The xx, a band with roots in London, became pioneers in indie pop music with the release of their 2009 album xx and its follow up Coexist. Now, after more than four years since the group released a project together, I See You kicks off 2017 with perseverance and hope.
I See You marks a strong development in the trio’s once innovative sound. While their previous projects followed similar musical themes, this album goes beyond. With production that combined their trademark sound and new endeavors into more detailed layering and sampling, I See You holds a sense of nostalgia for the old records that doesn’t get in the way of the band’s progression.
After Jamie xx’s solo venture showcased production with dance and hip-hop themes, it was natural to come to the conclusion that the newest album from The xx would reflect those sounds.
I See You doesn’t hold back from pushing the group’s original sound. One of the most notable differences is the use of sampling on some tracks that add small touches of detail to an already complex album.
With countless extremely detailed layers, The xx are able to meander through endless soundscapes.The result is a beautiful mix of cosmic synths, cascading guitar riffs, booming percussion and chilling vocals that coalesce in a redefined sound for the ambitious indie popstars.
Opening up the new year, the lyrics throughout I See You capture the hope for happiness and change we feel once Earth completes another journey around the sun. Reflecting on the past is quickly contrasted by a desire to move on, whether from relationships or bad habits.
It’s as if the project was The xx’s way to jump back into the limelight by reassuring everyone that the world is a difficult place, but that things will work out in the end. On “Dangerous,” the first line of the entire album cries out, “They say, ‘we’re in danger’ / but I disagree / If proven wrong, shame on me / but you’ve had faith in me.” Bellowing horns soar above hard-hitting bass, ringing out through the speakers and making it nearly impossible to stay still from the second the record begins.
During the album’s progression, the tone soars to the cosmos with transcendent production that is only comprehensible alongside vocals that are grounded in the struggles of relationships and self-doubt that so many people face in their lives.
Throughout the album, the production grows in scope until it feels like the world is just a frame of something bigger. At times, the group makes it feel as though what happens in the world is insignificant. Only on tracks like “On Hold” and “Replica” do The xx take a slight detour to bring things down to a more human level in order to remind us that, while the world may seem insignificant at times, there is a beauty in being a part of it.
I See You offers us a chance to step back from our lives that are so often filled with worries. Its ambition and massive scope tells us that everything will eventually work out if we stay hopeful.
Grade: A-
