It’s abnormal to create an original sound in today’s landscape. Genres ape other genres, with rising musical movements hailed as revolutionary when they are simply poor stepchildren of previous inventions. Dubstep is a ripoff of breakbeat, which is a ripoff of 80′s old school hip-hop, which is a ripoff of ’70s funk.
All of which is a ripoff of James Brown.
Nothing is fresh, but at times there are surprises which propel bands into realms of ingenuity – where you ask who the band is after first listen and never have to ask again. M83 is one of those bands, Sigur Ros too. And with the release of Coexist, The xx must be added to that list.
The duo of Oliver Sim and Romy Madley-Croft have developed an identity pure and lasting, and Coexist proves their dynamic breakthrough XX was no fluke. The xx is electronic church music – gentle and stalwart, it offers a firm meditation while staying true to its message. Call it pew rock, the latest opiate to the masses.
Opening track “Angels” affirms this divine definition, a meditative guitar echoes amidst isolated treble drum splashes while Madley-Croft sings of a deep and powerful love. “And with words unspoken/A silent devotion/I know you know what I mean” she coos, unaccompanied by Sim’s response which characterized the band’s first album. It’s keenly personal and stunning despite its sedate nature.
“Chained” brings Sim’s silky tones into the fold as the vocal interplay with Madley-Croft returns against a soundscape which harkens the band’s debut. The song doesn’t stretch, but it doesn’t have to – this is territory the band knows and excels in – and had the album continued on this path, Coexist would remain a worthy effort. But the band decided to push and experiment, moving it into a higher field of merit.
The unexpected steel drum undercurrent of “Reunion”, the acid house beat of “Sunset”, the searing strings of “Tides” – the band chooses to adorn it’s lush backgrounds in varied and inventive ways. But this only heightens the lyrical back-and-forth between Sim and Madley-Croft, which is nothing short of magic. The album-ending “Our Song” says it best, as the pair sing: “All I have, I will give to you/ And at times when no one wants to/ I will give you me/ And we’ll be/ Us/ And there’s no one else.”
There is no one else, that is for damn sure. No doubt there will be another soon enough, but it will never be nearly as good as the original.
