XX | XX | Vinyl

Produced largely by the band’s Jamie Smith, xx was recorded at XL Studios in West London between late 2008 and early 2009, built from spare guitar and bass interplay between Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim, set against skeletal drum-machine programming. Singles ‘Crystalised,’ ‘Basic Space,’ ‘Islands,’ and ‘VCR’ established the trio’s whisper-quiet, after-hours sound, which drew comparisons to R&B, post-punk, and dream pop alike. The album won the 2010 Mercury Prize and was named the best record of 2009 by The Guardian, later becoming a slow-building commercial success that had sold over 600,000 copies in the UK alone by 2019. Its stark black-and-white aesthetic and hushed dynamics proved hugely influential on the following decade of indie and R&B-inflected pop.

Track List

Side A

1. Intro
2. VCR
3. Crystalised
4. Islands
5. Heart Skipped a Beat
6. Hot Like Fire

Side B

1. Fantasy
2. Shelter
3. Basic Space
4. Infinity
5. Night Time
6. Stars

Release Details

• UPC: 0634904045012
• Label: YOUNG
• Format: LP Vinyl — Standard
• Genre: Dance
• Release Date: 10/6/2009