One More Time with the XX

About two years ago I was dragged by a few friends to a show at Central Park’s Rumsey Playfield.  Although we did not have tickets, hundred of people came out that hot summer night, placed a blanket on the park's lawn outside of the stages gates and awaited for the show to begin.  I was clueless as to who the band was; but, was nonetheless intrigued by how many young people were out there that night.  The crowd inside the stadium began to applaud and the sound of the first few bass notes began to play.  I later discovered these were the notes to “Intro,” the first song off of the first XX album.  From that moment on, I was hooked.

After much anticipation from their Sandy-delayed show 2 months ago, the XX finally returned to the States last Thursday night to put on their first New York performance after the release of their new album, Coexist.  The XX was formed in London in 2008, consisting of lead vocalist and bassist Oliver Sim, lead vocalist and guitarist Romy Madley Croft, and producer/remixer Jamie XX.  Each have innovated the music industry by setting their own musical styles with a unique fusion of synthetics and live instruments which produces powerful, alien-like effect.  Their unique make-up includes a combination of guitar notes, new wave inspired reverberation, and rich R&B vocals and lyrics. Jamie XX tweaks and refines the band’s beautifully crafted songs.

Their performance included songs from both albums; their 2009 album entitled simply “XX,” and their recently debuted 2012 album “Coexist.”  Jamie XX even threw in some hits of his own, including “Far Nearer,” and his newly remixed version of the XX’s “Sunset” off of his recent mixtape.  The crowd sang along to familiar songs such as their recent hit “Angels” and their classic “Islands.” The XX ended the show with “Infinity,” a song from their first album, which was the point of the show when the stage lifted the curtains to their famous “X” logo shining in the background of their stage.  Although I believe ending the show with Jamie XX’s rendition of Gil Scott-Heron’s “New York Is Killing Me” would have completed my musical fantasy, the XX proved to me once again that their music is utterly contemporary and undeniably timeless.