The XX
BIOGRAPHY –
Contrary to popular belief, combining certain seemingly disparate genres of music is easy. For example, if you mix punk and pop, you get pop-punk. But what happens when you mix, say, The Cure, and Rhianna? Well, you get The XX.
Hailing from London, The XX go all the way back to nursery school, where dual vocalists Romy Madley Croft (Lead Guitar) and Oliver Sim (Bass) first met. The quartet is completed by Baria Qureshi (Keyboard/Guitar) and Jamie Smith (Beats /MPC sampler), who came into the picture whilst the four studied GCSE music.
The Band’s first single proper, ’Crystalised’, was released in May, and demonstrates the delicate yet penetrating sound The XX produce, which combines the dark and brooding with the upbeat sounds you hear in R’n’B.
This mixture of styles, dubbed ‘mystery pop’ by the BBC, provides a unique sound that the band can readily apply to covers as well as their own material. This week sees the release of latest single ‘Basic Space’ ahead of the release of the band’s debut album The XX on August 17th.
The coming months will also see the band play the Reading and Leeds festivals, tour New York, support new favourites Florence And The Machine, and play their first ever headline shows in London. It’s a busy period, but one that will hopefully afford them the ‘household name’ status they deserve.
LINKS
FORTHCOMING TOUR DATES
7 Aug 2009 Mercury Lounge w/ Free Energy New York, NY
8 Aug 2009 Bruar Falls BBQ Brooklyn, NY
10 Aug 2009 Monkey Town Brooklyn, NY
12 Aug 2009 Pianos New York, NY
13 Aug 2009 Music Hall w/ Friendly Fires Brooklyn, NY
14 Aug 2009 South St Seaport New York, NY
17 Aug 2009 Hoxton Hall (First London Headline Shows) London
18 Aug 2009 Hoxton Hall (First London Headline Shows) London
29 Aug 2009 Leeds Festival Leeds
30 Aug 2009 Reading Festival Reading
17 Sep 2009 O2 Academy w/ Florence and The Machine Bristol
18 Sep 2009 O2 Academy w/ Florence and The Machine Bournemouth
20 Sep 2009 O2 Academy w/ Florence and The Machine Birmingham
21 Sep 2009 O2 Academy w/ Florence and The Machine Leeds
22 Sep 2009 ABC w/ Florence and The Machine Glasgow
24 Sep 2009 O2 Academy w/ Florence and The Machine Newcastle
25 Sep 2009 O2 Academy w/ Florence and The Machine Manchester
27 Sep 2009 Shepherds Bush Empire w/ Florence and The Machine London
28 Sep 2009 Shepherds Bush Empire w/ Florence and The Machine London
29 Sep 2009 Shepherds Bush Empire w/ Florence and The Machine London
1 Oct 2009 Cooler Bristol
2 Oct 2009 Jericho Tavern Oxford
3 Oct 2009 Cluny Newcastle
4 Oct 2009 Deaf Institute Manchester
5 Oct 2009 Captain’s Rest Glasgow
6 Oct 2009 Korova Liverpool
7 Oct 2009 Bodega Nottingham
13 Oct 2009 Lido Berlin
14 Oct 2009 Gruner Jager Hamburg
15 Oct 2009 Luxor Cologne
16 Oct 2009 59-1 Munich
VIDEOS:
'CRYSTALISED':