Read & Listen

the xx – xx
[Young Turks, 2009]

This is the type of music that I’m ready to call perfect from the first listen. Pop, but without glucose overload. The lyrics are mostly about sex, love and youthful moments of joy. The xx stay somewhere in-between twee, indie pop and mainstream pop. The debut album of 20-year-olds from Southern London is somewhat of grey shades, but not merging with the background.

Guitars sound like raindrops outside the window. Lightness of songs, instrumental laconic build also provides for the beauty. But the best thing that xx give is vocals. Romy Madley Croft and Olivesr Sim sound like twins – very similar and in line, complementing each other. This is the music of the times when R&B is already a tradition that gives rise to new branches and substyles.

It’s very hard to describe where exactly the magic is. It’s probably their distancing and lack of selfishness. Everything about xx is very calm, without any desire to attract mass attention. A tranquil, soft music, stories told within a sofa – when the flow of time slows down, and you fall out of your usual rhythm and into a parallel reality. Please teach me gently how to breathe – can be about sex or about anything else. It’s totally your choice. The music, once again, lacks selfishness, flows into your mood.

The xx - Basic Space

Read & Listen:
The xx on last.fm
The xx on Myspace
The xx - Crystalised mp3