“They say we’re in danger/But I disagree,” coos The xx’s Oliver Sim on “Dangerous,” the opening cut on the trio’s startling third album, I See You. The declaration feels at home within the song’s instrumentals, a thumping bassline and synthesized horns adding to the song’s triumphant defiance.
But the sentiment is unexpected from The xx, made up of bassist Sim, guitarist and vocalist Romy Madley Croft and drummer/producer Jamie xx (real name Jamie Smith). The band’s self-titled debut LP and its lackluster sophomore effort, Coexist, thrived on understatement, a reflection of the group’s quiet, goth-like demeanor. Even when Croft declared her love on Coexist’s “Angels,” the song’s emotions seemed fragile, almost wary of exposure.
On I See You, the band comes out of its shell. Bolstered by a more expansive sonic palette from Smith (still making waves after the release of his solo project, In Colour), The xx have found a new confidence and just a tiny bit of swagger. Its sound is still hushed, but more lively, and the melodic and instrumental interplay between them has never felt more exhilarating.
The album is the most accessible of their career, a result of the group opening themselves up to their audience and each other. Recent profiles paint a portrait of a band reinvigorated after faltering and nearly falling apart. The trio splintered after 2012, unsure of their direction following the release of Coexist (an album that, while decently reviewed, felt like a distinct disappointment). Croft and Sim’s appearances on In Colour, three years later, was the first glimpse of the three working together since.
They reunited for I See You, a result of the band opening up to each other and to new musical possibilities. Sampling plays a prominent role, with cycled audio clips frequently adding to Sim’s or Croft’s live instrumentals. Smith has become a master producer, and he brings some of his newfound sonic expansiveness to tracks like lead single “On Hold.” As Sim and Croft trade notes on a failing relationship, the beat convulses and breathes, crescendoing into a fast tempo punctuated by a Hall & Oates sample. It is more experimental and electronic than most of the band’s previous material, but its fearlessness is its defining attribute.
The production lends itself to The xx’s trademark emotional intimacy. “Violent Noise” echoes robotic dance textures, creating an unnerving, pulsing vacuum. Croft reaches delivers the album’s vocal apex on the heartbreaking “Performance.” “When you saw me leaving/Did you think I had a place to go?” she asks in hushed tones, in an open admission of insecurity. “I’ll put on a performance/So you won’t see my heart break.” Smith incorporates strings into the arrangement, pushing the song upward before giving way to the broken quiet of Croft’s voice.
The record gradually shifts, placing a lens squarely on the members of the band and their relationships. On “Replica,” the band pledges their love for one another. “I’ll be your mirror,” Croft cries, reaffirming the band’s friendship and honesty. This is where the album is at its most powerful, inviting the listener to experience the band as people first and musicians second.
For all of their past insecurity, I See You represents a remarkable transition for The xx. Beaten down by doubts, they have emerged triumphant, with the bravery to be themselves. “I’ll take it out on you,” Croft and Sim declare during the album’s closer, “Test Me.” The moment is one of catharsis: the trio is more open with each other, and their audience, than they’ve ever been.
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