Introduce Yourself To The xx

The xx’s eponymous debut is fast maturing into a serious contender for album of the year. Understated, simple, incredible lyrical arrangements and boundless originality for an album released in the MGMT and Lady Gaga “stick a synth on it” era; and yet I have only mentioned the young London band once before, in passing. So if you’ve never heard of the xx before, if you’ve been ignoring the incessant hype or if you just haven’t been effectively persuaded to pick up the album, introduce yourself to the album’s imaginatively (yet accurately) titled introduction, “Intro”. Any track that is named after its position on the album is not instantly promising, but “Intro” is two minutes of ambient bliss; a real aural masterpiece that stands out even in a record full of them.

Whilst you’re at it, if you live anywhere near Liverpool, clear your schedule for next Tuesday. Why? Liverpool’s best club night, Evol, is putting on the best band to visit the city in many many months, The xx, in the best venue Liverpool has to offer, Korova, for only a fiver! Buy your ticket quickly because the rest of their tour has sold out. Grab one here.