Essential new albums

The xx: Coexist
The shy and introspective London trio have no one’s shoes to fill but their own after winning a Mercury Award for their self-titled debut album. Initial excited rumours suggested Coexist might take a clubbier form – which would chime with beat-maker Jamie Smith’s remix and DJing interests – but when the band showcased new material in a short run of very intimate gigs last May, there was a notable lack of quaking bass and not a single piano-house refrain to be heard. The xx are still prowling about in the darkly arty and elegantly sparse hinterlands of post-dubstep guitar pop, while experimenting with melodic complexity in their distinctively moody way. Frankly, we’re restless with anticipation.
Sharon O’Connell. Out now.