Two letters. Xx. Collegiettes, I’m not talking about Dos Equis. Fortunately, this is something that is both much stronger and sweeter. The xx is a three-member band consisting of Romy Madly Croft (female vocals, lead guitarist), Oliver Sim (male vocals, bass guitarist), and Jamie Smith (beats, MPC samplers), also known as Jamie xx. In this case, good things do indeed come in three.
In 2005, the musically talented but teenage quartet formed the band, The xx, having first met in high school in London, Britain. Initially, the band consisted of four members but Baria Quresta (second guitarist, keyboardist) left the band in early 2009 due to personal differences, leaving the band as a trio. In the same year, The xx released their debut album, xx, which received phenomenal universal acclaim by music critics. The xx have declared a shared love for dark, emotive 80s guitar sounds and American R&B, elements of which has been noticeably integrated into the inception of their own style of music. Musical influences on The xx include but are not limited to Young Marble Giants, The Cure, Pixies, Aaliyah, and Interpol. When asked to describe their sound in an interview at the SXSW festival, Jamie Smith replied, “We generalize, and people can make up their own mind. We usually just say pop”, a statement that holds true to the spirit of their genre. While the melodies of The xx have been widely categorized as indie pop, it has also fallen under alternative/rock, electronic, and post-punk. Although novel, the xx album does not fall anything short of epic minimalism. The album was recorded in a small garage, often at night, which is exactly what the album is: night music.
The delicate, ambient sound of xx takes the listener on a soulful walk in the moonlight, and very closely straddles the border between the real world and dream life. The sweet melancholy tunes revolve around a thoughtful aura, in which the complementing duet of vocals is finely paralleled with basic instrumentals. The tracks outline the elusive interaction between the two vocalists. At times, they seem to almost finish each other’s sentences while at other times reciting their own confessional monologues. Put all together, it seems almost as if the whispery song is picking up the pieces of itself on the way, unraveling its intentions to its listener through subtle, velvety beats. The intimate, sleek nature of The xx exudes a sensual-fixated clarity without ever actually directly confronting its captivated audience. This atmospheric night music is perfect for the typical collegiette who is studying into the late, lonely hours of the night or possibly even morning. Whether it’s for your upcoming death week of final exams or for your next unfortunate 5000-word paper, The xx is perfect for a light and calming soundtrack to your personal documentary of college study sessions.
“But this—this is music for a night out of control; a night spent traveling on a train or Greyhound bus, unable to fall asleep, unable to change the course of where you’re going.” – Michael Skinnider, No Ripcord Music
Collegiettes Really Should Be Currently Playing Playlist:
- Intro- The xx (n.e.o. Remix)
- VCR- The xx (Matthew Dear Remix)
- Crystalised- The xx (The Neon Lights Remix)
- Islands- The xx
- Heart Skipped A Beat- The xx
- Fantasy- The xx
- Shelter- The xx (Death To The Throne Remix)
- Basic Space- The xx
- Infinity- The xx (Flufftronix Remix)
- Nighttime- The xx
- Stars- The xx
- You’ve Got The Love- Florence + the Machine (The xx remix)
Sources:
http://music.aol.com/artist/the-xx/biography
http://www.metacritic.com/music/xx/critic-reviews
http://www.absoluteradio.co.uk/artists/The-XX/biography/
http://www.spinner.com/2010/03/09/sxsw-2010-the-xx/