The xx

When I think about The xx, I think about when the wave of backlash will arrive.

When I listen to The xx, those thoughts fade.

Take the song "Heart Skipped a Beat," one of the many stellar tracks on their self-titled debut. Title: stale, boy/girl duet: sentimental, build to the end: predictable. Yet, the song is much more than the some of the parts, driven mainly by the spare basslines (Oliver Sim is one of very few restrained bassists) and disinterested vocals give this ambient/R&B/Post-Punk group a unique sound.

Pitchfork has already anointed the xx; they could be 2009's biggest surprise.

mp3 The xx- Heart Skips a Beat

mp3 The xx- Crystallized