Marking the end of a five year interval, Coexist having been released in 2012, The xx return with I See You. While the group had not been together for some time, member Jamie Smith, or Jamie xx, had been making huge waves.

His 2015 album, titled In Colour, featured hypnotizing snares and smooth, beachy, beats; the standout being a single featuring Young Thug and Popcaan.

Prior to that, Jamie had released an album in partnership with the legendary Gil-Scott Heron, his signature raspy voice singing newer renditions of his older material in addition to brand new music.

The xx collective marked their return on the 10th of this past November, with their ethereally atmospheric single “On Hold,” featuring many of the similar hypnotizing snares and audio-cuts found in Jamie’s In Colour.

The single’s lyrics center around an estranged relationship, in which vocalist Oliver Sim describes his belief that he had his significant other “On Hold,” alluding to his belief that he and the subject of the lyrics were meant to be together.

Romy Madley Croft’s angelic vocals compliment Sim’s gloomy, deep vocals, the song turning out to be a beautiful exchange of back and forth laments.

This single revives the quieter, more mellow side of The xx fans are accustomed to from previous albums.

Say Something Loving, the album’s more uplifting and rhythmic single, employs a rapid paced acoustic rhythm, in which Sim and Croft sing in harmony.

After the introduction to the song, Sim and Croft exchange verses back and forth; and then come back together at the chorus. The lyrics center around a sense of unfamiliarity combined with love for a person, and the constant desire from one end for the other person to reciprocate such love.

The melodic acoustics fading into the background are reminiscent of many indie or alternative ballads of today, permitting a cloudy ambience. Nearing the end of the song, Croft sings “before it slips away and don’t let it slip away as she fades out.”

The two singles allow The xx to broaden their horizons without losing touch from their signature mellow, electronic sound. In the past, The xx had made waves with their hit song “Intro,” the intro to their self-titled wLP.

The difference between these new singles and the single from their first LP is highly prevalent, and each member’s respective solo careers’ sounds are entered into the mix.

The xx has transformed into the product of three separate artists coming together. Rather than a flat unification of Smith, Sim, and Croft, each artist’s signature sound can be deduced from the two singles.

Recently, Sims has revealed to various entertainment outlets, such as Pitchfork, that he is struggling with alcohol addiction. As a result, the album could be interpreted as his outlet, or escape from such addiction; possibly giving the album a unique beauty.

Both Croft and Sim have come out as homosexual, but Croft has stated in the past that this will have nothing to do with her music. The trio make love ballads; and at its heart, love can be applied to virtually anything. The xx are not looking to stir controversy, but rather to contribute to art.

Both singles’ unique approach to pop and electronic-based mellow love ballads are a breath of fresh air, especially “Say Something Loving,” its consistently beautiful and ethereal pace.

I See You was released Jan. 13; “On Hold” and “Say Something Loving” being the only two singles that released beforehand.