Many of you have probably heard of The xx, the moody, young London three-piece (formerly four-piece). But perhaps — like me — you ignored them. There’s a lot of music floating around and even if it’s your job (whoops), it’s damn tough to keep up with kids.
I finally gave The xx a thorough listen when they released a video for their single “Islands.” After hearing it, I realized that the media fuss (Pitchfork, NPR Music, NME, etc.) was well-deserved.
I’m a sucker for raw vocals, and guitarist Romy Madley Croft and bassist Jamie Oliver exploit my weakness with their breathy, tag-teamed vocals. Further winning me over are their minimalist instrumentation: clean guitar, prominent bass, and simple electronic drums courtesy of Jamie Smith. The xx allow plenty of space in their music. They seem to call upon listeners to hone in on even the single pluck of a bass note or guitar riff.
Check out videos for “Islands” and “Crystallized” from The xx’s 2009 debut, xx. And catch the band at Bonnaroo.
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Buy The xx’s album on Amazon.
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