It didn’t seem possible for The xx to become more minimalist, but they may have succeeded in doing just that on their sophomore album, “Coexist.” The vocals of Oliver Sim and Romy Madley Croft have not lost their smooth and dreamy qualities, but instead of each song packing its own unique punch as they did on “xx,” the songs run in a nearly unchanging stream, both lyrically and musically, the sounds melting together in an indiscernible mix. Still, “Coexist” retains the group’s soft–spoken signature sound that makes it an aural pleasure regardless. But The xx may have relied on this crutch a bit too much, forgoing the possibility of musical adventure for musical security.
3.5/5 Stars
