Ending a nearly eight-year album drought, The xx have confirmed their return to music, hinting that they are “back in the studio.” The announcement marks the acclaimed band’s latest musical effort since 2017’s ‘I See You’.
Taking to Instagram earlier last week, the London trio – comprised of Romy Madley Croft (guitar, vocals), Oliver Sim (bass guitar, vocals) and Jamie Smith, AKA Jamie xx (beats, MPC record production) – posted a slideshow of photos, revealing a recording setup amongst instruments, captioning: “Last week, in the studio.” It was first reported the group were working on their fourth album back in January 2024. Jamie xx later commented on the album recording process, in the lead-up to his since-released second solo album ‘In Waves’. “We’ve been in the studio again recently and it just feels like old times,” he mentioned, “It’s early days [but] we’re having a good time.”
The interview, which took place with MistaJam on Capital Dance’s evening show, also touched upon the influence that the group members’ respective solo projects would have on their new joint sound. “We’re further apart, I guess, and then when we get back into the studio it is a bit more of a challenge and we have bigger pools to draw from,” added Jamie xx. “I think it’s going to be difficult when we get a bit more into it, but ultimately that is going to make the record better.”
In 2022, the 36-year old beat maker returned with his first new music in two years, releasing ‘LET’S DO IT AGAIN’, followed by his second album, ‘In Waves’, last September. The record featured contributions from both Croft and Sim and was celebrated with a headline performance at London’s Alexandra Palace on September 26.
Smith’s solo projects is just one-third of the independent ventures of The xx – Romy Madley Croft released her debut album ‘Mid Air’ in 2023, which received widespread acclaim for its euphoric blend of club-ready beats and emotional lyricism. Her singles, including ‘Strong’ and ‘Enjoy Your Life’, have resonated with fans and critics alike. Meanwhile, Oliver Sim has also made a strong impression as a solo artist with his debut record ‘Hideous Bastard’ (2022), a deeply personal and critically acclaimed project that combines dark, cinematic pop with introspective storytelling.
Forming in 2005, The xx have been the face of British indie electronic for the past two decades. To date, the group have delivered three studio albums: their 2009 debut ‘xx’, which won the Mercury Music Prize, 2012’s ‘Coexist’, and their most recent release, ‘I See You’, which arrived in 2017.
Whilst the new announcement has, as of yet, no set release date, Jamie xx told Rolling Stone UK in regards to a 2025 album, that “it would be nice but I’m prone to very long stints of recording so we’ll see.”
