The 15 Best Remixes of The xx

UK band The xx first burst on to the music scene in 2009 with their self-titled debut album. Since then, the quartet has become a trio, they've releas

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Complex Original

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UK band The xx first burst on to the music scene in 2009 with their self-titled debut album. Since then, the quartet has become a trio, they've released their second album, Co-exist, and headlined some of the world's biggest festivals. The trio, lead by frontman Jamie xx, meshes post-rock, indie, electronica, and a futuristic take on pop into their own unique sonic soup. They tackle themes of love, loss, and tenderness as they create minimalist tracks, using negative space to illuminate the emotional intimacy of their music. The xx's music has also spawned a vast array of remixes. From big room house to future garage to deep house and back to experimental bass music, The xx have become one of the most remixed groups today; take a look back at the 15 best.

The xx - "Angels (Hucci Remix)"

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UK trapstar Hucci took "Angels" and added his own leaned out flavor. The down-low screwed vocals give this a different emotional side that we don't hear on the original. With the booming bass, melancholic overtones, this remix effectively crafts the only worthy trap remix so far.

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The xx - "Fiction (Funkagenda Bootleg Re-Edit)"

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English producer Funkagenda made this for his spot with Toolroom Records in Ibiza. We wish it was available for download because this version is a proper big room blast that'll surely fit during a peaktime set. The Alesso-esque melodies, the tender vocals, head-bobbing percussion, and increasing intensity show that while The xx make for great deep house remixes, they can also be flipped into great progressive tunes.

The xx - "Angels (Four Tet Remix)"

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Kieran Hebden first remixed The xx's "VCR," but it's his glistening yet provocative ambient take on "Angels" that's gripped us. Four Tet is routinely considered one of the most avant-garde artists in electronic music, as his music is generally intended for creative expression rather than destroying dancefloors. Four Tet's experimental tendencies fit perfectly with The xx's barebones approach to music. The two subtleties of these two styles beautifully compliment each other as you're taken on a slow brewing journey in this remix.

The xx - "Shelter (John Talabot's Feel It Too Remix)"

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Although the original was a heartstring tugger, Spaniard John Talabot took the iconic "Shelter" and turned it into a fleeting tropical number. Implementing driving hand percussion and what sounds like xylophones, Talabot's sun-soaked remix adds a different dimension to the originally intimate track. Talbot still uses the original's vocals to keep some of the source's flavor, and we think it's perfect for the upcoming summer vibes. Talabot's remix was officially released two-years-old via Young Turks, yet it still sounds current to us.

The xx - "Chained (Sasha Involv3r Remix) "

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A special remix for his Involv3r release, Sasha took "Chained" and put his own touch on it. The remix is not in any particular style that I can name, but it does have elements of techno, and deep house. Sasha gracefully adds his own pieces while still allowing the beauty of the original shine as the important, alluring element of the track.

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The xx - "Angels (Shadow Child Unofficial VIP)"

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A tickling bassline, techy rhythms, and the already beautiful vocals make Shadow Child's "Unofficial VIP" of "Angels" a winner. Shadow Child has remixed Hot Hot Natured, had releases on Claude VonStroke's esteemed Dirtybird Records, and his stock continues to rise. This remix is partly why with its bass; warm and deep yet fun and bouncy, Shadow Child's version is a taste of the new breed of "deep house" currently making waves on every house head hipster's iPhone.

The xx - "Sunset (Jamie xx Edit)"

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Although all three pieces of The xx are critical in their own way, frontman Jamie xx has the highest profile of the group. With his budding solo career as a DJ and remixer, Jamie has crafted his own repertoire of mixing moves and producing sensibilities. He has had numerous edits and remixes already, but his edit of "Sunset" is our favorite. The original already has a deep house style to it, with a pulsating 4x4 kickdrum, so Jamie does minimal changes except to make the production a little fatter on the low end and give the track a bigger feeling, mixing in reverbs.

The xx - "Night Time (Synkro Remix)"

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This futurisitic garage production is another fine entry into the vast array of The xx remixes. Perhaps the perfect after-hours or end-of-trip tune, Synkro delivers ethereal pads and looped harp strings over his silky smooth percussion. This remix is one of the few to take on "Night Time" and perhaps this is the only one we need. If you're new to garage sounds, this is the sort of tune that can open you up to a whole new world.

The xx - "Crystalised (Dark Sky Remix)"

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Dark Sky took the bonafide xx classic in "Crystalized" and turned it into an exceptional piece of it's own. UK garage, 2-step, breaks all have their influences here. Fans of the Disclosure-esque sound might find something they like here as they start to look towards the garage side of UK music.

The xx - "Basic Space (Lunice Remix)"

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"An official remix I made for them. Unfortunately it didn't make the cut in time but they still enjoyed it!"

Even if the Young Turks didn't ultimately choose this as an official cut, we still think this is one of the most creative remixes of The xx out there. With a distinctly purple, wonky, 8-bit sound, Lunice flipped "Basic Space" on its head and drenched it in his own special syrup. Like a few others on this list, you might not like it immediately, but give it an honest listen with the right sound system and you can hear the magic in this.

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The xx - "Crystalized (Jamie Jones' Booty Mix)"

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Though this remix is now three-years-old, the Hot Natured DJ Jamie Jones' version of "Crystalized" stands as one of the best. The funky number has a walking bassline that harkens back to the disco days of yesteryear. Complimented by the original's trademark boy/girl vocal tradeoffs, Jamie keeps the the guitar riff lead as the recognizeable pull point, while also adding his own psychedelic bumps and waves. At a sexy seven minutes, we're still listening to this one even now.

The xx - "Angels (Bodhi Remix)"

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This "groove bass" remix is one of the few of "Angels" we actually like. We know that The xx's sophomore album Co-exist wasn't everyone's favorite, but we still loved it. "Angels," the album's lead single, was remixed a lot, but few did a good job. Bodhi gives the rather melancholic tune a groovy spirit and a bass-lift to make this, one great remix.

The xx - "Infinity (Bachelors Of Science Remix)"

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San Francisco electronica and drum & bass DJs The Bachelors Of Science took "Infinity" and made an absolute beauty, taking the original's moody downtempo vibes and twisting it up into an atmospheric drum & bass tune. We know some of you still think drum & bass is just "fast dubstep," but if you really want to get a glimpse of the potential beauty of the genre, this remix is a fantastic place to start.

The xx - "Sunset (Jamie Jones Remix)"

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Jamie Jones previously remixed "Crystalized," but his most recent remix might just have bested it. A proper sound system with a low-end is a must for this tune, as Jones turned in a straight hypnotic house number with looped vocals, twinkling stabs, and driving percussion. The remix morphs The xx's emotional tenderness into an uncharacteristically eerie beat, where you can't help but feel as if you've been drawn into a dark hole. The track is a departure from the rather warm tropical beats of his Hot Creations label, and instead a cold, psychedelic number.

The xx - "Islands (Nosaj Thing Remix)"

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Nosaj Thing and The xx is one of those remix combinations that just makes sense. While there are a number of fantastic house remixes on this list, Nosaj Thing's experimental bass-centric remix is probably the most original work. Eschewing straight beats, the LA artist takes an emotive and cinematic approach to producing his music. Nosaj Thing's striking use of sub-bass against light reverberated percussion perfectly compliment the already stunning vocals.

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