The xx have been considered a goto staple for British indie electronica since their self-titled debut back in 2009. With their newest release I See You, the London three-piece have shown a new, more rounded and mature side to their sound, all nicely wrapped up in one ten track package. I See You takes the best parts of both of the band’s previous albums and incorporates these aspects to create an entirely new dynamic that is both exciting, yet still contains the familiarity of The xx that so many have come to love.

We are introduced to the album with the pumping bassline of ‘Dangerous’. As vocalist Oliver Sim’s husky tones begin to fill the track and backing harmonies from Romy Madley Croft layer up, the song quickly turns into a catchy yet coercive number that will certainly get heads bopping along, a great reintroduction to the band. Romy and Oliver’s vocals are a perfect match to each other and whilst neither are particularly ‘big’ voices, the level of intricacy and synchronisation the two have is unparalleled and really sets The xx out from most other bands. Second track ‘Say Something Loving’ only continues the incredibly tight vocals but incorporates an entirely different vibe to the initial number. An introduction which is reminiscent of psychedelic bands such as Tame Impala soon transforms into an astonishingly atmospheric sound, this track is a perfect demonstration of the level of complexity within every The xx song. The subtle yet unmistakable layering of instrumentation is ever present and makes for a track that, with each listen, leaves you discovering entirely new aspects to the song you hadn’t noticed before.

The xx’s sound is certainly a unique one, however with the electronica genre arguably being one of the most over-saturated fields of music, it is always hard to remain fresh. As such, there are just one or two tracks which I feel do fall into the more generic styles of electronica and act as little fillers. Similarly, these numbers do have a sense of predictability through standard structures which leave little to the imagination and leaves me wanting just a little more ‘umph’.

Nonetheless, the majority of tracks on this album do bring an immense sound which I have not seen executed so stunningly in a while. The majority of the album does feature some clever usage of instruments, each one sending the songs in an entirely different direction than expected. However, without a doubt, ‘Performance’ is the best example of The xx’s talents and makes for the highlight of the entire release. The number brings a perfect balance of delicacy, vulnerability and far darker undertones which makes for one of the most beautiful tracks I’ve come across in a while. Romy’s vocals are phenomenal and generate a sense of disparity and agony which is incredibly moving; when accompanied by the lonely, distant, backing guitar riff the track produces some extremely vivid imagery, which borders on the cinematic. The almost fearful, trembling tones in Romy’s voice resonate with each lyric and leaves listeners clinging to every single word she sings. Everything about this track is what I wanted the album to be, its unique and simple nature makes for an intensely emotional listen. Tracks like this need no fancy showmanship to support them, they are exquisite in their own right.

In fact, ’Performance’ can be seen as acting as a kind of benchmark for another track on the album. ‘Brave For You’ seems to cleverly flip the same style of imagery created in ‘Performance’ into an entirely new, almost optimistic light. The backing drums, empty bass solo and an echoing, hollow lead guitar are all immensely powerful and give the track a refreshingly new dynamic that we haven't seen the album achieve yet.

Overall, I See You is an incredibly solid album and has done The xx justice. There is a really nice sense of variety throughout the entire album, which allow for no two tracks to really feel the same. Numbers such as ‘On Hold’ bring not only usage of the remarkable teamwork from Oliver and Romy, but add intricate and unique electronic buildups which makes for a really nice and unexpected listen. Every harmony is executed brilliantly and the final sound feels holistic and satisfying from start to finish. I See You has made it is clear that, with bands such as The xx, simplicity is the key to making an incredible track and it clear that The xx have learnt this and played it to their advantage. The stress on empty atmospheric tones within ’Test Me’, and of course ‘Performance’, are where this album comes into its prime. The balance in usage of both vocal styles has also been used remarkably well; whilst Oliver’s coarser vocals do suit the tracks and bring a lot of depth with each use, I do feel that Romy’s more fragile tones in her solos really hit home and have become a defining feature of the band.

I See You certainly is a great album that can be throughly enjoyed from start to finish and looking at the direction The xx’s sound is heading, there is certainly a lot of room for further experimentation which I am intrigued to see just what these Londoners can come up with next.
Ben Walker

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