El grupo londinense The XX abrió una nueva etapa con esta cancón titulada “On Hold”. Después del minimalismo casi nocturno de xx y Coexist, la banda londinense regresó en 2016 con una canción más luminosa, más rítmica y más expansiva. Seguían hablando de distancia, deseo y heridas sentimentales, pero esta vez lo hacían con un pulso casi pop, apoyado en un sample de “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)” de Hall & Oates.
El vídeo oficial, dirigido por Alasdair McLellan, fue filmado en Marfa, Texas, un lugar especial para el grupo, ya que allí escribieron y grabaron parte de I See You. La pieza muestra escenas de instituto, carreteras, fiestas, teléfonos y miradas cruzadas: una América adolescente, cálida y melancólica, donde todo parece estar a punto de empezar o de terminar.
Lo interesante de “On Hold” es que convierte una ruptura en algo casi bailable. La canción habla de una relación que quedó suspendida, de un amor que no terminó del todo, pero tampoco supo continuar. Y ahí The xx encuentran una fórmula perfecta: tristeza emocional, producción elegante y una energía nueva que los saca de la penumbra sin hacerles perder identidad.
Quizá por eso “On Hold” funciona tan bien dentro de su discografía: porque no traiciona al grupo, lo hace crecer. Es The xx mirando atrás, pero con el cuerpo en movimiento. Una canción sobre lo que dejamos en pausa, sobre lo que no dijimos a tiempo y sobre ese momento extraño en el que la nostalgia, por fin, empieza a sonar como una pista de baile.
The xx - On Hold (Official Video)
We got carried away
I can't hold on
To an empty space
It could be love
I think you're too soon to call us old
When and where did we go cold?
I thought I had you on hold
I always saw you coming back to me
When and where did we go cold?
I thought I had you on hold
Where do you dare me to
You've got the body, you've got the body
Dare me to, dare me to
Where does it stop, where does it stop
Where do you dare me to
You've got the body, you've got the body
Where do you dare me to
You've got the body, you've got the body
Dare me to, dare me to
Where does it stop, where does it stop
Where do you dare me to
You've got the body, you've got the body
Dare me to, dare me to
Chance to believe
We were destined
Young hearts
All need love
Call it a lesson
Only when we want them to
When I lie awake staring in to space
I see a different view
It could be love
I think you're too soon to call us old
When and where did we go cold?
I thought I had you on hold
I always saw you coming back to me
When and where did we go cold?
I thought I had you on hold
I thought I had you on hold
I thought I had you on hold
Where do you dare me to
You've got the body, you've got the body
Where do you dare me to, dare me to
Where does it stop, where does it stop
Where do you dare me to
You've got the body, you've got the body
You've got the body, you've got the body
Where does it stop, where does it stop
Where do you dare me to
You've got the body, you've got the body
Where do you dare me to, dare me to
Where does it stop, where does it stop
Where do you dare me to
You've got the body, you've got the body
Dare me to, dare me to
I always saw you coming back to me
When and where did we all go cold?
I thought I had you on hold
I thought I had you on hold
I thought I had you on hold
