The Irrepressibles - 2 Albums - -100.xy- ((install)) ✦ Trusted & Verified
The first of the two albums in the cycle is Mirror Mirror . Recorded with a 40-piece orchestra, this album is a storm of hyper-romanticism. From the first shuddering strings of “My Witness,” the listener is thrown into a confessional booth made of cellos and haunting reverb.
Before diving into the albums, one must understand the artist. The Irrepressibles began as a DIY orchestral project in London’s underground art scene. Rejecting the stoic formalism of traditional classical ensembles, McDermott envisioned a "living orchestra"—one that was raw, emotionally bleeding, and visually spectacular. Their early EPs ( From the Circus to the Sea , My Witness ) were cult hits, but they set the stage for a radical shift in sound and concept.
Sonically, the album swapped the chamber orchestra for synthesizers and electronic beats, yet it lost none of the emotional weight. Songs like "Two Men in Love" and "New World" are soaring, triumphant affirmations of queer love. If Mirror, Mirror was the sound of the closet, Superheroes was the sound of breaking the door down. It represents the "XY" in its liberated form—a reclamation of the male identity, painted in neon rather than oil. The Irrepressibles - 2 albums - -100.XY-
The Irrepressibles, led by artist , have released four full studio albums to date, though early discussions often focused on their first two major works, Mirror Mirror and Nude . The cryptic reference "-100.XY-" is not a standard title in their official discography, which is characterized by art-pop, orchestral arrangements, and themes of queer identity. Core Studio Albums
In the vast landscape of contemporary art-pop, there are few entities as singularly committed to the visceral power of performance as The Irrepressibles. Led by the visionary Jamie Irrepressible, the British ensemble has long acted as a bridge between the concert hall and the underground club, combining orchestral grandeur with the raw, beating heart of the avant-garde. The first of the two albums in the cycle is Mirror Mirror
This article explores the "2 albums" defined by this aesthetic divide, examining how The Irrepressibles mastered the art of the "XY" dichotomy: the masculine and the feminine, the acoustic and the electric, and the bloody reality of the body versus the polished sheen of the screen.
and neo-romantic style, featuring a 10-piece orchestra that blends traditional theatrical elements with modern pop. Before diving into the albums, one must understand
Upon release, Mirror Mirror was lauded by The Guardian and NME for its theatrical audacity. It was described as “what would happen if Scott Walker wrote a musical for a deconstructed circus.” For fans searching Mirror Mirror represents the thesis: the beautiful chaos of the exposed self.