Daily Edit | Aug 28

Oliver Sim, aging audiences, Apple's strategic streaming counteroffensive, and how to survive your song going viral on TikTok

Oliver Sim
“Obsession”
Young 

It’s somehow been three years since the xx’s Oliver Sim released his solo debut album Hideous Bastard. Fortunately, he’s not keeping us waiting anymore. Sim dropped an infectious new tune called “Obsession” today, a bass-powered ’80s throwback that makes fantastic use of complementary vocals from Katie O’Neill, bringing Sim back into the boy-girl dynamic that works so well in his main band.

“Obsession” is, however, a move away from the xx in one important way: It’s his first song ever to not be produced by Jamie xx. Instead, this one finds producers Bullion and Taylor Skye playing around in a stylish retro sandbox that reminds me of the 1975 (always a plus coming from me). -Stereogum

8 / 28 / 2025

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