The xx - xx

The xx - xx (2009)

Genre: Indie Pop, Dream Pop, Indie Rock

With a minimalist approach to what is essentially indie rock, The xx's debut album was a sleeper hit that took many by surprise. As a reminder, I do not intend for this to be a really in-depth and complex review. I'm just sharing my quick personal thoughts on the album. As for any album review I do, I try to be objective without letting any personal bias get too much in the way of the final grade. 

I'm shocked, honestly. How did this happen? Normally, an album that is as sonically stripped down as this one would constitute music that puts me to sleep, but The xx make it work. Minimal guitar work, funky beats, and prominent bass riffs that are simple, but effective. Truly, there isn't a whole lot going on here, instrumentation wise. Yet, this is a record that somehow caught my attention all throughout. It's hypnotic in a way. 

Part of this stems from Oliver and Romy's vocal chemistry found on many tracks. There's something so soothing and beautiful happening on Infinity as Oliver sings, "Give it up...," while Romy responds with such a smooth delivery, "I can't give it up..." It's funny because Oliver isn't even a very expressive singer. He seems to have this almost monotone-like voice pretty consistently, but it happens to work against the subtle instrumentation. This group seems to know what they were doing with their sound though, as the album opens with a track titled Intro, which is purely instrumental, showcasing the soft and minimalist approach that awaits listeners.

The song that seems to have the most fleshed out composition is Islands, which was actually the track that introduced me to this group, and it's pure bliss. Certainly the highlight of the album. There's honestly not much else to say here. The lack of grander music ideas here prevent me from delving much more into it. That said, this is an album that makes up for it's lack of fleshed out sounds with its superb execution of simple, catchy hooks and sultry vocal deliveries. And overall, it's just a super relaxing album to put on for a nice morning mood.

A-

Favorite Tracks: VCR, Crystalised, Islands, Heart Skipped a Beat, Basic Space, Infinity

Least Favorite Track: Fantasy