The xx: s/t
Label: XL
This London quartet’s cool, quiet ditties exude DIY charm. Sometimes, with their quiet male/female vocal tandem, they seem to be reworking the dreamy end of the post-punk spectrum, as if Young Marble Giants had reunited and taken advantage of current electronic beats and equipment to augment their low-key guitar pop. At other times, the XX fit neatly but imaginatively into the current dance/indie-rock miscegenation with their clicking, stripped-down beats and brightly pulsating guitar patterns. A pure delight—and with the recent departure of a member (not to be replaced), we’re already anxious to see where their cool sound goes.
