XX

until i heard recently the fact that this band has been nominated for the Mercury Award Prize and upon hearing the mesmerising song islands on BBC Radio One i would never have heard of The XX, and my oh my that would have been an utter disappointment if i hadn't!There is a reason why this album has been thought of highly by critics, the public and ranked in pole position of many polls last year, this is a purely emotional driven pop record with some mesmerising synthy acoustics and indie style pop electronic music that really is setting itself apart from what is the mainstream. Instead it conveys many deep meaningful situations within each of the songs and due to this...each one is indeed a reflection of experimental pop music and British Music as a whole at it's very best!thankfully, The XX are now getting recognition by the public and the album has been certified Gold with sales in excess of 100,000 copies distributed across the UK. I am hoping that this band meets the same success as that of Florence & The Machine also did in 2009 as this is a band that are so very cutting edge and ultimately very bittersweet in their melodic turns it makes for an absolute MUST LISTEN!each song has a very gentle electronica style about it which moves the listener in with the rhythms of each tune and the lyrics come so very sharp and deep you can place yourselves in those situations conveyed in the lyrics.The songs are also very blissful in a variety of ways which makes it ideal for the relaxation of Summer and tht imagery of summer nightime with open skies and stars and ocean waves on coastlines are just created in my mind with each song that it really brings everything to life in your mind and...well...ears!there is a reason why this has garnered universal acclaim on Metacritic! this album is a genuine MUST hear it is just so pure and rich and brilliant words can literally not express all that i feel for this band and i wish them success in the future...and by darn i hop they win that Mercury Prize! MASTERPIECE HIT of 2010!

I heard XX for the first time on the Radio 1 live stage performance shown on the telly recently. They played 4 tracks from their first album X (2009)and 4 from their new album coexist (2012). Lots of xs around here. I really enjoyed that performance and as it was a new sound for me I thought I would buy. And for a fiver through amazon including delivery I thought I couldn't go wrong buying the CD rather than downloading a few tracks. Out of the 11 tracks, I'd say I now like 8 a lot which is pretty good for an album, it still gets a lot of playtime in my car and home. The CD cover is a booklet which has all the lyrics. The music itself is classed as indie whatever that means, but for me it is some great raw guitar and vocals together with percussion and drum sounds. It's not a complicated sound which I guess means it can be readily reproduced on stage which is always good. Yep I'm really enjoying this album.

This album is very different and very special. It is so pared back to the bare instruments that you'd almost wonder where the music is going to come from. But it grabs you almost straight away because it is absolutely gorgeous, and I've been unable to listen to much else for the past two weeks since getting it. The two singers (one female and one male) have real chemistry, I really think I can feel exactly the feelings they're expressing. It's a quiet, beautiful album, one for relaxing to or putting on when you actually want to listen to music and not do anything else. And the band are only 20! Just perfect.

This album is brilliant from start to finish , when you want to just put a record on and chill this is the perfect choice, if you want some you time away from everything that is going on in your life this record will take you on that journey

The Xx are direct descendants of a previous generation of dark, moody bands using heavy bass, stripped-down arrangements and whispered vocals. They are the polar opposite of similarly-troubled pop romantics Scouting For Girls. But, whereas the Scouts wear their hearts on their brightly-coloured sleeves, The Xx hide theirs under a thick, black velvet cloak. Young Marble Giants, Durutti Column and early Cure are obvious influences. But, The Xx do provide a unique take on this minimalist style. The girl/boy singing duo of Romy and Oliver greatly increase the range and variation of the songs and the lyrics are not quite as obscure as some of the songs from the earlier cited influential bands. This makes for an instantly accessible musical collection.Highlights are many. The beautifully crafted `Crystallized' is a hugely evocative description of the twisted tangle of emotions between two people who are in love but scared of destroying this love by trapping each other. 'If you love someone, set them free' is the summary, but the lyrics expand on this thought with great subtlety. The verse where both singers interplay to express their side of the relationship is the lyrical highlight of the album ... "Placid as I melt into the sea (Things have gotten closer to the sun), I wish the tide would take me over (And I've done things in small doses), I've been down onto my knees (So don't think that I'm pushing you away), And you just keep on getting closer (When you're the one that I've kept closest)".`Heart Skipped a Beat' describes the pain of a separation between two people who still *sometimes* need each other but realise that such an occasional desire is not enough to sustain the relationship. They want more - or at least one of them does ... "And I was struggling to get in, Left waiting outside your door, I was sure, You'd give me more." The song features a beautifully played harp (or mandolin) that cascades through the track. It evokes the romance that once flickered, but is now slowly disappearing.Other standout tracks are 'Night time' and 'Stars', but there are very few weak songs here and the whole album is so consistent that it can easily be played from beginning to end without having to skip any tracks. Hugely atmospheric and with just the right production gloss added to avoid detracting too much from the beautiful simplicity of the songs. Play this in a darkened room with the sound turned up very loud. But don't worry, you won't upset the neighbours - it's not that sort of album. It's time to enjoy being miserable, again!