Just a few days after their debut album was named on the shortlist for this year’s Mercury Music Prize, London three-piece The xx have revealed they may begin work on a follow-up record by this October.
In an interview with the UK’s digital station XFM, bassist and singer Oliver Sim explained that the band have found writing on the road difficult, and thus will look to begin on new songs when they finally come off tour. “We’ve found touring to be not too creative,” Sim said. “We come home in October so hopefully we’ll start writing then.”
Sim went on to speak of the added pressure the trio my feel when they begin to write new material, as they are now fully aware of the expectations which will placed on a new album. “I think there will be pressure,” Sim revealed. “This album was made with no expectations of us, no-one knew who we were.A lot of the songs were written in the mindframe that only the three of us would hear them. Writing in the mindframe that a lot of people might hear these new songs will be different, but hopefully it’s something we can block out.”
The xx have been installed as joint favourites for this year’s Mercury Music Prize alongside rapper Dizzee Rascal. The winner will be announced on September 7th.