R.I.P America. What better way to celebrate the end of days by talking about some music? The XX is a London based, electronic music group featuring lead singers Romy, and Oliver Sims as well as Jamie XX who released a solo project back in 2015 titled “In Colour” which was easily my favorite Electronic album of that year. Jamie XX produces the bulk of the instrumentals for this group and given that I loved “In Colour” so much, I was eager to give this record a shot. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of thinking this album would be similar to “In Colour” which it is not. In researching this group, I learned that this group tends to go for more minimalist instrumentals and make the vocals the star of the show. Which is fine if the singers are talented and have anything worth talking about. So the question is, does this album have anything to say and are the singers talented?

Thematically this album does have a lot to say, and it will capture your attention if you go in with open ears. This is an album dealing with the concept of loss. The most consistent topic I found is that of a break up. However, I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a break up album. But it does deal with love lost, not only for another person, but for themselves as well. And the feelings you’re left with when someone you love has left you. They take this concept into an interesting direction on the song “Brave for You.” A song written by Romy in memory of her two deceased parents. She not only captures the heartbreak of losing someone so close to her, but also captures how much strength and courage it takes to move on and be brave for them, because she knows that is what they would want her to do. It’s certainly one of the top tracks on this album, and it’s one of the things that keeps this record from just being a run of the mill break up album. The song “Say Something Loving” talks about how they have forgotten the feeling of being loved having been on their own for so long, and are now just seeking affirmation for the sake of feeling loved. I think this song is one of the more relatable tracks that they have on here, because I think all of us have felt like they have not only forgotten how to love, but how to be loved. And taking that even further, how to love yourself. Lyrically this whole album is quite dense and each listen gives the listener something new to think about, and in that I think the replay value for this album is very high, if you go into it with a more analytical ear.

I did find a lot to enjoy in the instrumentals as well. While I do wish they varied a little more musically, I thought Jamie XX came through with some beautifully bright, and lush beats that wash over this album like a cool mist on a summers day. A perfect example is the song “Replica” which maybe my favorite instrumental on this project. The way it builds on itself into the chorus is simultaneously laid back, but tension filled. It’s apparent a lot of care, and attention to detail went into this instrumental, and it’s also apparent throughout the rest of the record. This album also is more musically full than XX’s previous material. This is less minimalist than usual and I think that was for the better. They hit a sweet spot here for just how far out they can reach while still being reserved and pulled back.

Unfortunately, I feel like if they had better singers then some of these tracks could have really been home runs. Unfortunately, the singing talent does hold this album back ever so slightly. If you're going to be minimalist with the instrumentals then it's left up to the singers to carry the album. Unfortunately neither one of them is strong enough. They do their jobs fine as they are passable singers, but the don't elevate the album. At times it feels like the singers are trying to sound sensual and sexy but neither one of them is particularly convincing in doing so. And neither one of them really has that strong of a singing voice. I’m fairly confident in saying that the dynamics of their voice never goes above Mezzo Piano. And that makes it feel one dimensional. If this had just been an electronic album with minimal vocals, or an electronic album with mainly guest vocals, this might be a better album. The singing is definitely the biggest problem with this album, but it isn’t so big where it hurts my enjoyment of this record.

Overall, I liked this album, I would even say I loved this album. The lyrics are well thought out, there is a consistent theme that presents itself in different and sometimes unexpected forms. If you’re one of those people with super analytical minds who likes to dig deep into songs for meanings and messages, then this album will certainly give you something to sink your teeth into. The instrumentals, while I don’t like them quite as much as I enjoyed them on his solo album, Jamie XX certainly comes through with some lovely, ambient sounding beats. The instrumentation does stagnate at a point to where it almost starts to feel redundant, but the attention to detail is still apparent throughout and it still works well for this project. I know I dogged on the singers a little bit, maybe a little more than I intended. They aren’t bad singers by any stretch, it’s just that they are average and the singing is pretty flat-lined for most of this album. At the end of the day, I do really like this album enough where I can overlook the flaws I just mentioned, so I’m going to give it a very strong 8/10 and a solid recommendation. I would also advise you to look up Jamie XX’s solo album “In Colour.” If you want to hear his music at its absolute best, that is it. So “I See You,” have you listened to it? What did you think about it? Whatever you thought comment below let me know. And as always have a great day and I will see you next week.