The xx are a Mercury Prize-winning trio formed in 2005 in London, United Kingdom and signed to Young Turks. The band members are Romy Madley Croft (vocals, lead guitar), Oliver Sim (vocals, bass guitar), and Jamie Smith, known as Jamie xx (drums, keyboards, synthesizer, MPC sampler). Second guitarist and keyboardist Baria Qureshi was dropped from the band mid-tour in 2009. The reasons behind her ousting remain unclear. On 17 August 2009, the group released their debut album xx on Young Turks label. The album was recorded in a small garage and produced by the band.