treball correcte, però la banda ja mostrava signes de cansament i la fórmula s'esgotava. És el seu primer disc el que té posició d'honor com a disc 'mus' a escoltar. Un clàssic absolut, original i diferent
It feels like a blander version of their first album. Some of the beats are nice, but everything that was pop about the original feels like it's gone.
Meh
Ehhh
Solid album. I've never heard of this band before yesterday. The two vocalists do an excellent job.
The xx. This is bound to be good with such a well-thought-out name as "the xx". Not! ha ha! It'll be indie of course, probably UK. Yep nailed it now fuck off pls. Bog indie I couldn't bring myself to care about. Two singers but they both have the same vocal range, durrrr. 2/5.
I feel like this fails to have the same impact on me as the original xx album.