The xx’s ‘xx’ record is one of the most accomplished debuts of the year. Beautiful, transcending, haunting melodies that belie the band’s young age. In fact, it’s the kinda album that spins you back to being 13-years-old, when kids still listened to full albums, on their bed, in the dark. Maybe gently sobbing. Sold out shows across Europe lead up to a trinity of live gigs at NYC’s CMJ late this month including the Music Hall of Williamsburg on 23rd October with fellow trippy savants, the badass Warpaint and School of Seven Bells. Amazing. Check the remixes from LA’s Bad Beat dude Them Jeans and Montreal’s turbo Lunice. Bangers.

Can you recommend...
... three new bands?
Trailer Trash Tracys, Mount Kimbie, JJ

... three old bands?
Orchestral Manouvers In The Dark, The Distillers, TLC

... a record label?
Italians Do It Better

... a website?
www.xx.info

... a film?
Lady From Shanghai

... a book?
Anything by Haruki Murakami

... something on YouTube?
Search for ‘Celine is Amazing’

... a radio show?
Jon Kennedy’s show on XFM, I used to listen to it religiously before I discovered the internet. It led me to discover so much new music.

... something to do on a day off?
Stay up late with missed friends the night before and sleep all day after.

... a song everyone should hear?
End With Goodnight, TS7 featuring Teresa.

Photo by Owen Richards