Jamie xx has teamed up with Romy and Oliver Sim, his bandmates from The xx, for ‘Waiting All Night’ – the new single from his upcoming album ‘In Waves’.
Out Friday (September 20), ‘In Waves’ is Jamie’s first solo full-length since 2015’s ‘In Colour’. The producer has already shared three singles from the LP: ‘Baddy On The Floor’ (feat. Honey Dijon), ‘Treat Each Other Right’ and ‘Life’ (feat. Robyn).
‘Waiting All Night’, the final taste of the project pre-release, marks the first time The xx members have appeared together on a track since the band’s 2017 album ‘I See You‘. Defined by touches of UK garage, the song spotlights Sim’s and Romy’s understated vocals as they trade verses about unrequited love.
In a statement shared alongside the track, Jamie said: “Thank you to my two best friends and musical siblings, Oliver and Romy. It’s wonderful to have the gang back together, working in new ways, working out new lives, I wouldn’t be here without them.”
Romy and Sim added: “We’ve loved collaborating on our recent solo projects but it’s
been a while since the three of us came together on one track. We’re so pleased that this
was the place we met up again. Proud to play a small part in this long awaited, brilliant
album. We’re your biggest fans Jamie”
Ahead of its release later this week, NME gave ‘In Waves’ a four-star review, calling the album: “an even more melancholic record than its predecessor – and a less immediately exciting one, too. But it’s arguably a more complex beast, born of a complex era yet authored by a musician with one eye on the simple, timeless pleasures of the club. With ‘In Waves’, almost a decade on from the triumph of ‘In Colour’, Jamie xx remains in bloom.”
Earlier this year, Jamie revealed that The xx are currently “having a good time” working on their next album in the studio. “I think it’s going to be difficult when we get a bit more into it, but ultimately that is going to make the record better,” he explained.
The update came after The xx reunited onstage during Jamie’s set at Glastonbury 2024, where ‘Waiting All Night’ was debuted live for the first time. It was the first time they had performed together since 2018.
Romy also spoke about the plans for new xx material during an interview with NME at the BRIT Awards 2024.
“[The xx have] been in the studio since I last spoke to NME and we’re in the studio again next week, so we’re meeting up regularly,” she explained. “It’s been really good. I think we’ve all spent time apart and it’s healthy to miss each other.”
Romy added: “We’re just keeping it really open and we’re up for trying new things, but it sounds like us. That’s all I can say right now.
“We’ve learned a lot from our different solo projects and it’s cool to learn from each other again. We grew up together and we had a lot of experiences, but to then have time apart and learn new skills, get new musical ideas and experiences and compare them… it’s been a healthy break.”
Romy recently announced that she will be playing three Club Mid Air headline shows in the UK to celebrate her 2023 debut solo album’s one-year anniversary. The gigs are scheduled for November and December in Brighton (The Dome), Manchester (Aviva Studios), and Glasgow (Fruit Market).
In a five-star review of ‘Mid Air‘, NME shared: ” Many of these songs will give you a prick of emotion at the back of your eyes – a sure sign that Romy really appreciates the healing power of a packed club floor.”
Since the album’s release, Romy has dropped a new single titled ‘Always Forever’ and collaborated with Jessie Ware on the track ‘Lift You Up’.
Meanwhile, Sim shared his debut solo album ‘Hideous Bastard’ in 2022, which NME called “utterly majestic and magnificent” in a glowing four-star review.