In marketing, there is a highly prized target group called ‘early adopters’.
They are the trendsetters who act as bellwethers for products and services hoping to succeed. Although The xx’s audience goes far beyond this hipster-centric posse, the London trio’s appeal is still rooted within it. They are both progenitors of the pop minimalism that has come to define much of the past decade’s electro and stylish - if sulky - urbanites who eschew trashy collabs and commercial compromises while maintaining an inspiring level of popularity.
Their third album, ‘I See You’, is their best yet. Sonically diverse, emotionally raw and seamlessly groovy, it comes 18 months after musical director Jamie xx’s brilliant solo effort, ‘In Colour’, an album that acted as a compendium of British dance music styles and catapulted the producer from Pro Tools-innovator-in-chief to a kind of millennial EDM Bertrand Russell.
He has now reunited with Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim, and The xx’s sound is developing ambitiously. Tracks like Dangerous, A Violent Noise and On Hold demonstrate their distinctive dual vocal style with increased confidence and - crucially for this area of electronica - this time around songwriting and production appear to have equal billing, with Croft and Sim's guitar-led offerings reinstating their distinctive melancholic calmness.
Indeed, while vocal harmonies and humour still appear to remain anathema, their terse, patient approach to lyricism has been honed alongside larger melodies, channelling influences as diverse as David Lang, Hall & Oates, who are sampled on On Hold, and Darude.
Nonetheless, this album’s USP remains its production and arrangement. From rasping horns, airy synths and sample-led hooks, ‘I See You’ is a record of gorgeous sparseness that presents a best-in-class understanding of recording textures. One example of this comes on Say Something Loving, where tight, panned tom rolls offer elegantly strange rhythmic flourishes, thematically matching the duality at the heart of the album. Like many of the songs here, it is a track that effortlessly defies genre categorisation and one that should appeal equally to fans old and new - which is no small task.
You see, the challenge with “early adopters” is that their preference is often superficial and they quickly move on to the next big thing. This is why people who loved a band when they first launched are often markedly different from those who got involved at, say, the third album.
‘I See You’ does a fantastic job of maintaining the original sound while showcasing songs that have an increased musical articulation made for bigger venues. And yet the tone is exactly the same as the first two xx albums. If you like that tone, then this album's for you, if not, then there is no escape.
The XX Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Sat March 04 2017 - NOTTINGHAM Motorpoint Arena
Sun March 05 2017 - MANCHESTER O2 Apollo
Mon March 06 2017 - MANCHESTER O2 Apollo
Wed March 08 2017 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
Thu March 09 2017 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
Fri March 10 2017 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
Sat March 11 2017 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
Mon March 13 2017 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
Tue March 14 2017 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
Wed March 15 2017 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
Fri March 17 2017 - CARDIFF Motorpoint Arena Cardiff
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