This post is mostly for those of you who have been living under a rock for the past seven-odd months. If you do not have this album, GET IT NOW. Seriously, it’s by far my favorite album of 2009. The New Yorker says it best: The xx are “as intimate as pop gets” and the songs on this album are meant “to be sung inches from someone’s ear, preferably with the lights off.” It’s the sheer intimacy and simplicity in production that makes this record so, well, sexy. It’s just the soft wistful voices, minimalist melodies, bare-bones beats and you, entwined together in the dark space of your mind. Every song is a masterpiece in and of itself, including “Intro” (DO NOT SKIP). This record is meant to be listened to beginning to end, shuffle turned off (I usually shuffle everything, but some things are in specific order for a reason), with a pair of really good headphones and your full attention. Enjoy!