# Crystalised

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2009 song by The xx

For other uses, see [Crystallization (disambiguation)](/source/Crystallization_(disambiguation)).

"Crystalised" Single by The xx from the album xx Released 27 April 2009 (2009-04-27) Genre Pop[1] Length 3:21 Label Young Turks Songwriters Romy Madley Croft Oliver Sim Producer Jamie xx The xx singles chronology "Crystalised" (2009) "Basic Space" (2009)

"**Crystalised**" is the debut [single](/source/Single_(music)) by English [indie pop](/source/Indie_pop) band [the xx](/source/The_xx). It was released on 27 April 2009 as the first single from their 2009 [self-titled debut album](/source/Xx_(The_xx_album)).[2]

## Music and lyrics

According to [Robert Christgau](/source/Robert_Christgau), "Crystalised" uses a musical structure similar to "[VCR](/source/VCR_(song))", "hooky [ostinato](/source/Ostinato) riff embellished with a few subtle effects, leading to a soft vocal. The exaggerated [drawl](/source/Drawl) of bassist [Oliver Sim](/source/Oliver_Sim) precedes the more human-scale [croon](/source/Crooning) of guitarist [Romy Madley Croft](/source/Romy_Madley_Croft)."[3] Croft and Sim shared lead vocals, which Rachel Kowal from [NPR](/source/NPR) said are "delivered in a sexy [call and response](/source/Call_and_response_(music)) fashion that is reminiscent of the duets" by Canadian [indie pop](/source/Indie_pop) band [Stars](/source/Stars_(Canadian_band)) on their 2004 album *[Set Yourself on Fire](/source/Set_Yourself_on_Fire)*, "minus all the antagonism associated with ex-lovers."[4]

Like most of the other songs on *xx*, "Crystalised" was based on an imagined romantic scenario, developed from a verse Sim had written thinking about what a fling would be like: "I hadn't really had any relationships to be working off. But I had a huge interest in life, and looking at other people’s relationships around me." He wrote the first lines of the song, including "you applied the pressure / to keep me crystalised", and shared it through [iChat](/source/IChat) with Croft, who responded with her verse, beginning with "I'll forgive and forget / Before I’m paralyzed." [John Colapinto](/source/John_Colapinto) of *[The New Yorker](/source/The_New_Yorker)* critiqued that "the finished lyrics, some of their best, suggest a twisted love affair, but also hint at drugs and ecological disaster."[5]

## Release and reception

"Crystalised" was first released in the UK on 27 April 2009 by Vinyl and on 25 November 2009 by Digital download and then again on 11 October 2010. It has been used in numerous advertisements and TV shows and has over 26 million hits on [YouTube](/source/YouTube) as of June 2011.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] It was sampled in the song "Less Than Zero" by [K.Flay](/source/K.Flay)[6] and covered by [Gorillaz](/source/Gorillaz) whose version was included in the advertisement for *[Grey's Anatomy](/source/Grey's_Anatomy)* in late 2010. In 2013, it was covered and released as a single by [Martina Topley-Bird](/source/Martina_Topley-Bird), [Mark Lanegan](/source/Mark_Lanegan), and [Warpaint](/source/Warpaint_(band)).[7]

## Track listing

**UK iTunes single[8]**

1. "Crystalised" – 3:21

**UK iTunes EP[9]**

1. "Crystalised" (Edu Imbernon Remix) – 7:23

1. "Crystalised" (Dark Sky Remix) – 4:54

1. "Crystalised" (Rory Phillips Remix) – 4:44

1. "Crystalised" (The Neon Lights Remix) – 3:45

## Chart performance

Chart (2010–2012) Peak position Italy (FIMI)[10] 95 UK Indie (OCC)[11] 14 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[12] 37

## Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales Canada (Music Canada)[13] Gold 40,000‡ Italy (FIMI)[14] Gold 25,000‡ New Zealand (RMNZ)[15] Gold 15,000‡ United Kingdom (BPI)[16] Gold 400,000‡ United States (RIAA)[17] Gold 500,000‡ ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

## Release history

Region Date Format United Kingdom 27 April 2009 Vinyl 25 November 2009 Digital Download 11 October 2010

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Lariviere, Aaron (4 September 2018). ["Deconstructing: The xx"](https://www.stereogum.com/1141051/deconstructing-the-xx/franchises/deconstructing/). *[Stereogum](/source/Stereogum)*. Retrieved 12 September 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Anon. (n.d.). ["The xx – Crystalised"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140629230728/http://theyoungturks.co.uk/catalogue/view/crystalised). [Young Turks](/source/Young_Turks_(record_label)). Archived from [the original](http://theyoungturks.co.uk/catalogue/view/crystalised) on 29 June 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Christgau, Robert](/source/Robert_Christgau) (2009a). ["The xx: Switching Roles In Song"](https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121206589). [NPR](/source/NPR). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140706073622/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121206589) from the original on 6 July 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Kowal, Rachel (April 16, 2009). ["The xx: 'Crystalised'"](https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103170148). [NPR](/source/NPR). Retrieved July 24, 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Colapinto, John](/source/John_Colapinto) (2014). ["Shy and Mighty"](http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/06/30/shy-and-mighty). *[The New Yorker](/source/The_New_Yorker)*. No. 30 June. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140814111823/http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/06/30/shy-and-mighty) from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["K.Flay* - I Stopped Caring In '96 (File, MP3, Album) at Discogs"](http://www.discogs.com/KFlay-I-Stopped-Caring-In-96/release/3032578). Discogs.com. 2011-04-29. Retrieved 2012-06-22.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Crystalised (feat. Mark Lanegan & Warpaint)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20141020045901/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/crystalised-feat.-mark-lanegan/id714973233). iTunes. 2013-10-21. Archived from [the original](https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/crystalised-feat.-mark-lanegan/id714973233) on October 20, 2014. Retrieved 2013-11-03.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Crystalised – Single"](https://web.archive.org/web/20101230052837/http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/crystalised-single/id339741643). *UK [iTunes Store](/source/ITunes_Store)*. [Apple Inc.](/source/Apple_Inc.) Archived from [the original](https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/crystalised-single/id339741643) on December 30, 2010. Retrieved 2012-06-22.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Crystalised – EP"](https://music.apple.com/gb/album/crystalised-ep/392709227). *UK [iTunes Store](/source/ITunes_Store)*. [Apple Inc.](/source/Apple_Inc.) 27 April 2009. Retrieved 2012-06-22.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Tutti i successi del 2012"](http://www.hitparadeitalia.it/indici/per_anno/hpy2012.htm) (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved 5 December 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-sc_UKindie_11-0)** "[Official Independent Singles Chart on 23/10/2010 – Top 50](https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/independent-singles-chart/20101023/130/)". [Official Charts Company](/source/Official_Charts_Company). Retrieved 6 November 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-sc_Billboardalternativesongs_The_xx_12-0)** "[The xx Chart History (Alternative Airplay)](https://www.billboard.com/artist/The-xx/chart-history/MRT)". *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))*. Retrieved 6 November 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CanadaThe_xxCrystalisedsingleCertRef_13-0)** ["Canadian single certifications – The xx – Crystalised"](https://musiccanada.com/gold-platinum/?_gp_search=Crystalised%20The+xx). [Music Canada](/source/Music_Canada). Retrieved 5 April 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ItalyThe_xxCrystalisedsingleCertRef_14-0)** ["Italian single certifications – The xx – Crystalised"](https://www.fimi.it/top-of-the-music/targhette/richiedi-targhetta/?id=5553) (in Italian). [Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana](/source/Federazione_Industria_Musicale_Italiana). Retrieved 28 May 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-New_ZealandThe_xxCrystalisedsingleCertRef_15-0)** ["New Zealand single certifications – The xx – Crystalised"](https://www.radioscope.co.nz/2024/00/00/single-cert-search/). Radioscope. Retrieved 19 March 2025. *Type*Crystalised*in the "Search:" field and press Enter.*

1. **[^](#cite_ref-United_KingdomXxCrystalisedsingleCertRef_16-0)** ["British single certifications – Xx – Crystalised"](https://www.bpi.co.uk/page/certified-awards). [British Phonographic Industry](/source/British_Phonographic_Industry). Retrieved 21 April 2023. *Select*singles*in the Formats field.* *Type*Crystalised Xx*in the "Search:" field.*

1. **[^](#cite_ref-United_StatesThe_xxCrystalisedsingleCertRef_17-0)** ["American single certifications – The xx – Crystalised"](https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=The+xx&ti=Crystalised&format=Single&type=#search_section). [Recording Industry Association of America](/source/Recording_Industry_Association_of_America). Retrieved May 22, 2026.

## External links

- "[Crystalised](https://www.discogs.com/master/234131)" at [Discogs](/source/Discogs) (list of releases)

v t e The xx Romy Madley Croft Oliver Sim Jamie xx Baria Qureshi Studio albums xx Coexist I See You Singles "Crystalised" "Islands" "VCR" "Angels" "Chained" "On Hold" "I Dare You" Other songs "Intro" "Shelter" Tours I See You Tour Related Discography Young We're New Here In Colour Hideous Bastard Mid Air ("Strong") In Waves Category

v t e Martina Topley-Bird Studio albums Quixotic (2003) The Blue God (2008) Some Place Simple (2010) Singles "Aftermath" (1993) "Crystalised" (ft. Warpaint and Mark Lanegan) (2013) Album collaborations Tricky Maxinquaye (1995) Nearly God (1996) Pre-Millennium Tension (1996) Angels with Dirty Faces (1998) David Holmes Bow Down to the Exit Sign (2000) Diplo Florida (2004) Gorillaz Demon Days (2005) Common Universal Mind Control (2008) Leila Blood Looms and Blooms (2008) Massive Attack Splitting the Atom (2009) Heligoland (2010) Clark Iradelphic (2012) The Prodigy The Day Is My Enemy (2015) Related articles Tricky Massive Attack Trip hop Music in Bristol

Authority control databases MusicBrainz work MusicBrainz release group

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Crystalised](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystalised) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystalised?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.