Battles is an American

experimental rock Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments with the basic elements of the genre. Artists aim to liberate and innovate, wit ...

group, founded in 2002 in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

by Ian Williams (formerly of

Don Caballero Don Caballero (often shortened by members as 'Don Cab') was an American math rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Although the band has had numerous lineup changes with co-founder Damon Che (drums and percussion) being the only constant m ...

and

Storm & Stress Storm & Stress (alternately styled as Storm&Stress or Stormandstress) were an American experimental rock band formed in Pittsburgh and later based in Chicago. The band's name is derived from the German literary movement Sturm und Drang. Storm & S ...

). The current line-up is a duo, composed of guitarist/keyboardist Williams and drummer John Stanier (formerly of

Helmet A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protecti ...

Tomahawk A tomahawk is a type of single-handed axe used by the many Native Americans in the United States, Indian peoples and nations of North America, traditionally resembles a hatchet with a straight shaft. Etymology The name comes from Powhatan langu ...

and The Mark of Cain). Former members include composer/vocalist

Tyondai Braxton Tyondai Adaien Braxton (born October 26, 1978) is an American composer and musician. He has composed and performed music under his own name and collaboratively since the mid-1990s, including in the experimental rock group Battles from its for ...

and guitarist/bassist Dave Konopka. The band has released four studio albums to date, with the most recent ''Juice B Crypts'' being released in 2019. The band is regarded as one of the most innovative

math rock Math rock is a style of Alternative rock, alternative and indie rock with roots in bands such as King Crimson and Rush (band), Rush. It is characterized by complex, atypical rhythmic structures (including irregular stopping and starting), cou ...

bands of both the 2000s and the 2010s, with critics praising the band's unique sound. In 2007, ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...

'' wrote that "Battles have done more to extend the idea of a flesh-and-blood band enhanced by computer technology than anyone since the late, lamented

Disco Inferno "Disco Inferno" is a song by American disco band the Trammps from their 1976 studio album of same name. With two other cuts by the group, it reached No. 1 on the US ''Billboard'' Dance Club Songs chart in early 1977, but had limited mainstream ...

Career

Battles released two

EPs An extended play (EP) is a Sound recording and reproduction, musical recording that contains more tracks than a Single (music), single but fewer than an album. Contemporary EPs generally contain up to eight tracks and have a playing time of 1 ...

, ''

EP C ''EP C'' is the first Extended play, EP from the American math rock band Battles (band), Battles. It was released on Monitor Records (Los Angeles), Monitor Records. Track listing Personnel * Tyondai Braxton – guitar, keyboards * Dave Konop ...

'', '' B EP'', and the single "Tras" before signing to

Warp Records Warp Records is a British independent record label that specialises in Electronic music, electronic, indie rock and experimental music. It was founded in Sheffield in 1989 by Steve Beckett, Robert Mitchell and Robert Gordon. It has released recor ...

. Warp compiled these early recordings and released them as an album, titled ''

EP C / B EP ''EP C/B EP'' is a two disc compilation by the American math rock band Battles. It brings together the two previous EPs, ''EP C'', '' B EP'' and the "Tras" single. It was released in 2006 on Warp Records. ''EP C'' was originally released on Jun ...

'', in February 2006. Their first studio album, ''

Mirrored ''Mirrored'' is the debut studio album by American experimental rock band Battles. It was released on May 14, 2007 in the United Kingdom, and on May 22, 2007 in the United States. ''Mirrored'' marked the first album in which the band incorporate ...

'', was recorded by Keith Souza at Machines with Magnets, and released on May 14, 2007, preceded by a single, "

Atlas An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a bundle of world map, maps of Earth or of a continent or region of Earth. Advances in astronomy have also resulted in atlases of the celestial sphere or of other planets. Atlases have traditio ...

". The single was the

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...

's Single of the Week, and went on to be number one in the

Dandelion Radio Dandelion Radio is an internet radio station founded in June 2006 with the aim of pursuing the musical legacy of the popular and influential BBC Radio 1 disc jockey John Peel. The station takes its name from the record label Dandelion Records foun ...

Festive Fifty The Festive Fifty was originally an annual list of the year's 50 (though the exact figure varied above and below this number) best songs compiled at the end of the year and voted for by listeners to John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show. It was usually do ...

. The album received positive reviews and appeared on several top album lists for 2007. The group would go on to play at 2007's All Tomorrow's Parties festival and on BBC television's

Later With Jools Holland ''Later... with Jools Holland'' (also known as ''Even Later... with Jools Holland'', and previously known as ''Later Live... with Jools Holland'' and ''...Later with Jools Holland'') is a contemporary British music television show hosted by Jo ...

. Before the end of the year they collaborated with

United Visual Artists United Visual Artists (UVA) is a London-based art practice founded in 2003 by British artist Matt Clark (b.1974). UVA's diverse body of work integrates new technologies with traditional media such as painting, sculpture, performance, and site-sp ...

in a video for track ''"Tonto"''. Battles' music was used in video games such as

LittleBigPlanet ''LittleBigPlanet'' (''LBP''; stylised as ''LittleBIGPlanet'') is a Puzzle video game, puzzle platform video game series created and produced by British developer Media Molecule and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Most games in th ...

, short films, television programs, and on the soundtracks of films '' Twilight Saga: Eclipse'' and ''

Big Fan ''Big Fan'' is a 2009 American dramedy film written and directed by Robert D. Siegel, and starring Patton Oswalt, Kevin Corrigan, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Michael Rapaport, and Scott Ferrall. The story revolves around the bleak yet amiable life of ...

'' in the following years. Braxton left the group in August 2010, indicating that he did not wish to tour although Battles already had a touring schedule lined up for the upcoming year. Speaking about the split in 2013 to ''The Brag'', Braxton pointed to a "long standing divide" between himself and his bandmates. Battles' second album, '' Gloss Drop'', was released on June 6, 2011 featuring guests including

Gary Numan Gary Anthony James Webb (born 8 March 1958), known professionally as Gary Numan, is an English singer, songwriter and musician. He entered the music industry as frontman of the New wave music, new wave band Tubeway Army. After releasing two st ...

Kazu Makino Blonde Redhead is an American alternative rock band composed of Kazu Makino (vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar) and identical twin brothers Simone (drums, keyboards) and Amedeo Pace (lead guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals) that formed in New York ...

, and

Yamantaka Eye (born , 13 February 1964) is a Japanese vocalist and visual artist, best known as a member of Boredoms, Hanatarash and Naked City. He has changed his stage name three times, from Yamatsuka Eye, to Yamantaka Eye, to Yamataka Eye, and sometime ...

, and the band announced a spring tour in support of the record. In December 2011 the band curated the

All Tomorrow's Parties "All Tomorrow's Parties" is a song by the Velvet Underground and Nico, written by Lou Reed and released as the band's debut single in 1966. The song is from their 1967 debut studio album, ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''. Inspiration for the so ...

"Nightmare Before Christmas" festival in Minehead, England alongside co-curators

Les Savy Fav Les Savy Fav ( ) is an American indie rock band based in New York City. Their style is influenced by art punk and post-hardcore. The group is known for the stage presence of lead singer Tim Harrington. The band is signed to Frenchkiss Record ...

and

Caribou The reindeer or caribou (''Rangifer tarandus'') is a species of deer with circumpolar distribution, native to Arctic, subarctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous regions of Northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. It is the only represe ...

. From February to April 2012, a series of four

12" vinyl The twelve-inch single (often written as 12-inch or 12) is a type of vinyl (polyvinyl chloride or PVC) gramophone record that has wider groove spacing and shorter playing time with a "single" or a few related sound tracks on each surface, compar ...

were released, titled '' Dross Glop'' (a

spoonerism A spoonerism is an occurrence of speech in which corresponding consonants, vowels, or morphemes are switched (see metathesis) between two words of a phrase. These are named after the Oxford don and priest William Archibald Spooner, who report ...

of the album's title) 1 through 4, featuring

dance Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

remixes of all the songs on ''Gloss Drop'' by various artists, including

Gui Boratto Guilherme Boratto (born 1974) is a Brazilian electronic music producer. In the 1990s, he was a member of the Eurodance group Sect. His debut solo record, '' Chromophobia'', was named album of the month by ''Mixmag''. He has since released six m ...

Kode9 Steve Goodman, known as Kode9 (born 1973) is a Scottish electronic music artist, DJ, and founder of the Hyperdub record label. He was one of the founding members of the early dubstep scene with his late collaborator The Spaceape. He has releas ...

and

Hudson Mohawke Ross Matthew Birchard (born 11 February 1986), better known by the stage name Hudson Mohawke, is a Scottish producer, composer, and DJ from Glasgow. He is known for his work in 21st century hip-hop and electronic music. A founding member of th ...

. A compilation album featuring the 11 remixes (plus one not included, "Sundome") was released on April 16, 2012. Third album, In 2014, ''

La Di Da Di "La Di Da Di" is a song performed by Doug E. Fresh, who provides the beatboxed instrumental, and MC Ricky D (later known as Slick Rick), who performs the vocals. It was originally released in 1985 as the B-side to " The Show". The song has si ...

'', was released on September 18, 2015. This was preceded by a live session through

of them performing four new songs in New York City. The stream was up for 24 hours only, and was set on a constant loop. Konopka left the band in 2018, although the news was not confirmed until May 2019. The band played their first show as a duo in July 2019, at the

Dour Festival Dour Festival is an annual music festival in the municipality of Dour, Belgium. Since its creation in 1988, the festival has grown to an attendance of about 225,000 in 2015 (over 5 days). The first year, only five bands were programmed (includi ...

in Belgium. Their fourth album, '' Juice B Crypts'', was released on October 18, 2019. It features collaborations with

Shabazz Palaces Shabazz Palaces is an American hip hop group from Seattle led by Ishmael Butler a.k.a. Palaceer Lazaro (formerly Butterfly of jazz rap group Digable Planets). Much of Butler's work as Shabazz Palaces has been made in collaboration with multi ...

Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid is an American no wave and dance-punk group, originally active from 1980 to 1983. They are best known for their track "Cavern," which was covered—without proper permission or attribution—by the Sugar Hill Records (rap), Sugar ...

's Sal Principato,

Xenia Rubinos Xenia Rubinos (born July 24, 1985) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Background and early life Xenia Rubinos was born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1985 to a Puerto Rican mother and a Cuban father. She studied jazz comp ...

Jon Anderson Jon Anderson (born John Roy Anderson, 25 October 1944) is a British, and latterly American, singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the former lead singer of the progressive rock band Yes (band), Yes, which he formed in 1968 with bassis ...

Yes Yes or YES may refer to: * An affirmative particle in the English language; see yes and no Education * YES Prep Public Schools, Houston, Texas, US * Young Eisner Scholars, in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and Appalachia, US * Young Ep ...

and

Tune-Yards Tune-Yards (stylized as tUnE-yArDs) is the Oakland, California–based music project of Merrill Garbus (vocals, various instruments) and Nate Brenner (bass, various instruments). Garbus's music draws from an eclectic variety of sources and use ...

' Merrill Garbus. In December 2021, it was announced the band would tour North America in April and May 2022 as the opening act on Primus' ''A Tribute to Kings'' tour. In September 2023, the band was the opening act for

Mr. Bungle Mr. Bungle is an American experimental rock band formed in Eureka, California, in 1985. The band is known for its eclecticism, cycling through several musical genres, often within the course of a single song, including heavy metal, avant-garde ...

's seven-date North American tour.

Members

;Current members * Ian Williams –

guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

, keyboards, sequencer (2002–present);

effects Effect may refer to: * A result or change of something ** List of effects ** Cause and effect, an idiom describing causality Pharmacy and pharmacology * Drug effect, a change resulting from the administration of a drug ** Therapeutic effect, ...

bass guitar The bass guitar (), also known as the electric bass guitar, electric bass, or simply the bass, is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family. It is similar in appearance and construction to an Electric guitar, electric but with a longer nec ...

, loops (2018–present) * John Stanier –

drums The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...

percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a percussion mallet, beater including attached or enclosed beaters or Rattle (percussion beater), rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or ...

(2002–present) ;Former members *

– guitar, keyboards,

vocals Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define sing ...

(2002–2010) * Dave Konopka – bass guitar, guitar, effects, loops (2002–2018)

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

* ''

'' (Monitor Records, June 8, 2004) * '' B EP'' (

Dim Mak Records Dim Mak Records is an independent, Los Angeles–based record label, events company, and lifestyle brand founded by Steve Aoki in 1996. The label has released music under the genres of punk, indie rock, hardcore, hip hop, and electronic dance m ...

, September 14, 2004) * '' EPC'' (Dotlinecircle, October 2004) – Japan only special mix edition * ''Lives'' (Beat Records, September 27, 2007) * '' Tonto+'' (

, October 22, 2007) * '' Dross Glop 1'' (Warp Records, February 6, 2012) * '' Dross Glop 2'' (Warp Records, February 20, 2012) * '' Dross Glop 3'' (Warp Records, March 19, 2012) * '' Dross Glop 4'' (Warp Records, April 21, 2012) – Released on

Record Store Day Record Store Day is a semi-annual event established in 2008 to "celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store". Held on one Saturday (typically the third) every April and every Black Friday in November, the day brings together f ...

* ''Juice B Mixed'' (Warp Records, November 20, 2020)

Compilations

* '' EP C/B EP'' (

, February 21, 2006) * '' Dross Glop'' (Warp Records, April 16, 2012) — CD compilation of the four-part 12" vinyl remixes

Singles

Music videos

*"Atlas" (2007) *"Tonto" (2007) *"Ice Cream" (2011) *"My Machines" (2011) *"The Yabba" (2015) *"Dot Net" (2015) *"Titanium 2 Step" (2019) *"Fort Greene Park" (2019) *"Sugar Foot" (2020)

Notes

Filmography

* ''

'' (October 2009) * Battles: The Art of Repetition (July 2015)

References

External links

Official Battles website

Battles fansite
{{DEFAULTSORT:Battles Musical trios from New York (state) American post-rock groups Indie rock musical groups from New York (state) American math rock groups Musical groups established in 2003 Musical groups from New York City Warp (record label) artists 2002 establishments in New York City