Battles - Gloss Drop (Warp)
4/5
By: Stephen Maughan
2007 was a good year for Battles. The New Yorkers’ debut album, Mirrored, was one of the most innovative and exciting not just of the year, but of the decade. They stormed the radio with ‘Atlas’, with frontman Tyondai Braxton's clever and almost jovial vocal stylings winning many an admirer. For a while back there, you just couldn't escape ‘Atlas’, their signature song appearing everywhere from the soundtrack to Skins to a memorable performance on Later... With Jools Holland. Hell, if you took a flight with American Airlines you'd find yourself humming along to it crossing the Atlantic. And then...
Braxton left half way through the recording of Gloss Drop, and the lights went out. Only they didn't really, because Battles always seemed more of an instrumental band anyway, and any band with one of the guitarists from Don Cabellero (surely one of the most under appreciated US bands of all time) and the drummer from Helmet are clearly capable of putting together a decent album in their sleep. The only question was, without Ty Braxton, would they bother to do so?
Gloss Drop is, thankfully, more than just a excuse to flex the musical muscle of its members. It's got all the elements and pace you loved from Mirrored, with vocals provided, when deemed necessary, by a cast of hipster all-stars – including Boredoms’ Yamantaka Eye, and Blonde Redhead's Kazu Makino. Oh, and there's Gary Numan too (yes, he's still alive).
The guest vocalists bring a certain freedom to the playground world of Battles. The music is constructed like a over excited child let loose with a box of playdough, and as such the results are indeed colourful, a little bit crazy, but somehow quite wonderful. The music sounds absorbing, and addictive. Now to answer some pesky questions...
Yes, the single ‘Ice Cream’ is the best track on the album. Yes, the Marc Almond track is actually pretty good, no the record isn’t boring, no Battles haven't run out of ideas. No, it isn’t a “reggae” album. Ok, admittedly a couple of times it does start to fizzle out slightly, but in the words of Sally from When Harry Met Sally “yes, yes, yes!” - this is a great record, and you should go buy it immediately.
Ice Cream (Featuring Matias Aguayo) by BATTLES
Artists in this article: Battles
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