The XX – XX

The xx's sound is as minimalist as their band name. Somewhere between Mazzy Star, The Cure and My Bloody Valentine, they style a sound that is as gritty as it is crystalline, the likes of which you haven't heard in a long time.

The quartet from London around singer Romy Madley Croft and guitarist Oliver Sim loves darkness, 80s guitar riffs and American R&B. Sounds a bit crude, but is one reason for the unique sound of The xx, which the "NME" immediately proclaimed the in-sound for London. The breathy vocals, the almost stark guitars and sparse samples are reminiscent of the dark dream pop of the eighties and yet sound excitingly new. 

AllMusic rating: