The xx Coexist
BY EMRE BERBEROĞLU (IR/III)
Release Date: September 10, 2012
Label: Young Turks/XL
Producer: Jamie xx
After releasing their self-titled debut album "xx" in 2009, The xx became one of the most important names in the indie music community. In 2010, the album's success brought The xx a Mercury Prize, and respected British music newspapers and magazines like NME and
The Guardian ranked their debut album as one of the best of 2009. After two long years of touring by the band, the huge success of "xx" led to the question, "Can The xx beat their first album?" In answer to that question, the Londoners released their second album, "Coexist," on September 10.
In "Coexist," you can still feel the intimacy between guitarist Romy Madley Croft and bassist Oliver Sim; however, the biggest difference on this album is Jamie xx. Everyone sees Romy and Oliver as the main members of The xx, but producer and beat maker Jamie actually leads the group most of the time. This time, they wanted their group to sail a different sea. Romy and Oliver chose to create their songs based on Jamie's club beats, and what a result this album is.
"Coexist" opens with the mesmerizing "Angels." While Romy sings and plays her electric guitar in a very simple way, Oliver and Jamie help her to express emotion by contributing some light bass lines and drums. The album continues with one of its best tracks, "Chained." This stunning song builds on Oliver Sim's voice and Jamie xx's Burial- and Four Tet-like beats. After a while Romy joins Oliver, and they do the thing they do best: a lovely duet. The only problem with "Chained" is that it's quite a short song. In fact, it's the shortest song on "Coexist," lasting only 2 minutes and 47 seconds. You want it to be a little longer because you just can't get enough of it.
Next we have "Fiction" and "Try." In my opinion, these songs are the only ones on this album that don't fit in. I've been listening to them over and over again, but they don't grow on me. Unfortunately, "Fiction" and "Try" only serve to make you lose interest in the album.
After those two disappointing songs, however, The xx show us what they really wanted to do with this album. "Reunion" and "Sunset" seem like two different songs but are connected to each other by Jamie xx's offbeat club beats. "Reunion" starts with his famous steel drums and continues with Oliver's hazy voice. In the middle of the song Oliver and Romy fall silent and Jamie enters with his brilliant beats once again. In "Reunion," we see how Oliver and Romy have matured lyrically. You feel like they're saying something that you wanted to but didn't know how.
With a flawless transition, we find ourselves in "Sunset." "Sunset" is probably my favorite track on "Coexist," because of the perfect bass line and splendid lyrics. "I always thought it was a shame/ That we have to play these games/ It felt like you really knew me/ Now it feels like you see through me."
The album then continues with "Tides" and "Swept Away." "Tides" starts with Oliver and Romy singing. After twenty seconds they both stop playing for one or two seconds, then Romy enters with an incredibly catchy guitar riff. "Swept Away" is the longest song on this album. When you first listen to it, you don't hear what The xx wanted to say with this song, but after a couple of listens, things get clearer. Again, Oliver and Jamie lead the way in this song, and just listening to it, you realize how much effort Jamie put into the album. The trio concludes their second album with an intense love song, "Reconsider."
The Bottom Line: In "Coexist," The xx wanted to do different things than they did in their first album. It was a bold choice to make, but I've never liked groups who repeat themselves, and The xx did a good job. Maybe they didn't reach the same level they did in "xx," but I don't think that was their goal when recording this amazing album.
Notable Tracks: "Angels"; "Chained"; "Reunion"; "Sunset"; "Tides"; "Swept Away"
Band's Website: http://thexx.info/
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