Another amazing album from The xx is just what we needed during this cold, cold month… and if you’re fleeing the country for the Lunar New Year, these are also great tracks to add to your respective travel playlists.
The xx are an English band formed in 2005 in Wandsworth, London. The group released its debut album, xx, in August 2009. The album was a commercial and critical success and was ranked highly on many best of 2009 lists, including number one on the list compiled by The Guardian and second for NME.
Their second album, Coexist, was released on September 10, 2012. And the band’s third studio album, I See You, was just released last week on January 13, 2017.
“I See You” – Album cover art
The band members have cited several artists in their influences. Romy Croft said: “Jamie started out very much into soul and then from there moved into hip-hop and UK-based dance music. He brings some much lower frequencies of bass into the band. And then I’ve grown up listening to Siouxsie and the Banshees, and the Cure. We’re really quite a huge melting pot of different stuff.”
Croft also had mentioned her liking for Jimi Hendrix, The Slits, Joy Division, Yazoo, Eurythmics and New Order. The xx has also been inspired by Cocorosie, Electrelane, Cocteau Twins, Aaliyah, and The Kills. Oliver Sim in particular is an avid fan of Aaliyah, while Croft enjoys Mariah Carey’s music.
Here’s a video from their performance on Saturday Night Live of their debut single 《On Hold》 off the latest album, I See You:
https://v.qq.com/x/page/b0348prl9us.html
And here are the individual tracks, all available for streaming and downloading to your devices for free on the Chinese internet… Thank you China!