The xx: 'Coexist' - Album review

When The xx arrived in 2009, they were, for want of a better phrase, a breath of fresh air. The awkwardly shy trio had concocted a sound that was genuinely new and transcended beyond their Mercury Prize to find success across the globe. If the three years since their debut are anything to go by - which saw Jamie put out a Gil Scott-Heron remix LP - a richer and, whisper it, dancier direction was where they were headed next.

The opposite couldn't be more the case for Coexist, which employs the same undeveloped formula as their debut. The clues are all there in lead single 'Angels' - a swirling, barely-there ballad about falling hard for someone whose beauty lies in its minimalism.

The unnervingly honest dialogue from Romy Madley-Croft and Oliver Sim continues, as before, throughout. When assisted by steel pans on 'Reunion', kick drums on 'Chained', propelling house piano on 'Swept Away' and swirling sirens in 'Try' (the latter including the gut-wrenching line: "And if we try once more, would you give me it all?"), the results remain stunning.

However, the prolonged effect often feels like they're moving in treacle. The stop-start instruments on 'Missing' and 'Unfold' quickly get tiresome and feel arty for the sake of it. That said, Coexist remains a touching and, at times, beautifully crafted record from a band apparently still in midst of finding their feet.

Tracks to download: 'Angels', 'Reunion', 'Swept Away', 'Try'
If you like this, you'll like: James Blake, Lykke Li, Jessie Ware

Watch the 'Angels' music video below: