Originally published for the newspaper – The University of Toronto’s Independent Newspaper. Republished and appended with the editor’s permission.
I See You (2017) is the first album from British electronic band The xx since Coexist (2012). But it’s not as if we haven’t had new material from members of the band since then. Jamie xx released a solo album, In Colour (2015), which featured fellow bandmate Romy and Oliver Sim. 2017’s I See You draws more inspiration from Jamie xx’s solo work than the band’s previous two albums, shifting away from their signature dark, minimalist sound towards a more modern indie-pop, danceable sound. It isn’t a complete departure from their previous works as the moody vocals that are their signature sound are still featured throughout the record. Rather, it is a natural evolution that works for the most part and makes the album a strong entry in the band’s discography.
The most prominent differences between I See You and the band’s previous works are the more diverse instrumentation and the production, which features sampling by Jamie xx. There are violins on the song “Performance,” horns on “Dangerous,” vocal samples on “On Hold” and “Say Something Loving.” Songs like “On Hold,” “I Dare You,” and “Dangerous” are more upbeat and danceable than most of the band’s discography. The middle of the album, with songs such as “Performance,” and “Replica,” are more akin to their early minimalist works. In one of their best songs, “On Hold,” Jamie xx finds a voice through a sample from Hall & Oates. The song is followed by “I Dare You,” one of the most traditionally indie pop songs from the band.
The final song on the album, “Test Me” is more complex than the simple instrumentation of piano and drone-like synths. Romy sings about her friendship with bandmate Oliver saying, “Just take it out on me, it’s easier than saying what you mean. Test me, see if I break.” In interviews, Romy discusses how the band’s long friendships since high school have been strained since the release of Coexist, due in part to Oliver’s struggles with alcohol. It is this tension that plays out throughout the album and makes the album as great as it is. The xx have come out with the first great album of 2017.
