Battles - EP C-B EP '2006

Tracks list

Tracklist:

[09:19] 01. Battles - SZ2
[01:11] 02. Battles - TRAS 3
[01:50] 03. Battles - IPT2
[12:27] 04. Battles - BTTLS
[04:48] 05. Battles - DANCE
[03:40] 06. Battles - TRAS
[06:09] 07. Battles - B+T
[03:01] 08. Battles - UW
[07:51] 09. Battles - HI/LO
[01:35] 10. Battles - IPT-2
[05:55] 11. Battles - TRAS2
[08:32] 12. Battles - FANTASY

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AllMusic Review by Brian Way
Battles is a breed of rock band unto itself, sounding arguably like no one else
out there. Taking cues from math rocks complexity, Krautrocks repetition,
electronicas unlimited sampledelic potential, and the avant-gardes penchant for
heresy, they have compiled a collection of their two five-song EPs here that
virtually defies description. Made up of a couple-few versions of the same piece
a couple times over, all obliquely named and sounding nothing like each other,
these are not merely remixes, and they form a cohesive whole. There is IPT 2 and
Ipt-2. There are SZ2, B+T and UW. And Tras 2 & 3 are included, but not the
original Tras, available on its own EP/single. Some tracks like UW and BTTLS
meander aimlessly, but the majority, including B+T and Tras 2, succeed in
capturing a sublime groove among the crazy clutter. A highlight, and the
definition of the Battles ethos is Hi/Lo, a lumbering mix of live drums,
keyboard bleeps and a reluctant syncopation between synth bass and the stringed
variety, culminating in a free jazz guitar freak-out. SZ2 begins with
intertwined guitar lines and what sounds like sleigh bells until a distorted
bass and some synthetic brass drop a frenetic off-timed riff, then the whole
song inverts itself into a free-funk spazz-out. Dance, the only conventionally
titled track, appears to use samples of vocal whispers and glottal stops to mesh
with live drums and create a rhythm briefly waiting for its eventual Fripp-ian
guitar scronks to scream through. At least thats what it sounds like, but who
knows? Battles blurs the distinction between organic and electronic, and
hopefully thats the point. An aficionado of all esoteric music would wait with
baited breath to see what the long-awaited Warp release will sound like.

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