The xx is a 2005 English indie rock band from Wandsworth, London. Romy Madley Croft (guitar, vocals), Oliver Sim (bass guitar, vocals), Jamie Smith, also known as Jamie xx (beats, MPC, record production), and formerly Baria Qureshi make up the band. (keyboard, guitar). They are noted for their distinct and minimalist sound, which combines indie rock, indie electronic, indie pop, dream pop, and electro-rock, as well as Croft and Sim’s dual singer configuration. Soft, echoed guitar, powerful bass, light electronic rhythms, and ambient soundscape backdrops are used in their songs.
In August 2009, the band released its debut album, xx, with producer Rodaidh McDonald. The album was a financial and critical triumph, reaching number three on the UK Albums Chart, topping The Guardian’s and NME’s best of the year lists, and earning the Mercury Prize in 2010. Qureshi departed the group after their debut, and their second album, Coexist, was released on September 5, 2012, to good reviews, peaking at number one in the UK and number five on the Billboard 200.
