The xx - I See You

THE XX - I See You

Opening with a triumphant fanfare of horns and a bassline fit for the bedroom, this is not The xx you remember.

“You’ve had faith in me / So I won’t shy away” croon Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim on the danceworthy ‘Dangerous’, indicating their newfound confidence in a record that reiterates their turned leaf as often as possible. Just check the tracklist – ‘Brave For You’, ‘I Dare You’, ‘Test Me’; see the theme?

There’s plenty of vintage xx in there for fans, with Sim battling his introversion in the echo chamber of ‘A Violent Noise’ and Croft serenading your inner ache alongside delicate arpeggios in ‘Performance’. The bloom of Jamie xx’s production skills is as evident here as on In Colour, produced alongside I See You, and its influence is unmistakable.

The world’s most introverted rock band has taken an audacious step out of the shadows, and set foot on solid ground.

I See You is this year’s party album for staying at home, and after four years on hold, it’s what The xx needed as much as we did.

★★★★

The xx's I See You is out now via Young Turks/Remote Control.

Post originally appeared in The BRAG; available at http://thebrag.com/music/xx-i-see-you