Xiu Xiu

Xiu Xiu is an experimental band led by singer, multi-instrumentalist Jamie Stewart, who has been the only constant in the line-up since the band's inception in 2002, as well as his partner, multi-instrumentalist Angela Seo, who joined in the late '00s and has had the second-longest tenure, and a relatively new addition in David Kendrick. Their music typically swings between two poles: one of them a harsh, abrasive post-rock that builds around primal beats and a variety of noise, and the other, melodic pieces with odd textures and an unsettling flow, which is as close to pop they have actually gotten. Electronic effects, synths, and complex rhythms play a crucial role in their music, as does Stewart's vocals, dialing from the same area code as Scott Walker, only angstier. By comparison, their work pre-dating 2014's Angel Guts: Red Classroom tends to have a more melodic and pop-friendly flow and is perhaps a better entry point.