The xx
Coexist

I didn't know about this English indie band. And "Coexist" was (of the two) their first album that fell into my hands, although it is the most recent.
Their non-commercial nature is a good thing: there's nothing worse than a beautiful song "ruined" by its association with a segment from one of those trash TV talk shows that populate the Italian programming and that you catch by accident while channel surfing. When that happens, from that moment on, I associate that song with that particular segment and goodbye beauty, goodbye charm, goodbye everything.
So welcome to "The XX" and their little visibility to the vast audience.
They define themselves as a post-rock band: the instruments used are those of classic rock, but the way they are played, the combinations, the chords, and the tones are all "messed up" and more akin to other musical influences. The premise is more than good.
Let's begin.
The first song is "Angels": pure harmony, Romy Madley Croft's voice takes center stage, and it is enchanting. The instinct is to close your eyes and savor the melodic sound to the last note. Certainly the most beautiful of the album.
In "Chained," the desire to experiment a bit more is felt: rhythms chain together, initially giving almost a cacophony that unfolds slowly, then moves towards a captivating conclusion.
"Fiction," "Missing" have darker melodies, with almost jarring tones: an almost gothic style, I would dare say.
"Tides," perhaps the most experimental track, with a melodic start and a change of register that shifts towards pop sounds.
"Try," "Reunion," "Sunset," "Swept Away," and "Our Song" lose the verve that had distinguished the previous tracks, but they still remain very catchy, and there's no thought of skipping ahead: the songs on this CD allow themselves to be listened to until the last millisecond.
As with the first track, "Unfold" returns to the heartbreaking and hypnotic melody, but this time, Oliver Sim's voice prevails, and that's why it remains a welcome follow-up to the song that opens the CD.
In short, there is a desire to experiment, and these guys do it quite well, but they remain on the same level, they don't push further, they don't take risks, and this means that listening to the album, the last tracks seem a bit too similar to the first, giving the impression of a repetitiveness of the sound.
In conclusion, we are not facing an absolute masterpiece, but neither the latest album by Maeco Carta.
Surely, this "Coexist" is a good product that deserves listening; something new, something different.