Music to Code By: The xx

For 2011, I’m going to start a new semi-regular series called Music to Code By. I’ve worked enough places to know that most developers often resort to headphones to shut out the distractions around them, especially on “open plan” work areas. Even in a private office, I find that music can help me to focus on solving a thorny problem. Different styles work for different times, and of course everyone’s taste varies, but I’m hoping that you’ll be introduced to records you might not have found otherwise.

I’ll start with The xx: xx. (iTunes, Amazon)

Craig Shimala made an inspired choice when he used “Intro” as the music to pair with his footage of the lightning strikes in Chicago in June 2010, and for some reason it’s stuck with me. The xx is a three-piece from England, though at the time of recording xx they had a fourth. Until I checked their Wikipedia page, I thought they might be a duo. To my ears, what defines The xx are the vocals and guitars. Vocal work is shared by Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim. The guitars are undistorted, usually picking out notes instead of chords. Their entire sound is very restrained.

This record works for me because it feels almost as if it were recorded in the back of a room where other people were working. There is never a lot going on at once and the sound never assaults you. The melody and beats give the aural part of my brain something to do without being so overwhelming that I have to pay attention to it, and that lets me concentrate on the problem in front of my eyes.