A South London trio whose spare, intimate sound explores connection and distance.
For a quick sense of their sound, start with 'Islands' from that first record. 'Shelter' and 'Night Time' also frame their mood well.
Their 2009 debut album 'xx' introduced a sound that felt both personal and strangely universal, with songs like 'Islands' setting a template of quiet tension. Tracks such as 'On Hold' and 'Fiction' from later records show how they evolved while keeping that core sense of space and restraint. Their willingness to engage with political questions, like canceling a 2015 concert in Israel, adds another layer to their story.
The XX formed in South London in the late 2000s as a trio of friends who had known each other since their early teens. They released albums in 2009, 2012, and 2017, with songs like 'Basic Space' and 'Heart Skipped a Beat' marking shifts in their atmospheric production. They've continued to work together intermittently, maintaining their distinctive mood without repeating themselves.
Keep it compact: a lyric you come back to, a live memory, or the part of the catalog you would point someone toward first.
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