The xx

There’s something undoubtedly mythical and romantic about a group of teens growing up together, self-producing a debut album, headlining a world tour, and gradually generating a buzz earning them a Mercury Prize roughly a year after the album’s release. And when you’ve known someone since you were a toddler, as members Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim have, and experienced this sudden explosion onto a global stage, you’ve undoubtedly established an intimacy that simply isn’t possible in most ordinary friendships, or in most bands for that matter. Listening to The xx’s music, it’s this intimacy that resonates out at you. Musically, there are no elements missing, nothing extraneous. The instrumentation phases in and out, highlighting the vocals of male/female vocals. Each track plays out like two lovers whispering to each other in some dark, secluded corner of a crowded club. Back on tour with one of the year’s most highly anticipated releases, Coexist, we are invited once again to eavesdrop on this communion, certain to be a moving performance. ERIC HANSEN