Replica (The xx): Some Thoughts

After a long while, I return to some thoughts for music with Replica. The first time I listened to ‘I See You’ album in 2017 was kind of a down moment for me; therefore its relatively delightful vibe didn’t really catch my attention. Yet I believe music is kind of magical thing because it will never be dated. If you find the right moment, it will be the song. Last year there were some interesting changes in life, I think this song has become ‘the song’ since then.

I am not counting myself as a heavy listener to dream pop, but The xx is definitely in the pocket list when I cling to the moment. I don’t really consider them dope as most of my friends think they are. To me, The xx is like a floating vibe that giving hundreds of different inspiration from time to time. The melody is quite flexible, or suitable for different occasions when you try to put on some music.

Replica is definitely one of them, and I consider a bit more fluid than other songs in this album. I always enjoy the gravity and velocity their songs express, and Replica is more belonged to the former I believe. One other thing I found interesting for this song is its stream of consciousness is absolutely intimate. It’s like everyone has been there sometime somewhere. ‘Repeating again and again,’ isn’t it what people always do?

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The piano note at the chorus is definitely the highlight of this calm melody. To me it gives a sense of immersion. I always have a strong feeling of free falling down to the bottom of sea, everything dark and warm, air flowing around. Though this song seems like talking about questioning oneself the righteousness of repeating the mistakes, yet to me I don’t feel like it’s asking to move on. Instead, it feels like it’s saying it’s ok to be like this, at least at this movement. Even though down to the bottom of heart we all know this is not right.

This kind of implication relates me to the recent phenomena that the whole world is experiencing. There are more and more ‘chemical mistakes’ happening at every corner, and yet how people respond to them is retrieving. I guess that is due to the exhaustion they have been feeling for a long long time. Following the flow seems always the easiest solution.

I don’t know the right answer, maybe it’s not important. Only feeling comfort with The xx’s music is enough for now, the intangible traumatic remark will be cured sometimes, somehow.

4th Dimension (Credit/Author: Akil Alley)