Review by Rachel Jablonski
Somehow they pulled it off. Brilliantly, effectively, they put together an experimental EP that I was not sure could be successfully translated on record. Two months ago, strictly by chance, I happened to see a group by the name of Battles from Brooklyn, NY live at the Ranch Bowl in Omaha, NE. The band, featuring drummer John Stanier of Helmet and Tomahawk fame, is a quartet that performed in a way I had never seen. I was shocked and pleased with what I heard, an arrangement of sounds and beats giftedly mixed, maneuvered, and meshed by four intense and creative individuals. The product was tantalizing live, but I skeptically accepted the EP for review. I could not imagine that this music would have the playback power to captivate an audience and sustain their attention.
But I was wrong. I’m now in Battles mode, completely at attention. Addictive grooves remain singed in my head. I find the staccato mix of combined sounds repeating in an infinite loop somewhere beneath my skull. The higher-pitched rhythms produced by a multitude of instrument sounds register as interesting and flawlessly manipulated. There are so many elements to the EP that even if I had all the time in the world to fully describe all that is going on, just in one song let alone the entire album, I am positive that I couldn’t. Many of the sounds created are computer based using Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) technology, an industry standard interface used on electronic musical keyboards and PCs for computer control of musical instruments and devices. With this, Battles generates an array of sounds and effects that would be difficult, if not impossible, for an outsider to reproduce.
The song mixtures on the EP are very original. The countless intertwined sounds and instruments used are unobvious yet produce a harmonizing effect. Each tune consists of a solid core, a repeated rhythm typically created via MIDI, with twists of off drum beats as well as straight guitar and bass lines delicately added to the mix. No vocals are at all present on the album allowing the listener to give complete focus to the complexity of sound.
I feel as if I have left my description of the Battles EP totally vague and underdeveloped. However, no words can possibly describe the multifaceted album which insists upon individual interpretation. So just trust me. The Battles EP is a fun mix that will have your foot tapping and your brain recording. Quickly the unique sounds will be pleasantly engrained in your mind.