The xx - I see You

BY: Bobby Van Leer

The xx has always relied upon minimalism and quiet space to create impact in their songs. I See You, their third full length album, is the first to break away from this strategy, blending the catchy sample hooks found in Jaimie xx’s solo projects, and Romy and Oliver’s duet abilities to create a new sound that is bursting with brightness and fullness. Take “Say Something Loving” for example, which samples “Do You Feel It?” by the Alessi Brothers. Although the sample is brief, it is seamless and impactful, setting the foundation for the rest of the song even though it is used sparingly after the opening line. The rest of the song is a strong and bright duet between Romy and Oliver that showcases both of them perfectly. For the first time in all three albums, they both sound as if they are singing confidently in sync together. 
Another standout on the album is the song “Lips.” During the opening 30 seconds, it is hard to determine whether this is Fleet Foxes or Purity Ring as The xx try out hymnal-like harmonies combined with a high pitched staccato beat reminiscent of Purity Ring’s ”Fineshrine” and “Obedear.” However, what follows is some of the most passionate and beautiful writing on the album as Romy sings “My name on your lips, Your air in my lungs, Drowned in oxygen, Now you've set the scene, High on intimacy, Drawing me above.” The xx have always sung about love and intimacy, never holding back on lyrical content and often going deep into the physical and emotional feelings between two partners, and I See You does not deviate far from these themes. Another favorite from the album is “A Violent Noise.” It represents the perfect marriage of instrumentation and vocals. The guitar riffs are strong and rough around the edges, mimicking the tone of the lyrics and ultimately creating violent sounding chords that strike deep in the listener’s ear. 
As aforementioned, The xx has always tried to maintain a minimalistic sound that could easily be replicated on stage among the three core members. With I See You, they experiment with extra instrumentation, most notably the horns used on “Dangerous” and the extra synth layers and vocal samples on “On Hold” and “Say Something Loving.”  This experimentation has helped fill their sound tremendously  that goes beyond what just the three of them can accomplish by themselves on stage with a guitar, bass and drum pad. It helps propel The xx from falling victim to their own inherent sound, restricting them from growth, and allows them to create a broader appeal and listenability. For more, see my review of “On Hold” on my list of favorite songs from 2016.