The XX - A Violent Noise

Music 4 years ago

The XX - A Violent Noise

The xx named their third album after a line from the Velvet Underground’s “I’ll Be Your Mirror”: “Please put down your hands/’Cause I see you.

Throughout the record, the London trio take that edict seriously, recasting their precocious bedroom indie pop into something newly ascendant, rhythmic, and exhilarating.

I See You addresses the band’s personal demons: alcoholism, the deaths of loved ones, disconnection from one another.

It sounds like a lot to tackle for a group known for their great command of subtlety, but these topics led to a creative revitalization—not only in their forthright lyrics, but also in a more upbeat sonic palette that includes bold uses of familiar samples and dynamic brass.