#14: Battles - Mirrored (2007)

1. Race: In
2. Atlas
3. Ddiamondd
4. Tonto
5. Leyendecker
6. Rainbow
7. Bad Trails
8. Prismism
9. Snare Hanger
10. Tij
11. Race: Out

Yes, yes: This is deliberate.

(Yes, it's also a day or so late, sorry.)

I spent the latter half of 2007 banging on about this band to anyone who cared (and probably lots of people who didn't), and so I thought I'd foolishly attempt to convey in words just how brilliant a record this is. It was my favourite of last year by a long shot, and will probably rank highly among my favourites of all time for years to come.

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Battles are a band who've seen much critical acclaim for their debut full-length, Mirrored: But when it comes to the perception of the general public, it was perhaps inevitable they would not fair so well. If you're one of those who only knows the band for 'that smurf song', then my ramblings probably aren't going to change your mind. But if you're willing to take a chance on them then your reward will be some of the richest, most interesting music being produced today.

'Race: In' is the perfect introduction to the band: Based on a skittering, infectious drumbeat, cascades of guitars and synths wash over each other to create a rich musical tapestry. It's like one of those paintings you might regard with an "I could do that..." attitude when browsing a modern art gallery - at first glance, it might seem slapdash and meaningless, but then you realise you're kidding yourself: You couldn't have created this in your wildest dreams. The effortless tempo changes, the way that contrasting ideas somehow fit so seamlessly together, the fact that this is the sound of four brilliant musical minds working as one: This is not your average band.

And then there's 'Atlas': The record's defining moment, it's a 7-minute romp through futurist sea-shanty beats, squelchy, gurgling synths, noisy guitar stabs, and the most infectiously twisted vocal heard throughout the whole of 2007. This is the kind of song that just makes you want to dance, oblivious as to whether or not everyone else is dancing along to the same rhythm as you (and given the complexity on display here, it's quite possible that they're not). The only thing that could possibly make this track better is if Tyondai was, in fact, singing "Sing this hook!" as the record's warped chorus vocal, like some sort of ironic commentary on lyric writing (it's actually "The singer is a crook," according to the band). Although the phrase "The chorus doesn't matter," does feature in the song and neatly sums up an essential truth about Battles: Namely, that the voice is used here like any other instrument, to be moulded and shaped as part of a wider vision, however the band see fit. 

Indeed, we see this idea return on 'Ddiamondd'. This time, the vocals are sped up to match the song's frenetic pace as it barrels furiously towards its conclusion, creating a relentless pace without ever descending into total chaos. Then 'Tonto' returns things to 'epic' mode, with drums that drive steadily as guitars and synths weave an intricate web across an imaginary musical canvas, with an implacable bassline as the backdrop.

'Leyendecker', meanwhile, is a three-minute slice of post-hip-hop, with a killer drumbeat that's almost begging to be sampled by the Timbalands and Neptunes of the world. Once again demonstrating the 'voice as an instrument' concept, Tyondai's vocal is twisted into a helium-inflicted diva wail, while guitars echo menacingly in the background. Album centerpoint 'Rainbow', on the other hand, tumbles thrillingly over itself, almost like the band is slowly gathering speed after being pushed down a hill. The momentum builds and builds, and then suddenly the song hits a fake-ending comedown halfway through, before picking itself up, dusting itself down, battering the hell out of what's left of its instruments, and then staggering away in a woozy, incomprehensible daze.

It's not quite all killer, with 'Bad Trails' being the album's only slight mis-step: While its brooding guitar line and ambient rainforest noises do just enough to keep it interesting, it lacks the progressive inventiveness demonstrated on so many other tracks. Happily, it's followed by the album's snappiest two numbers: 'Prismism' sees the record stumble out of the rainforest of the previous track and into some sort of futuristic tribal ritual, while 'Snare Hanger' is a two-minute blast of taut, intense drumming, jerky guitars and spiralling synths.

'Tij' is the last of the band's epic moments, crunching into existence with looped synth feedback before piling on riff after riff, constantly moving on to new ideas in a giddy fit of self-discovery. There's so much going on, and yet the track never threatens to buckle under the weight of its own ideas, which is testament to the sheer quality of musicianship on display here. Finally, 'Race: Out' provides closure as only Battles know how: Relentless drumming and question/answer guitar riffs slowly fade out in a way that seems to lead perfectly back to 'Race: In', subconsciously demanding that you press the repeat button.

I couldn't help but laugh when NME described Mirrored as "music to offend boring people" in their end-of-year top 50 last year, and yet I'm also a little saddened by the fact there might actually be a shred of truth in that statement. It might just be me wanting to project my tastes on others, but it does upset me when people don't 'get' this record: It isn't supposed to be offensive, it's supposed to be fun. Battles are a band who make music journalism feel like a futile effort in the best way possible: No amount of words can adequately convey the raw thrill of listening to their music, whether it be for the first time or the hundredth. All that's left to say is that you should at the very least give this album a listen - and if you find yourself even the tiniest bit interested enough to go back and give it another play, then it's entirely possible that you'll find yourself hooked very soon.