Arizona-based rock group XIXA channel a form of blues indebted to the desert, mixed in with their Latin roots and a dose of gothic horror. Led by Brian Lopez and Gabriel Sullivan, XIXA is rounded out by Efrén Cruz Chávez, Geoffrey Hidalgo, Hikit Corbel, Jason Urman, and Winston Watson. Their debut album, Bloodline, appeared in 2016, and after it was released, the band built a reputation as an electrifying live act. They released their 2019 EP, The Code, to an ever-expanding audience before the arrival of their sophomore effort, 2021's Genesis, which saw the group perfect their songwriting and production values for a record that was far more cohesive than their debut. ~ Liam Martin