Overview of The xx - Crystalised
This Song Exploder episode features The xx reflecting on how “Crystalised” was written, shaped, and recorded. The band traces the song back to their childhood friendships, their early DIY approach to making music, and the limitations that ultimately helped define the band’s sparse, intimate sound. They also discuss how the song’s lyrics and arrangement reflect themes of emotional distance, intimacy, and compromise.
How The xx Came Together
- Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim, and Jamie xx knew each other from a very young age.
- Oliver and Romy met in nursery school.
- Jamie joined them later at school, and the three gravitated toward one another through shared tastes and a sense of similar “strangeness.”
- Their musical bond developed through:
- skating together
- discovering artists like Portishead, Mazzy Star, and The Cure
- experimenting separately with their own music before collaborating
The Early Sound of the Band
- The xx did not start as a fully formed live band.
- At first, each member was making music privately, and songwriting came together slowly through exchanging lyrics and ideas.
- Their early live setup was shaped by limitations:
- they played very quietly
- they initially relied on basic electronic drum patterns
- Jamie later joined live using an MPC, which became a major turning point
- Their minimalist approach was not just aesthetic — it was also practical:
- they wanted the songs to be performable live
- they needed an electronic rhythm section that felt organic and human
Writing “Crystalised”
- The song began when The xx had only a few songs and were playing short pub sets.
- The earliest version was apparently just Romy and Oliver on two acoustic guitars, captured in a roundabout way using a photo booth video/audio trick.
- The lyrics were built like a patchwork, with each member reacting to and building on the other’s lines rather than writing in a traditional shared session.
- A key lyric inspiration came from something Romy’s mother had read about ashes being compressed into diamonds:
- “You’ve applied the pressure / To help me crystallize”
Recording and Production
- The band initially worked with outside producers, including Diplo, but nothing quite fit.
- They felt those versions often added someone else’s sonic identity rather than preserving the band’s own sound.
- Eventually, Jamie xx produced the song, which helped keep it sounding like The xx.
- The recording process emphasized:
- using the live arrangement as the foundation
- layering guitars, bass, and electronic percussion
- creating “rumble drums” — tumbling, textured beats designed to feel live
- Many of the song’s sounds were carefully sampled or recreated to preserve a tactile, homemade feel.
What the Song Means to Them
- The band sees “Crystalised” as a song about:
- emotional push and pull
- avoidant vs. anxious attachment
- attraction mixed with fear of closeness
- The repeated “go slow” refrain is framed as a compromise:
- one person wants distance
- the other moves in
- the song resolves in a mutual request to slow down
- Romy and Oliver note that the lyrics were intentionally open-ended:
- not tied to a specific time, place, or gender
- meant to feel broadly relatable
Notable Insights
- The xx’s sound grew directly from limitations, naivety, and simplicity.
- Their close friendship shaped the way they sang:
- often in a way that feels like two voices reaching toward each other
- They were surprised to hear how much of the vocal performance was actually recorded simultaneously, with bleed from each other’s mics.
- Revisiting the stems and old sessions gave them a nostalgic appreciation for their early creative instincts.
Key Takeaways
- “Crystalised” was built from friendship, restraint, and emotional ambiguity.
- The song’s sparse sound is the result of both artistic intent and practical constraints.
- Jamie’s MPC-based production and the band’s minimalist arrangement became central to The xx’s identity.
- The song captures a relationship dynamic of hesitation, intimacy, and compromise — summed up in the closing plea: “go slow.”