ALBUM REVIEW: The xx - 'I See You'

The xx make their grand return with I See You, and it’s a far greater return than you might expect.

I See You is the third album by Mercury Prize-winning The xx, the band you know and love. Or, rather, the band you thought you knew. And another surprise: we’re not strictly talking about just the music.

Given Jamie xx went off on his own electronica escapade with In Colour and returned with much fanfare, all whilst taking bandmates Romy and Oliver Sim for the ride (both featured on the album), it came as little surprise that I See You’s lead single ‘On Hold’ had the band shimmying towards the dancefloor. Further to this, the beat-led banger is fairly illustrative of the album as a whole, more on which later. But this deviation in musical direction towards near-disco represents something possibly even bigger than the music itself.

So, Jamie xx was making his own in the quasi-dance scene, Romy dragged herself to L.A. to spend some time with the likes of OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder to at least consider the art of writing a hit, all whilst Oliver stuck about at home. Geography and busy schedules have a habit of testing even the strongest of friendships, the three school mates adding to this trend to the point of breakage. Perhaps The xx of old - The xx which recorded second album Coexist in a room in the deepest, darkest of Angel so small they couldn’t not pierce into each other and themselves - might have struggled. And yet, the trio gave gloom and doom the finger and jaunted off to the likes of New York and Reykjavik to get on and show the distance that had grown between them what’s what. And boy, did they come out better for it.

There is a vibe, an attitude, an energy to this LP one simply couldn’t believe the band were previously capable of even contemplating, never mind bringing into practice. The chorus of second single Say Something Loving is as close to a pop belter as the band have been. Album opener Dangerous begins proceedings with what might very well be blasts of victory horns before Oliver supplies a bassline that shows a couple of genres how to truly groove. The warehouse synths of A Violent Noise rave as much as they spellbind.

Though this isn’t to say the hallmarks of what make their output so damn heart wrenching, intricate, unique - those that made us fall in love all those years ago - have been forgotten. Romy surely gets as tender as a human is capable of on Performance as she asks “Will you forget I was there?”, having only the trademark plucks of her guitar for company, sounding as lonely as the song’s subject evidently made her feel.

It is telling the album finishes with Test Me. Romy cries of her bandmate and friend Oliver’s social difficulties and anxieties, exclaiming “Just take it out on me, it’s easier than saying what you mean”. At certain points there is only a war-like horn for background. The xx have been to battle with each other, with themselves, with their very being of music, and have come out victorious. I See You is their victory parade.

8/10

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Published on: Raw Meat

ALBUM REVIEW: The xx - 'I See You'

The xx make their grand return with I See You, and it’s a far greater return than you might expect.

I See You is the third album by Mercury Prize-winning The xx, the band you know and love. Or, rather, the band you thought you knew. And another surprise: we’re not strictly talking about just the music.

Given Jamie xx went off on his own electronica escapade with In Colour and returned with much fanfare, all whilst taking bandmates Romy and Oliver Sim for the ride (both featured on the album), it came as little surprise that I See You’s lead single ‘On Hold’ had the band shimmying towards the dancefloor. Further to this, the beat-led banger is fairly illustrative of the album as a whole, more on which later. But this deviation in musical direction towards near-disco represents something possibly even bigger than the music itself.

So, Jamie xx was making his own in the quasi-dance scene, Romy dragged herself to L.A. to spend some time with the likes of OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder to at least consider the art of writing a hit, all whilst Oliver stuck about at home. Geography and busy schedules have a habit of testing even the strongest of friendships, the three school mates adding to this trend to the point of breakage. Perhaps The xx of old - The xx which recorded second album Coexist in a room in the deepest, darkest of Angel so small they couldn’t not pierce into each other and themselves - might have struggled. And yet, the trio gave gloom and doom the finger and jaunted off to the likes of New York and Reykjavik to get on and show the distance that had grown between them what’s what. And boy, did they come out better for it.

There is a vibe, an attitude, an energy to this LP one simply couldn’t believe the band were previously capable of even contemplating, never mind bringing into practice. The chorus of second single Say Something Loving is as close to a pop belter as the band have been. Album opener Dangerous begins proceedings with what might very well be blasts of victory horns before Oliver supplies a bassline that shows a couple of genres how to truly groove. The warehouse synths of A Violent Noise rave as much as they spellbind.

Though this isn’t to say the hallmarks of what make their output so damn heart wrenching, intricate, unique - those that made us fall in love all those years ago - have been forgotten. Romy surely gets as tender as a human is capable of on Performance as she asks “Will you forget I was there?”, having only the trademark plucks of her guitar for company, sounding as lonely as the song’s subject evidently made her feel.

It is telling the album finishes with Test Me. Romy cries of her bandmate and friend Oliver’s social difficulties and anxieties, exclaiming “Just take it out on me, it’s easier than saying what you mean”. At certain points there is only a war-like horn for background. The xx have been to battle with each other, with themselves, with their very being of music, and have come out victorious. I See You is their victory parade.

8/10

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Published on: Raw Meat