MIRRORED

Yes ladys and gentleman, this is the band you have heard so much about and let me tell you, the praise is nothing but right! Battles are probably the most exciting band to debut with a studio album this year in music. Although the first impression, or the easiest cathegory to put Battles in is Math rock (and by no means is this incorrect) I strongly believe Battles is a genre of themself. Influences might be heard (I specially hear King Crimson´s Discipline here, for it is, in a vay, the next evolution Discipline would have taken... in a very strange way) but the influences stop when the music kicks in and it kicks!

I must say unlike most of my prog, I did not heard from Battles here first, in fact I was surprised it took so long for us in the site to start the yappin´ about them. It were two of my friends, not the biggest prog lovers maybe, but they still have very good musical judgements, who warned me about this quartet. At first I did not care much, to much of a snob I guess, but then... Atlas! "Oh man, this is the [&*!#]!" This guys sure know how to plug one right in with those electronic "vocals". And then, the turning point... I saw them live. With is the oddest thing, why would a new-formed band, form the underground musical scene come to the other end of the world, to a country where their only album is not even edited? But, how could I not go? And I went, and it was the [&*!#]! How this guys pull of complexity, boundaries (not pushing) breaking and experimentation for the masses is beyond me, but I really fell like I can give this album to almost anyone with a certain "good" taste in music.

Mirrored has the advantage of being their first album and I say thins `cause I fear Battles might not be able to top themself after this. And no, it is not a masterpiece, but the great thing about it is the freshness about it, it´s all so new, it´s all so... fresh! But can freshness stay for over one album? I surely hope they can and I think they will, they are obviously very capable, intelligent musicians... but this fear of mine might still be with me until they prove me wrong... or right.

Either way, what matters is the present and the present holds the future with Battles in Mirrored. In terms of innovation, this might be the album of the year, and even if it doesn´t turn out that way, Battles still has the worlds eras (or what matters of it) listening.

Share this BATTLES review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to el böthy
• Report this review (#155371)
• Buy BATTLES music online with PA partners
• Show all BATTLES MP3/Stream
• Go to BATTLES page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Mirrored page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for BATTLES related discussions