At first, Coexist comes across as a continuation of The xx’s self titled debut; undoubtedly the two albums bear many similarities. However, the brilliance of this sophomore release lies as much in distinctions as it does in the propagation of a trademark sound.
The band has taken its minimalism a step further on this album, to the point that silence in itself bears as much significance in the body of a song as any instrument possibly could. As a result, every note and every lyric carries more weight every time they cut through the hush.
As RomeyMadley Croft and Oliver Sim perfect the art of vocals intertwining, Jamie Smith (now known better as Jamie xx) ups the ante in production value, and also as the backbone of this group. Madley Croft and Sim seem to croon their love songs to one another, while Jamie xx proves to be one of the most talented third wheels in modern day music. The influences he brings in are varied, predominantly influenced by the UK’s electronic music scene – itself a creature of many moods. Rest assured, what’s taken from each respective form is the most chilled out representation, complementing songs like Chained, Sunset, and Swept Away.
There are moments where The xx will take the contradiction between an upbeat sound and their own brand of melancholia to deliver something captivating. As an example, take the use of steel drums on Reunion, an oddly fitting backdrop to words of longing, “maybe tonight, I could stop dreaming, and start believing in forever, and ever and ever and ever again”.
Thematically, longing and heartbreak are common threads between the two albums. Even as Madley Croft sings solo on Angels about love attained, this opening track is a mirage. While the delivery is quintessentially xx, the tone bears an optimism that is set aside the moment she utters “love, love, love” in the final verse.
However, this song does give you an insight into another element of Coexist. Simple lyrics, painting pictures that might seem mundane if not for the emotions that The xx attach to them. In lyrics, as in their approach to music, the band shuns the superfluous in favour of delivering sentiments with simplicity, minimalism affording greater weight for what’s actually there.
In contrast to the opening number, Chained brings in the complexities that will then prove consistent throughout. Overlapping duets, beats somewhere between house music and drum and bass, synthesized sounds, effects laden guitar, and it wouldn’t be an xx album without a heavy dose of the echo and reverb. Furthermore, the skill with which Madley Croft uses guitar effects has been compared by a number of critics to U2’s The Edge, a comparison I for one agree with.
Coexist is a moodier album than the one that preceded it, and it is also a testament to the number of ways in which The xx have matured. Because they’ve been in the music scene for some years now, it’s easy to forget how young the individual members of The xx are. For now they are content to refine the musical identity they pioneered on their first album, and in doing so have created something quite wonderful. Moving forward though, the trio will have to tap into their ability to be innovative, and original. They have enormous potential, and fans like myself are unlikely to be content with another album that doesn’t significantly broaden the band’s horizons.
For now, though, this album is a great piece of music to enjoy until they wow us with something new.
Grade: A-
By: Asad Khawaja
Asad Khawaja is the host of B-Side News and Moonlight Mile, airing Tuesday evenings and Thursday nights respectively.
He can be found on Twitter: @asadmkh
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