The xx singer dances solo at a queer rave.
There can be many reasons for striving for a solo career alongside the band structure. Ego would be one. Megalomania too. Or the feeling of not being fully utilized. Maybe wanting to try other artistic ideas. Or detaching from the band, with which you don’t really get along anymore anyway. One thing is certain about Romy Madley Croft from The xx: It’s not the last reason, The xx are back in the studio, and the trio are as close friends as ever, even after, or perhaps because of, their long creative break.
And you can hardly accuse the nice, always polite musician of megalomania. But especially in the context of a band that is known for an ultra-minimalist and very concise sound, it can sometimes happen that you want to try something different. For example: rave.
With MID AIR, Croft is now trying out big pop anthems that function more along the lines of “More is More” than through asceticism. No, Romy is drawn to the club, or more precisely: to queer clubs, which for her represent a place of liberation and letting go, with songs that are inspired by Eurodance and nineties rave and cover topics such as grief and healing, belonging and queerness Negotiate love. Does this always work? Not necessarily. Can you hear her joy in the experiment? Of course.