Every year NYC hosts the College Music Journal Music Marathon (CMJ) where millions of bands swarm on NYC like apocalyptic locusts. After a week of 24-hour rock infestation of every venue in the city, they disperse to their native lands leaving nothing but devastation and hangovers behind.

Without fail, for any given year, there is always one wet-behind-the-ears band that tends to grab the lion-share of the press attention, and this year’s (very deserving) candidate is The xx. The xx are out of London fresh behind the release of what I bet will ride high on many best of 2009 lists. The xx have a bit of the R&B via London synth vibe that Hot Chip has but with a more sullen, sexually frustrated, down tempo bent.

The album is on eMusic and I recommend picking it up. Did I forget to mention that The xx feature male/female duets? I have mentioned several times that male/female shared vocals are almost without fail audio gold. This is no exception

This is a track from one of the many CMJ performances by The xx, this one at the Music Hall of Williamsburg opening for School of Seven Bells.

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Download: The XX – Stars (Live)