Top tracks — play these first
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Sad Mezcalita — This opening track sets the tone for the album with its haunting melodies and poignant exploration of heartbreak and longing.
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Goodbye for Good — The song features a stark emotional weight, blending vulnerability with a driving rhythm that underscores themes of finality and acceptance.
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I Dream of Someone Else Entirely — Here, the narrative shifts to introspection, revealing a yearning for escape through layered synths that create an ethereal atmosphere.
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Saint Dymphna — This track encapsulates the album's exploration of mental health, intertwining frenetic instrumentation with a compelling lyrical narrative about seeking solace.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album's chaotic blend of synth textures and emotional honesty creates a distinctive yet challenging listening experience.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a track that features layered synths and fragmented melodies, setting a chaotic tone right from the start.
- The use of contrasting vocal styles, from spoken word to melodic singing, adds to the emotional intensity across the record.
- Many songs feature unconventional song structures, often eschewing traditional verse-chorus formats in favor of more experimental arrangements.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- dynamic emotional journeys
- long, immersive listening sessions
- wave-like pacing and structure
- layered, dense sonic textures
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Experimental — Features a chaotic blend of sounds and themes, pushing boundaries in Xiu Xiu's catalog.
- Career context
- Released on March 26, 2021, 'Oh No' is Xiu Xiu's follow-up to the critically acclaimed 'Girl with Basket of Fruit.' At this point in their career, the band was known for pushing boundaries within art rock and synth-pop, continuing to evolve their sound while delving into deeply personal themes like loss and identity. This album showcases their unique ability to juxtapose harsh sounds with vulnerable lyrics, solidifying their place as innovators in the indie music scene.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Dirty Beaches· The Knife· FKA twigs
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Sad Mezcalita 4:00
- 2 I Cannot Resist 3:30
- 3 The Grifters 3:12
- 4 Goodbye for Good 4:17
- 5 OH NO 2:37
- 6 Rumpus Room 3:44
- 7 Fuzz Gong Fight 3:47
- 8 I Dream of Someone Else Entirely 2:54
- 9 One Hundred Years 6:26
- 10 A Classic Screw 3:19
- 11 It Bothers Me All the Time 5:28
- 12 Saint Dymphna 4:04
- 13 Knock Out 2:56
- 14 A Bottle of Rum 3:11
- 15 ANTS 0:15
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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