Just when you thought you'd heard all the Christmas covers you could possibly hear, our favourite downtempo electro beat-meisters have covered WHAM! 1984 hit 'Last Christmas' in time for you to cool down from all the stress of shopping centres and Christmas traffic. Yes, I'm talking about THE XX. Seriously cool.
Recorded for BBC 1, THE XX version of possibly the most covered Christmas song in the history of all time (see Darren Hayes of SAVAGE GARDEN's cover HERE if you fancy) is a predictably pared-down affair, which should perhaps not be listened to if you're already feeling wounded.
It's less camp than the original, and more goth. Romy's pitch is just off the mark, but that's part of the trademark sound of THE XX, and we love them for it.
At about 2 minutes in, stirring house-inspired synth changes the tone from hopeless to hopeful, and we are reminded to look forward to next year's heartbreak. That's how the best Christmas songs are penned, after all...
Words by Rebecca McCann.
