Strongly influenced by modern R&B - the group made hay with an early cover of Womack & Womack's "Teardrops", while UK copies of XX come packed with their version of Aaliyah's "Hot Like Fire" – The XX use a drum machine to complement their copiously tidy compositions. Unlike contemporary R&B fetishists Hot Chip or Discovery, who have clearly spent long hours internalizing Timbaland, the Neptunes, and other radio cognoscenti, The XX incorporate more abstract elements of the genre: a liberal use of bass tones and an unwavering focus on sex and interpersonal relationships.