It's been five long years since The xx's previous album, Coexist, was released, and, during that time, the three lifelong friends took a break from being a band. Jamie Smith dropped his GRAMMY-nominated dance record, In Colour, as Jamie xx, Romy Madley Croft stepped outside of her comfort zone and entered the world of pop songwriting, and Oliver Sim indulged and conquered a trying test with alcoholism. Each member of the trio grew in their own way and at their own pace, and it reflects in I See You, the band's most dynamic album to date. With their first two projects, The xx stormed the music scene with a deeply personal brand of soft-rock, reflective of the intimate way people were listening to music: alone, at night, and with headphones. It felt like Croft and Sim were whispering sweet confessions directly into our ears, sound-tracking the teenage experience with romantic lullabies. I See You, here, is a tale of growth. It is about accepting flaws and fighting insecurities. Longing is replaced by acceptance, and fear and self-doubt is replaced by fight. Lyrically, Croft and Sim have found salvation in looking more deeply inward, dissecting the shortcomings of their relationship with themselves and others, and, on the sonic front, Smith has matched this intense candor by pairing some of his most haunting and bare productions with upbeat and, dare we say fun ones on the same project. It all makes for a worthy listen, so catch the album streaming HERE.
The xx