A.G. Cook—"Xcxoplex" (Feat. Charli XCX)
Today, we share our thoughts on a new collaboration between A.G. Cook and Charli XCX.
Welcome to Endless Scroll, the brainchild of Eli Enis (he/him) and Eric Bennett (they/them). Since Feb. 2019, we’ve been a weekly podcast about music, the internet, and where those two things intersect. Now we’re, also a M-F newsletter about songs. Our format is simple: a link to a song and a short take from each of us about what we think of it. Each day of the week has a corresponding genre: Monday is indie, Tuesday is punk, Wednesday is hip-hop, Thursday is pop, and Friday is misc. Three days of the week are free but you can get access to all five weekly posts by subscribing for $5/month via Substack or $2/month via our Patreon.
Today, we share our thoughts on a new collaboration between A.G. Cook and Charli XCX.
A.G. Cook—"Xcxoplex" (Feat. Charli XCX)
Eric Bennett:
A.G. Cook and Charli XCX? I can’t think of a more winning combo or one that I’m more easily won over by. That said, I am a touch wary of this track. While this redux of “Xxoplex” from Cook’s Apple does feel less exciting than the original, that is to be expected. The original is overwhelming in its chaos, but it has no vocals to contend with; it can speak on its own. With Charli’s vocals brought in, it becomes production, certainly not fading, but slinking slightly into the background. Charli sounds ethereal, like a mirage of herself, and it keeps it from feeling like her stepping in and stealing the show. As a total piece, it works better than its facets, and while it doesn’t totally wow me, it’s nice, and I’m glad it exists.
Eli Enis:
For me, “Xxoplex” was the clunkiest and most non-essential moment on 2020’s Apple. It sounded like a leftover from the 49-song 7G he released a month prior, and although I liked it well enough on its own, it did nothing but distract and fuck with the flow of an otherwise beautifully sequenced pop record. Therefore, I’m more than happy to hear it in a different context, and I think Charli adds a lot to the song. Her angelic delivery at the beginning is fucking gorgeous, and I think the instrumental’s catchy chord progression is better suited to prop up a vocalist than stand on its own. This cut was stitched into the middle of an hour-long mix that Cook put out earlier this month, so the ending feels purposefully unfinished. But if they were to release a 3:30 edit of this and drop it as a stand-alone single, I’d be so fucking hype.