Jamie xx has released his new Notting Hill Carnival inspired single ‘Kill Dem’ – listen to the track below.
The DJ and producer performed at the iconic London festival for the first time last month, which returned after two years of cancellations due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Teasing the track on social media earlier this week, he wrote: “Here’s a bit of my new tune Kill Dem. You might have heard me play it over the summer.”
Shortly after releasing the track late yesterday (September 20), Jamie xx wrote on Instagram: “I felt all the things when I tested this song at festivals this summer, trying to make it the best it could be. Many unforgettable moments. I’m so happy to release it into the world today! Thanks for dancing.”
Listen to “Kill Dem” below.
Speaking about the track in a statement, Jamie xx said: “I started doing it at a time when we weren’t sure when we were going to be able to do things. I couldn’t wait for the day when I could go back to what I love. It was one of those things that happens instantly and that’s kind of rare for me these days. It happened in almost a day.”
A press release added that the song was made with Notting Hill Carnival in mind, “inspired by the energy of the parties and sound systems that Jamie experienced there when he first attended as a teenager”.
‘Kill Dem’ follows April’s DJ single ‘Let’s Do It Again’. It marked the multi-instrumentalist’s first release since 2020’s Idontknow.
Last month, Jamie xx shared his mix of The xx bandmate Oliver Sim’s ‘GMT’ from the singer’s debut solo album. You ugly bastard.
Earlier this year, Sim and Jamie xx collaborated on a string of solo tracks, including March’s ‘Romance With A Heart’ – Sim’s first solo single – and last week’s ‘Fruit’, with Jamie xx producing both .
“Awesome, this is the first song I’ve ever released under my own name, I really hope you all enjoy it. Produced by my dear brother Jamie xx,” Sim said of his debut solo track.
“PS still very much in a loving and happy relationship/group with Romy and Jamie,” he added.
Sim was the last of The xx’s three-piece to release solo material, as guitarist and vocalist Romy released her debut single ‘Lifetime’ in 2020; she followed this up in January with ‘Lights Out’, a collaboration with Fred Again and HAAi.
In October 2020, Romy confirmed that there would be new music from The xx.
“I’ve been getting some messages and stuff from people saying, ‘What happened to Xx?'” she said in an interview with Apple Music’s Matt Wilkinson. “And I just wanted to be clear with that and just say that we love each other and we’re definitely making more music together.”
