Tower of Sleep

The XX - islands

Finally got my hands on this and it’s pretty exciting. Everybody who’s heard it is already frothing for obvious reasons. For a band this young to be so polished (the album is self-produced! and what production!), with such a cohesive aesthetic and subtle synthesis of commercial appeal, recherche influences, and powerful, emotional songwriting is nearly unheard-of. Romy Madley Croft has a Voice easily comparably to Beth Gibbons or Martina Topley-Bird. Who would have thought a wet-behind-the-ears rock quartet would so convincingly ressurrect trip-hop by combining post-dubstep gloom, r&b sensuality, and the minimalist post-punk intimacy of Young Marble Giants?

This band could be the new Portishead. I expect that a lot of people are going to be having sex to this album.