The xx & These New Puritans on tour

For all those outside - as well as inside - of Europe crying blood tears about not being able to catch this most heartbreakingly amazing double header of both The xx and These New Puritans TOGETHER on their absolutely gruelling tour schedule around Europe, the best consolation we can offer you right now is that Domino are giving away 'Orion' as a tissue to dab your eyes with.

And from The xx, here's their cover (somewhat ironically) of Womack and Womack's 'Teardrops' that I dug up.

If it will make you feel any better, just think: everytime a fan has a *CRY* (all together now y'all), DAWSON CRIES TOO.

Full tour schedule after the jump

Jack

The xx's Jamie puts the swerve on Jack Penate's epic break up choon 'Pull My Heart Away', transforming it into a truly sexy and swaggeringly mellow rendition. Remember how sentimental and warm the video for the single was? So warm in fact, that it was actually filmed in a hot sandy desert.

The xx (ironically, Jamie is missing in this collection of polaroids)

Jamie puts Jack on ice; killing the instrumental of the original track, stripping it down to it's bare bones and resuscitating it with a dubby heartbeat. The result is an aloof, far less emotional and ever so nonchalant atmosphere for Jack's heartfelt vocals and lyrics. This remix is beyond cool in every sense, and is the musical embodiment of the kind of front I'd like to be able have when trying to leave someone (*internal cry*).

We're in love with The xx's album right now. Below is the new video directed by Anthony Dickenson for single 'Basic Space' - all shadowy faces, ghostly layers and stuttering glacial lights that swoop in abstract icy patterns. Plenty of close ups of instruments being played, focussing in and out nostalgically makes it feel very intimate despite the general impersonality of the video; in that we don't get to really know the band at all here. It's a perfect match for 'Basic Space'; the epitome of underplayed restraint without altogether being too cold or po-faced.

It's like watching the band through the weirdest warped indie mirror ball ever invented. Nice.

There is something about The XX that is building up such an excitement in me that I can't even describe. They are a foursome from London that sound like The Kills making love to the Howling Bells whilst playing CocoRosie as a soundtrack. Beautiful, small and fragile songs based uniquely in melodies. Their debut album will be released via Young Turks and is already one of the best releases of the year.

If you want to grab a taste of what to expect of The XX, the album, the band is giving away the song 'Basic Space'. Minimal percussion is laid down to a male/female vocal duo with velvet voices and crystallized guitars. So soft and pretty. I still haven't get over the fact they are English, they sound like the cool side of NYC's Brooklyn.

The band did a mixtape for the Fact Magazine in which they not only mixed in some unreleased tracks of their own along with some that are about-to-be-released, but also sealed it with dubstep, minimal disco and alternative rock gems. This mix is brilliant for cold black days. Download it below and check the tracklist after the jump. 

The XX - FACT MIX (JULY / 09)