xx - 10 Years Of The 2000's Futurist Pop Masterpiece

            Looking at modern pop music there is a minimalist spike that runs through the vein of a genre that is still so commonly associated with shimmering synth leads and sugary sweet melody. But when we analyze the landscape of modern pop music in 2019 it tells us a different story. From the stark minimalist beat crafting of one of the summer's biggest hits, Billie Eilish's Bad Guy, to the dark, sensual and brooding nature brought on in the influx of increasingly lustful pop superstars the likes of Ariana Grande, Troye Sivan, Charli XCX and Kim Petras. The musical aesthetics and brash lyrical themes have a very clear trail that runs through pops 10 year romanticizing of Rap and R&B music the heartbeat of which was set in place by singer/guitarists Oliver and Romy and beat crafter extraordinaire Jamie xx.

10 years ago when a pop artist wanted to turn over a new leaf and release their edgiest material yet the blueprint was Brittney Spears' Toxic, an approach far more manufactured and maximal than recent turns on records like Katy Perry's Witness and Lady Gaga's Artpop. So what was the change? While a lot can be attributed to Drake and The Weeknd as the OVO camp did a lot to ingrain sensuality and instrumental minimalism into the worlds of hip hop and R&B the true pop song weavers put their talents together on 2009's xx.

Nothing takes me back to 2009 quite like the opening chords of Intro a two minute instrumental introduction track to a record, the kind of thing that normally gets forgotten as soon as the "real" songs come on, yet in this case the masterpiece has become the group's trademark tune. This is both a testament to the trios ability to write instrumental passages so catchy they serve as bait for a mainstream audience all on their own. This is where Jamie xx shines in his own element, delivering minimalist and spacey beats that allow Romy and Oliver to wear their feelings on their sleeve, all while simultaneously weaving instrumentals so catchy that nobody can resist them. The sound was groundbreaking and it's still so fresh even by today's standards of modern pop that follows so sharply in its influence.

Another element of xx that makes it so fantastic is the collaboration between the three members and how frequently they manage to shine collectively. There are so many moments that Jamie xx pioneers the sounds of pop music on tracks like the aforementioned Intro,  as well as Infinity and Hot Like Fire. On tracks like the single VCR as well as Night Time Romy bears emotional and captivating vocals over her steady guitar playing. Where on the other hand Oliver lends his slick basslines and intimate reserved vocals to some other excellent tracks like Fantasy and Stars.

But the ultimate achievement of xx is when its three maestros are operating so expertly together that they created timeless pop music blending together the worlds of R&B, electronica and even hints of spacey and ambient music, creating a sound that was all their own. On the brilliant Crystallized the group would predict the sonic shift of their third record I See You. The song features a chilling key lead instrumental where Romy and Oliver trade off some intimate and dynamic vocals that weave an abstract but strangely still tangible sensation. The tracks catharsis is a wordless chorus that features Romy and Oliver harmonizing beautifully over a guitar riff so simple yet catchy its no surprise people have been trying to rip it off for a decade.

While every song on this album is one capable of being dissected and picked apart to find what makes the album so excellent songs like Islands and Heart Skipped A Beat speak for themselves and their timelessness has lasted for a decade and will last for many more. The crowning achievement of Jamie, Oliver and Romy on xx is two parts. Firstly the album was so unique from the moment it dropped in August of 2009 and given how cutting edge the sound is it's no wonder that the second part of what makes it so worth remembering is that it is one of the most, if not the most influential pop record of the 2000's. So much of what we enjoy today has its roots traced back to the British trio that wasn't afraid to strip back their style to pop music's very core and transition it into a new world for the 2010's. Sounding just as excellent in 2019 as it did the moment it came out ten years ago The xx and their timeless debut album xx are more than worthy of being considered among the greatest albums of the 2000's and just as it was lauded in critical acclaim the band had established themselves as one of the most creative young voices in indie and pop music there is no reason to think that it won't one day have the legendary status of so many pioneering pop records before it, just be sure to get in on it as soon as possible.


Thanks For Reading!
Check out xx on Spotify is you've never heard it here.
Or read some of my other features from this year like The Best Records Of 2019 So Far, or my Top 10 XXXTENTACION Songs.