By Raushan Melton
Arts Editor
Typically overlooked as a monotonous indie-pop band, The xx proves to be more intricate with their newest album release, “I See You”.
An ambitious collection, “I See You” expands beyond the band’s minimalistic sound with raw, introspective lyrics and refreshing new tones.
The xx is a London based indie pop group formed in 2005 and originally consisted of guitarist Romy Croft, drummer Jamie xx, bassist Oliver Sim, and former guitarist Baria Qureshi who left the group in 2009. The band’s first debut album, “xx”, released in 2009 and achieved universal acclaim.
In 2013, after about a year of working in collaboration with director Baz Luhrmann on the soundtrack for his film adaptation of “The Great Gatsby”, the group announced their third studio album, “I See You” which released on January 13, 2017.
Photos: The xx’s newest album was released on January 13th after a long hiatus.
“I See You” immediately kicks off the album with a new style in the track “Dangerous”, where thicker vocals and a harder tempo are featured. A heavier bass line is also frequent, which was an accent missing within the band’s first two previous albums.
Just a few tracks later, “Lips” proves that the the band can entice with strong emotion. Duoing vocals mixed with a repetitive sample woven in the background create a complex emotional core to the song. Both male and female vocals have a passionate energy rooted within the lyrics as well, creating true harmony in the song and the album as a whole.
Read Spin.com’s praise on The xx’s newest album, “I See You”
The xx has always rendered a depressing tone, but the track “Performance” amplifies a chilling raw sentiment with Croft’s lone voice and soft guitars. This song creates a dynamic body for The xx, showing listeners that though the song may be a bit more introspective compared to others, they can still experiment with a new sound not previously met. Croft also displays her talent with gentle pauses and tangible feelings throughout the song.
“Replica” continues to display the group’s new sound with vibrant instruments and a more radio-pop feel. The lyrics ‘And as if I tried to, I turned out just like you” coincide with Oliver Sim’s bassline, strumming towards something more poignant than typical of the band, as the song is about resisting the repetition of their parent’s mistakes.
The album begins to lose some of it’s intriguing aspects with the song “Brave”, where Croft’s vocals call out her being bolder in actions with an oddly matched guitar riff. Though the lyrics are more dramatic than normal, the random drum beats sounds a bit out of place symphonically compared to the rest of the album.
“On Hold”, the album’s first released single, continued to showcase Croft and Sim’s impressive and syncing vocals. The use of the Hall and Oates “I Can’t Go” sample surprisingly blends with other synths that emphasize the lyrics throughout the song. The normally shy band now seems to expose truer emotions in the light, with honest lyrics of “the stars and the charts and the cards make sense, only when we want them to”.
The track, “I Dare You” creates a colorful palette with a smooth guitar and steady rhythm. Once again, The xx doesn’t stick to what they are comfortable with, which is normally hushed speaking and tension-filled silent gaps. “I Dare You” instead consists of bold commands from Croft and a stronger backbone from the band overall musically.
Check out Pitchfork’s review on “I See You”
“I See You” expands the band beyond its normal calling, and expresses a deeper emotional connection between the group and its audience. With fluctuating instruments and a techno inspired sound, The xx displays their impressive ability to articulate an experimental new style.
“I See You” is available to stream on Spotify or Apple Music, or can be purchased online and in stores for $12.99.
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