Coexist (LP)
The xx
Amoeba Review
The XX dig further into their shrouded corner of the universe with Coexist, an album that finds the trio even more assured in producing their minimalist, romantic sound. “Angels” opens the album breathtakingly as Romy Madley Croft’s vocal coaxes intensity with just a few simple refrains. Co-vocalist Oliver Sim pulls a similar trick on the yearning “Missing,” while “Chained” is one of the best examples yet of how Jamie Smith’s production meshes perfectly with Madley Croft and Sim’s simple yet divine vocal interplay and subtle guitarwork, its beats coming in offtime to break the spell at just the right time. Coexist works when its trio supports each other with the just the right amount effort, such as on “Reunion” and “Sunset,” in which Smith’s lush keyboards and muffled beatwork provides a perfect backdrop in which the vocalists can swim, or when Smith largely removes himself for the first half of the haunting “Tides” before coming in with his most pronounced beat of the album. At times it threatens to blow away in the wind, given its lightness of touch. But taking the view that there’s a time and place for most music, Coexist plants The XX firmly in nighttime music territory, and for such times — for sleep, romance, introspection — there’s nearly nothing better to suit the mood.
Track Listing
Side A Titles |
Artist |
Length |
---|---|---|
1.
Angels
|
The xx | 02:51 |
2.
Chained
|
The xx | 02:47 |
3.
Fiction
|
The xx | 02:56 |
4.
Try
|
The xx | 03:15 |
5.
Reunion
|
The xx | 03:57 |
6.
Sunset
|
The xx | 03:38 |
Side B Titles |
Artist |
Length |
---|---|---|
1.
Missing
|
The xx | 03:33 |
2.
Tides
|
The xx | 03:00 |
3.
Unfold
|
The xx | 03:02 |
4.
Swept Away
|
The xx | 04:59 |
5.
Our Song
|
The xx | 03:13 |