Album Review: The xx - Coexist

The xx
Coexist
Rating: Grrrr

The xx sort of appeared out of nowhere back in 2009; their debut album almost fully formed and perfect, filling a void that we never knew existed. Bridging the gap between UK bass music, minimal post-punk guitar bands, and Aaliyah-esque cyber soul, The xx, though not wholly original in its sound, still felt like you were listening to something exotic and new. It was such an intimate record, full of hushed vocals, alienating silences, drifting guitar lines, and intricate, yet subtle beats from producer Jamie xx. After several years of touring behind the record, and with Jamie xx becoming one of the most sought after young producers, The xx were challenged to follow up one of the most heralded debut albums of all time. The question is though, where do they go with their at once distinctive sound? Based on Jamie xx's recent production work and singles, I imagined the album would be a more beat heavy affair. Oddly, the first listen Coexist the main thing you notice is the lack of beats. If possible, The xx have gotten even more minimal than on their debut; guitars are starker, vocals more hushed, the beats are few and when they are present they are not as insistent as before. It is a but off-putting at first as you keep expecting the record to take off at some point, but it remains curiously low-key and even flowed throughout. But there is a pull here that keeps you coming back to the record. There are snippets of lyrics that are so haunting and so real, you cannot ignore them, the haunting trails of guitar washing over you, and the beautiful interplay between the vocals of guitarist Romy Madley Croft and bassist Oliver Sim.

The songs on Coexist are still dealing with relationships; mostly concerning themselves with issues of intimacy, love lost, heartbreak, and the loneliness of the aftermath. It has a sad air to it, but is never depressing; more wistful and knowing. First track and lead single "Angels" details the minute details in the mind of someone almost trying to convince themselves they are in love.



In "Try" the focus is on the failure of a relationship, both sides incriminating the other; "Now it's dead and gone/You say what you would have done/You would've been there, I wish you'd been there/I needed you there."



A gorgeous Burial-like two step beat braces the haunting tale of former lovers that no longer even acknowledge each other on "Sunset." The narrator lamenting "I felt like you really knew me/Now it feels like you see through me."



On album standout "Unfold," The xx take minimal to a whole new level. Under achingly austere guitar lines, Sim and Croft's vocals intertwine together in a sad tale of a love unrequited, "out of sight out of mind/it doesn't mean you're not mind/the feeling goes on and on and on." While in "Reunion," a couple ruminates over their failed relationship, "if I wait too long I lose you from my sight/maybe tonight I could stop dreaming/and start believing in forever and ever and ever again."



But within all the melancholy there are brief moments that remind us why we all go through the pain and heartache to find love. In "Swept Away" the lovers are all consumed with each other, "I'm soothed by you/You take it all away/Surrendered at the start of it,"



and closing track "Our Song" is a lovely, shimmering ballad with the gorgeous lines "There is no one else/That knows me/The way you do/All I've done you've done."

There are already a lot of complaints about Coexist, that it is too similar to The xx but yet not the same, that there are not enough faster, beat-driven tracks, or that The xx do little to really expand on their sound. I think all of those claims are valid to a certain extent, but at the same time overlook the fact that no one really was going to be completely satisfied by any new material. I think The xx did what they wanted to, which was make the record that appealed to them. Yes, it is quieter and more intimate, but this is very subtle music that you have to invest time in. I think Coexist is one of those records that will end up standing by itself in the long run, as it is too well written and produced to be ignored.

Rating Scale:

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and piques one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.