N = 1e6;
A  = randn(N,1);
Th = 2*pi*rand(N,1);

XY = [A.*cos(Th) A.*sin(Th)];
plot(XY(:,1),XY(:,2),'.');
axis equal;

bin = [0.5 0.6];
sieve = (bin(1)<XY(:,2)).*(XY(:,2)<bin(2));
XYs = XY(logical(sieve),:);
hist(XYs(:,1),50); hold on;

bin = [1 1.1];
sieve = (bin(1)<XY(:,2)).*(XY(:,2)<bin(2));
XYs = XY(logical(sieve),:);
hist(XYs(:,1),50,'r'); hold on;