Battles

Battles are a New York-based experimental rock group that forms in 2002 and remains active. Their line-up centres on drummer John Stanier, who has also played with Tomahawk, The Mark of Cain and Helmet, and guitarist and keyboardist Ian Williams, formerly of Don Caballero and Storm & Stress. Dave Konopka, who plays guitar and bass and was formerly of Lynx, is part of the group’s history; Tyondai Braxton, who contributes vocals, keyboards and guitar and is the son of avant-garde jazz composer and multi-instrumentalist Anthony Braxton, leaves in 2010 to focus on solo work.

The band is associated with electronic, experimental, experimental rock, math rock and post-rock, and records on Warp. Stanier’s drum kit becomes one of the group’s visual identifiers, with its bright yellow finish and unusually high Zildjian K ride cymbal; he sets the cymbal high because he thinks the ride is overused and makes himself stand up to strike it during performances.

Early releases and debut album

Battles issue two EPs and a single in 2004 on separate labels: Cold Sweat, Monitor and Dim Mak. These releases later appear together in a 2006 reissue on Warp. The single “Atlas” includes a remix by DJ Koze and helps build attention ahead of the first album. Their debut album, Mirrored, arrives on Warp in 2007 and receives strong critical attention. The single “Tonto” follows later that year, with a video directed by United Visual Artists, and is then paired with an EP containing remixes by Four Tet and The Field.

Gloss Drop and guest vocalists

The second album, Gloss Drop, appears on Warp in 2011. It is led by the singles “Ice Cream” and “My Machines” and features guest vocals in place of Braxton. The guests include Matias Aguayo on “Ice Cream”, Gary Numan on “My Machines”, Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead on “Sweetie & Shag”, and Yamantaka Eye of Boredoms on “Sundome”. The album is reviewed positively, with particular notice given to the guest appearances.

Remixes and later albums

Warp issues the four-part remix project Dross Glop in 2012, later compiled into one release. It features versions of the Gloss Drop material by Gui Boratto, The Field, The Alchemist, Shabazz Palaces, Kode9 of Hyperdub, Silent Servant of Sandwell District, Kangding Ray, Hans-Joachim Roedelius as Qluster, Brian DeGraw of Gang Gang Dance, Hudson Mohawke, Patrick Mahoney and Dennis McNany, also known as Museum of Love, and Yamantaka Eye.

After an extended period of writing and recording, Battles announce La Di Da Di in 2015 and release it on Warp that same year. Their fourth album, Juice B Crypts, appears in 2019.