The indie rock band whose 2009 debut album xx won the Mercury Prize is the xx.
The xx released xx, its debut studio album, on August 14, 2009, through the independent label Young Turks. The English band built the record around sparse guitar, electronic beats, prominent bass, and intimate vocal exchanges between Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim.
Produced largely by Jamie Smith—later known as Jamie xx—the album was recorded in a small studio associated with XL Recordings in London. Its restrained sound drew on indie pop, dream pop, post-punk, R&B, and electronic music, helping it stand apart from the more crowded guitar-rock scene of the period.
The album initially charted modestly, but its reputation grew through strong reviews, touring, and the licensing of songs such as “Intro” for television and sporting coverage. The xx won the 2010 Mercury Prize, not in 2009. That timing is the key detail behind the question: xx is a 2009 debut, while its award victory came the following year.