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Battles:
EP C
Battles new release EP C is one of two EPs released by the new band last month, with another coming in September. Battles plays tight, menacing, polyrhythmic instrumental post-rock. The underlying tension and moodiness of the tracks will not come as a surprise to anyone familiar with guitarist Ian Williams previous work with Don Caballero and Storm and Stress or the sonic experimentations of Tyondai Braxton. The result of this collaboration is complicated and stark, but it lacks the harnessed ferocity of Don Caballero. John Staniers drumming keeps the group in line but never really distinguishes itself. While the interplay of the harmonic elements does create interesting moments, some of it never seems to rise above the level of an exercise. The EPs highlights include the third track, Hi/Lo, in which the syncopated interactions of synth and guitar have their most satisfying result, and the closer, Tras 2, whose high, tense lines end with the only part of the album in which the drums are given the spotlight. UW, playing second on the disc, is a piece of real contrast to the rest of the EP, as low tempo synth lines interact in an otherwise spare ambient environment. Despite its differences in tone, the track fits in with the rest of the album in intent and execution, which is something that really demonstrates the strength of the release and the great potential of the band. Though working with different mixes of instrumentation on each track and experimenting with some fairly disparate rhythmic elements, Battles manages to forge all five of these tracks into one cohesive statement. While not a flawless release by any stretch, EP C has certainly made me want to track down the other Battles release, Tras, Fantasy E, and really anticipate their upcoming (September) release, which their official website names B EP.
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