The xx recently released the first single from their sophomore album Coexist. “Angels” leaned heavily on singer Romy Madley-Croft’s sultry vocals. Oliver Sim and Jamie Smith added a bit of guitar and drums, but the song remained starkly bare.
The group’s newest song, “Chained,” has a fuller sound. Smith supplies a soft beat for Madley-Croft’s dark R&B duet with Sim. It clicks along with a humming bass, until it suddenly drops into silence. The abrupt end actually makes the song linger, beautifully echoing in your mind.
Coexist is out September 11 via Young Turks.
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