The xx reunite after nearly a five-year respite with an album that feels as crafted as a wooden masterpiece.
After their 2nd album, Coexist, was met with mixed reviews back in 2012, rumors began to spread of the bands eventual break-up. It was sad to think that we’d never get new music from The xx again, and for a time it seemed like that was true. Without sad, low voices to listen to, who would I go to wallow in sorrow to after a high school break-up?
However, 2015 rolled around and with it came Jaime xx’s 2nd solo LP, In Colour. The record was met with much praise because it showcased Jaime xx’s mastery over his production. Each track’s beat was crafted to perfection with unconventional sounds, and emotional tugs of the ear. As the Rolling Stone’s put it:
“What Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock” was to the hippie era, Jamie xx’s solo debut is to British club culture: a wistful valentine conjuring a more innocent time… because the head chef of the xx shoots for moods, not rote styles — which is why he’s among pop’s greatest producers.”
A new hope was born, and the prospect of an eventual third album became certain. Once I See You, was released in January of 2017, one thing was made clear: this was Jaime’s album.
With their first album being a mix of string beats and soft voices, and their second album being just a continuation of the latter, but with a more somber tone, this third album stood out from the crowd. Tracks like Say Something Loving and On Hold left me breathless with amazing club beats and lyrics that just made me want to hold back the tears.
The album is not entirely new. Lips and Performance are call backs to their old sound and much appreciated, as their placed between the more upbeat tracks.
I See You is 10 songs that feel like an emotional rollercoaster, one that begins at the height of romance with Dangerous, and ends on an eerie, almost disturbing note with Test Me. It’s an album that tells a story, which is why it deserves to be listened to in its intended order.
Make sure to give this a listen, even if you’re not a fan of sad music, I See You is one exciting piece of art. Catch me crying at the club listening to this.
words_jorge chabo.
Jorge Chabo is a sophomore majoring in Economics BA. He’s from Miami, heavily into politics, and enjoys going to the movies.