Xiu Xiu (pronounced shoo-shoo) is my favorite band. I’m drawn to them for many reasons, but some of those are the same reasons that people find Xiu Xiu polarizing and challenging to listen to. In the wake of their recently announced 15th album, Oh No, I’m here to provide a guide to Xiu Xiu, what I find appealing about them and how to get into them, because with a discography this diverse and wondrous, there’s something for everybody. To start, what does Xiu Xiu sound like? This is a difficult question to answer as they tend to change up their sound quite often and blend many genres. Xiu Xiu combines aspects of synth-punk, art pop, and post-industrial, often all in one song. It’s this unique blend of pop and noise that creates something truly unique and keeps me and many others hooked. It’s not just this unique sound that makes Xiu Xiu difficult to navigate, but also their lyrical style. Frontman Jamie Stewart’s lyricism is unparalleled. Though his brutal truthfulness is what made me fall in love with Xiu Xiu, some people might find it overwhelmingly sad, just wallowing, or in some cases even triggering. Jamie’s willingness to discuss personal struggles so openly is refreshing. As someone who struggles with trauma and depression, I have found comfort in Jamie’s words. No other artist I’ve found is so blunt; it’s terribly cathartic. From: https://acrn.com/2021/03/03/ce-finding-comfort-in-a-hopeless-place-a-guide-to-xiu-xiu/
For over twenty years, Xiu Xiu have been confounding expectations, pushing boundaries, exploring personal experience through sound, and so, so much more. Those two decades are bursting at the seams with avant-rock, experimental pop, dreamy electronica, reimagined soundtracks, otherworldly collaborations – far too much to condense down into a few mere paragraphs here for your perusal. If you’re unfamiliar with their oeuvre, then our strongest suggestion is to plunge yourself straight in and see where you come up for air. If your sonic explorations lead you directly to Roadburn 2024 then Xiu Xiu will be there waiting for you with a very special set titled The police bear such resemblance to those they pursue. It’s part retrospective, part preview, all guaranteed to be something unforgettable. They tell us: “For thee superb Roadburn Festival, we will be playing bad dream, newly intense, experimental arrangements of Xiu Xiu songs. The set will include unreleased songs from our next record and exploded versions of deep cuts and smashy smashy bangers.” So if you were doubting whether to pack your dancing shoes, the decision has hereby been made for you. Through their open-hearted approach to their own music over the years – in particular the vulnerability and candour of founding member Jamie Stewart – Xiu Xiu create a space to look inwards and shine outwards however you see fit. This set promises to be something special – we can’t wait to witness it. From: https://roadburn.com/band/xiu-xiu/
