The Xx

London band The xx makes hazy, woozy, moody pop music that toggles between the likes of Young Marble Giants and Hot Chip. Intimate and homey, the group’s sound plays close-miked vocals against furtive hooks made with guitars, keyboards, and seemingly whatever happens to be lying around. The xx’s self-titled 2009 debut garnered overwhelmingly good reviews, ended up on numerous best-of-the-year lists and won the Mercury Music Prize —a surprisingly loud fuss made over such a quiet whisper of a band.

Updated 09/15/2010