Guido Giotta

www.giotta.com

Have a White Stripes Christmas

This is seriously some wondrous news. The White Stripes shall be releasing a limited edition box set entitled Under Great White Northern Lights on March 16th, with pre-orders beginning at their site tomorrow. It will include a DVD of the film of the same name (which shown in Toronto this past September), a DVD of the Stripes 10th anniversary show (The White Stripes Under Nova Scotian Lights), a 16-track live album during their Canadian tour on both vinyl and CD, a live 7" (featuring 'Icky Thump' and 'The Wheels On The Bus'), a 208-paged book with photos from the tour by Autumn De Wilde (and a forward by Jim Jarmusch), and a silk screen print. 

Mmmm.

BOOM BOOM BOOM

"That's how you win Christmas!"

Everybody else is doing it, I just want to be popular

First, my top 5:Fuck Buttons - 'Tarot Sport' (It's epic, vast, beautiful, everything I could ever hope for from my favourite band and most anticipated thing of '09.)Animal Collective - 'Merriweather Post Pavilion' (If every indie blog you read claims this to be their best of '09 then they're doing their job, it's as amazing as everyone says it is. Everyone who doesn't include this is just trying to be cool and failing miserably.)Fever Ray - 'Fever Ray' (The combination of the dark, deep music with Karen's vocals emanate a genre once lost.)Lightning Bolt - 'Earthly Delights' (Part destructive noise, part colourful melody, everything Lightning Bolt does makes me smile.)Tyondai Braxton - 'Central Market' (This is (hopefully) what we'll be listening to far into the future. This sounds like it'd be the soundtrack to a Disney/Miyazaki bastard child.)And now the rest:Animal Collective - 'Fall Be Kind EP' (Yep, more Animal Collective, deal with it it's their year.)Metric - 'Fantasies' (Fun, poppy, easy to sing along to, what more could ask for from a band you've been waiting patiently for.)Karen O and the Kids - 'Where The Wild Things Are OST' (Gentle and precious, here's hoping she gets that Golden Globe.)Yo La Tengo - 'Popular Songs' (I name this "Makeout Album of '09", but in all seriousness it's fantastic.)The Horrors - 'Primary Colours' (A surprisingly dancey sophomore album from goth-rockers, who knew.)The Breeders - 'Fate To Fatal' (This hasn't gotten the credit it deserves.)The Yeah Yeah Yeahs - 'It's Blitz' (I wasn't too pumped about the YYY's new style but I do love it enough to mention it (not to mention the bonus acoustic tracks are gems all on their own).)Dan Deacon - 'Bromst' (If you liked 'Wham City' on 'Spiderman of the Rings' then you'll love Bromst, never have I had so many images go through my head when listening to an album.)Matt and Kim - 'Grand' (The title says it all, it's exciting, loving, sweet, and a perfect summer soundtrack.)Atlas Sound - 'Logos' (Anybody who duets with Panda Bear gets a VIP pass to this list, but the rest of the album is delightful as well.)Deerhunter - 'Rainwater Cassette Exchange' (Yum.)Mum - 'Sing Along To Songs You Don't Know' (A more pop Mum, but a good Mum nonetheless.) Tickley Feather - 'Hors d'Oeuvres' (Yes, it's maybe TOO simple, but in an incredibly darling sort of way.)HEALTH - 'Get Color' (It's not as dramatic or daring as their first album, but Get Color is quite possibly the most badass thing to come out this year.)Depeche Mode - 'Sounds of the Universe' (Still fantastic after all this time.) Delorean - 'Ayrton Senna EP' (I would call this comfort-dance.)Sufjan Stevens - 'The BQE' (An orchestra never sounded so hip.)Charlotte Gainsbourg - 'IRM' (It's like '5:55' with an occasional spike of surprise. She still has one of the sweetest voices around.) 

Boris Mikhailov

R.I.P.

NEW GOLDFRAPP

"so…. we have been back in the studio writing the album after finishing the score for the film ‘nowhere boy’. its all been going great, Will and i will be probably be finished soon after christmas. we’re doing a photo shoot for the album art work this week which is exciting, so i’ve been busy preparing for that. also looking at who might direct the video for the first single. there will be a bit of redesign for the website too, soon i hope."

http://www.goldfrapp.com/blog/

This absolutely came out of nowhere, and I'm beyond happy. 'Seventh Tree' was divine and I can't wait to see what direction they'll go in (and ultimately make sweet, sweet love to) with this next album. 

Figures

Apparently Peter Murphy of Bauhaus is cameo-ing in the third Twilight movie.

Because: duh.

They ended with their opener

As anticipated, Fuck Buttons were downright transendiary last night. I was pumped to see the little cassette player (with a reminiscent sticker attached) knowing that they'd be pumping out a few Street Horrrsing tracks. Even the two openers Growing and These Are Powers were really pretty great. It was hard NOT to move, to NOT occasionally close your eyes and just swing around. I even got a little head-banging in when the apocalyptic buzz of 'Bright Tomorrow' kicked in. 

FB and Growing are playing again on the 27th at Market Hotel. I'm hoping to be there but if I can't then I'm beyond glad I made it last night, even when some forces (fuck you Ronkonkoma) were against me and my lovely evening companion.

If I recall correctly the set-list went something like:

Surf Solar

Colours Move

Rough Steez

Bright Tomorrow

Olympians

Phantom Limb

Space Mountain

Flight of the Feathered Serpent

And then an encore of Sweet Love For Planet Earth

Granted I could very well be making most of this up as I have a pretty awful memory, I am 90% sure that is the exact set-list, but I would get a second opinion.

Look! There I am! Right of heart-clenching girl.

'Crown on the Ground'

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/11594-crown-on-the-ground/

This song is beyond ruling me right now.

Get the fuck out, song.

Tarot Sport (otherwise known as my album of the year)

Listening to Tarot Sport I now imagine Street Horrrsing to be in a sort of bubble. A bubble where there are only a handful of sounds and Fuck Buttons master all of them. Tarot sounds as if that bubble had exploded and a million new sounds have generated around it, new sounds FB had to learn to master. And they did wonderfully. 

Tarot Sport is epic, ground-shaking, beautiful, kaleidoscopic, and even heart-breaking. Nobody should have to miss out on this album.  

Is today the day?

Today is the day.

Pissed

I don't know who is delaying Lightning Bolt's new album for me but I should be holding it right now at this very moment, ripping the sticky plastic wrap off and going batshit in my basement. WHERE IS IT?!

Alright, now I'm 90% sure it's Amazon's fault. I've seen no word of the album being delayed anywhere, and another package we ordered came just fine. WHAT'S THE FUCKING DEAL?! I think I'm going to buy Tarot Sport via ATP now. I'll end up getting two copies but that's hardly a bad thing, I just want it on time.

Antichrist

October-ber-ber

There is alot to look forward to this October (and November).

1. New Fuck Buttons album.
I even dreamt I was listening to it last night.
2. New Lightning Bolt album.
I still haven't gotten a chance to listen to 'Colossus' but I'm always excited for anything LB.
3. Where the Wild Things Are hits theaters.
And it looks beautiful.
4. New season of Nip/Tuck.
Came out of nowhere, but good timing.
5. Halloween (duh).
Duh.

I can't think of anything to be for Halloween. I'll feel bad if I don't at least try and do something, but I'm kindof lost. Maybe I'll just wear a sailor shirt and my batman mask. Or I could do what a friend suggested and dress just extra peculiar and have people guess, and whatever they say I am, I am.

ATP NY '09

Everything worked out. Tickets arrived by the time I got home after the festival but it didn't matter, they just needed proof of purchase and I was in. The best weekend of the year commenced.

Instead of writing out every little thing that happened I'm just going to list who I saw in order and give a little blurb about them. But mostly I'm just lazy.

The Dirty Three (performing Ocean Songs)
Arriving friday afternoon I decided to start my musical indulgence at Stage 1, and for the majority of the weekend I pretty much gravitated there.
I wasn't familiar with the Three at all, and I give them many props for what they do, but what they do didn't totally do it for me.

Suicicde (performing first LP)
Now Suicide I had actually heard before. One song, but that still counts for something right? Well, against my better judgement I didn't eat much that morning, and despite being just one dude on keyboard/electronics and one dude at the mic I felt like they were trying to tear me a new one. They sounded fantastic, but I just couldn't take it, and I left after 'Cheree'.

Panda Bear
After getting something to eat (just-made fries and too much caesar salad in a flooding outdoor food court) I hurried back to Stage 1 to see Panda Bear, who I anticipated greatly since finding out he had joined the lineup. Originally he was set for day 2 but I think PB as well as Animal Collective in one day might've been a bit jarring. Anyways, Mr. Lennox was brilliant. From start to finish his set was thumpy and jingly and just exhilarating. He even performed a few AC tracks, of course with some liberties taken with them.

Iron And Wine
By now my head was pounding, and not just from the earthquake bass that few bands were without. I wasn't too familiar with IaW but I vaguely remembered him being pretty folky and soft, so I stayed in hopes of something to soothe my aching cranium. Luckily it was just what I needed. Sam Beam was friendly and talkative, and his delightful strumming was a perfect way to end the night.

Sufjan Stevens (performing Seven Swans)
Someone I've been dying to see for some time, I was eager to head over on Day 2 to see Mr. Stevens and his tie-dyed (courtesy of Jam Baggages) ensemble in action. They exceeded expectations and Sufjan's soft voice was even more touching live. I can't stress how fucking adorable and sweet he is also, just throwing that out there.

Grouper
Next up was Liz Harris, whose 'Heavy Water/I'd Rather Be Sleeping' has been a personal favourite since the release of her latest album, so of course I stayed. She was dark but serene, lonely but surrounding, enwrapped in noise and guitar and the glimmering moon shine on water behind her. She was a good balance to Sufjan, at least I think so.

Black Dice
I don't mean this negatively at all, but BD were a surprise. I expected loud, disjointed rhythyms and noise but got loud, disjointed rhythyms and noise with such intensity and pounding danceability that I found myself inching my feet around and jumping excitedly. Absolutely an A+ performance, definitely not passing up another chance to see them again.

Atlas Sound
Finally making a stage switch I decided to venture across the building and check out Bradford Cox's solo project. To my surprise (and others I'm sure) he was suited up with a humble acoustic guitar instead of his usual setup. It was pleasant though, and did not sound like Dave Matthew's (hohohohoho). I wish I had caught the beginning, but everything from where I stepped in was great.

Sleepy Sun
I didn't need to go back to my home stage for a while, so I relaxed a bit in the kinda squashed (at least in comparison) Stage 2 and listened to probably the first half of Sleepy Sun, who were great, just not beyond thrilling. For me at least.

Autolux
Back to Stage 1! Now, I'm having a bit of a block trying to describe this next group. They were great, let's get that out there. They were intense and quite loud and almost dizzying. I have no complaints other than that I wish they had played 'Sugarless'.

Animal Collective
I took a break in the car and went out to get a quick bite, I wanted to be full and ready for the next and final act of the night.
For all the time I spent in Stage 1 I saw these lights strung up on the ceilings that sorta looked like colourful, clear jellyfish. It only made sense that they were part of the AC experience.
Out came three of the Collective, armed and ready at their sheeted stations that lit-up in rhythym with the music that poured out of the speakers. They were everything I hoped they'd be and then some, they got me dancing and singing along like I was at home blasting 'Brother Sport'; which was by far one of those moment you wished would never end, and almost seemed like it wouldn't. Along with a gorgeous and lengthy 'Fireworks', sunny romp 'Summertime Clothes' and fan-favourite 'My Girls' Animal Collective not only put on an incredible show, but one of the weekends best by far.

Boredoms (performing 9 drummer BOADRUM)
Lucky for me I got to witness the strange genius of the Boredoms and the nine drummers accompanying them. It was brutal, tribal, exciting, and demanding, even when they exceeded their time limit and people were taking their equipment apart they never stopped. Also, was that a seven neck guitar? Badassssssssssssssss.

I think this was about the time I decided to check out the cinema they had set up. I saw Jim Jarmusch's 'Mystery Train' which was delightful as expected. Jim came into the room afterwords and had a Q&A with the attendee's. It was a great opportunity I'm glad I didn't miss.

Boris (performing Feedbacker)
Back to the music! And what a band I decided to return to. Boris, who I had little to no knowledge of before, were spectacular. And spectaculerly loud as well. People take walls of pure noise and sound differently, I think if pulled off well it can be one of the most gorgeous things, and Boris can definitely pull it off. Their ear-piercing feedback wave echoed last years holocaust of My Bloody Valentine's 'You Made Me Realise'.

Crystal Castles
Though I had missed the first half of their set, I was instantly sucked into the frenzy of CC's pounding tunes. It was a nice change that made me move alot more than I'd like to admit. Also I need to confess I officially want to BE Alice Glass. She was so animated and furious and thrilling you couldn't help but grin when she dissappeared into the audience, or kicked her strobe light around. She and they were fantastic beyond belief.

The Flaming Lips
The big finale, and by big I mean the biggest.
Now, I liked the Flaming Lips, they weren't necessarily one of my top faves or anything, but I enjoyed them every now and then. However now I'm a little obsessed. It's hard to put into words how insanely incredible they were. Not only was the music good, and they played every song I need them to, but they were chatty and inviting and sweet. There wasn't a second that I wasn't in absolute smiles, leaning up on my toes anxious for the next big wave of melody to hit me.
I shouldn't have to explain why 'Do You Realize' is one of the most heart-aching songs of all time, but live? Straight from the Wayne's mouth? I nearly died. You knew it was coming, and he even mentioned it before playing it, but as soon as that gasping countdown began you just knew this was it. This is it.
They ended with an encore, a cover of 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow' which on anybody else might sound sorta wanky, but it so fit, it just felt right.

And that was it. The greatest weekend of this year was over. I couldn't call this year better or worse as last years, they are so wildly different despite having so many similarities that it's impossible to decide. All I know is if ATP keeps coming up with incredible lineups I'll keep buying tickets.

A little stressed

Tomorrow is ATP New York.

My ticket still hasen't arrived in the mail.

I have no idea what is going to happen.

P.S. Battles are incredible live. 'Atlas' is one of those songs that, although the entire set was insane, that song in particular just made standing non-stop for six hours worth it and then some.

'Surf Solar'

Days ago I headed over to the Fuck Button's myspace, because every now and then there's a little edible candy blog with information relevant to my interests. And judging from the title I knew it'd be something good.

They had announced their second album-Tarot Sport-and a bevvy of UK tour dates. Though I don't live in Europe the album spill and the mere mention of playing live again made me giddy.

Earlier today Pitchfork.com premiered the duo's first single-'Surf Solar'-and I found it during lunch at work, and lucky me my computers speakers are shit-broke. So I had to wait to get home to finally listen to it. And the verdict?

Well, I love it, that is a given. But I'm also really conflicted.

Andrew Weatherall (who did a delightful remix of 'Sweet Love For Planet Earth' that invoked the dance floor) has apparently had a hand in Tarot Sport, and it is quite noticeable in 'Surf Solar.' Not to say that's a bad thing, but if every song on Andy and Ben's sophmore piece sounds like a remix instead of their fuzzy, unique noise, then I'm going to be a tad dissapointed.

Granted the two haaave been playing some mysterious, yet-to-be mentioned tracks during live shows, so there's hope that maybe those will be included.

Now, I should state that 'Surf Solar' is fantastic in it's own right and I love it; I mean, if my ears are correct there's some subtle collective chanting going on which is splendid. If all of Tarot Sport sounds like this then I'm sold, but here's hoping to some ocean-of-noise and tribal drum epics that Street Horrrsing so lovingly contributed.

http://pitchfork.com/news/36063-premiere-fuck-buttons-surf-solar/

I'm surprised I haven't gotten a papercut yet

From where I sit in this office
there's a window I can look out
There's a field
and almost every time I look at it
there are butterflies fucking.

Commenced? A possible follow up to 'Street Horrrsing'?

As in... finished? As in everything is recorded? As in new album?
Well it's been 3 years hasn't it?

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=12929735&blogId=496705430

Dracula Birthday

I wonder what the typical 'Happy Birthday' song would sound like under the control of Brian and Brian of Lightning Bolt.

(SOMEBODY TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION.)

The Horrors 'Primary Colours'

Back in 2007, British goth-garage band The Horrors released their first album Strange House. It was great at the time, I was in fact pretty obsessed with them for a while, but I have to admit the album didn't really quench my thirst entirely. The first single 'Sheena is a Parasite' (whose video is directed by nonother than Chris-Fucking-Cunningham) is properly brilliant, opening with what you might think is a hellicopter and just exploding from there. And the rest of the album isn't bad by any means whatsoever.

Their sophmore album Primary Colours is out May 4th, and showcases a new, more refined sound. There's still plenty of flashy drums, vibrating guitar riffs, janky organs, and aching vocals, but there's also the presence of a kind of ambient force. The Horrors wouldn't be the only band this year to start relying more on synths (coughYeahYeahYeahscough), but I have to say it really really works for them. It is very aparent through the first track ('Mirror's Image', which starts out rather dreamlike) to 'Sea Within a Sea', the first single and Seventeen Seconds-esque album finisher.

In short, the garage raucous has been toned down but the instinct to dance like an 80's goth rocker has been doubled. If you're me that's a good thing, but take it as you will.

Listen to Primary Colours in it's entirety at: http://www.nme.com/news/the-horrors/44240

This is a good year

See that? That's a pretty fantastic music video. It's so fantastic that I've decided I'm going to make an end-of-the-year list of '09s most specTACULAR videos, because spectacular music needs a nice visual to pair itself with. I'm trying to open myself up to more artists and music I wouldn't normally bother with in hopes of finding something new to excite me. And seeing as there's plenty of new albums to get into this year there should be plenty to look forward to.

The Adevtureland Soundtrack, don't change a thing

So I had the pleasure of seeing Adventureland recently, and though the movie was pretty good (not amazing, but some moments were just fantastic) the music was altogether great. It was like when you see a movie based in the 80's and you secretly hope you hear that one particular song you can't help but sing along to, well every song in Adventureland is that song.

First off, it should be made known that none other than Yo La Tengo scored the original tunes for this nostalgic flick. And a very good job they did. YLT injected the same sweet sentimentality their music is known for into the backgrounds of a Long Island (where I call home) themepark, and it fit like a sequined glove.

Beginning to end, Adventureland is sprinkled with gemstones of 80's audio. From David Bowie's classic 'Modern Love' to The Cure's romantic-eighties-comedy-staple 'Just Like Heaven', and from INXS's bittersweet credit-roller 'Don't Change' to Falco's never-ending 'Amadeus' which only the likes of me and my fellow LI friend found amusing to the max.

For every song you knew instantaneously there was at least one you didn't know but had to google when you got home. Plenty of songs I knew the minute I heard 'em, but others, like Husker Du's 'Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely' surprised me. Sure, Miss Kristen Fingers-in-my-hair-forever Stewart wore a Husker t-shirt, but for the most part you never hear the ones you want.

J's Bummer Songs are quite possibly this years Boner Jams '03, because who didn't leave the theater thinking of the saddest songs they could piece together for whoever might be riding shotgun with them. And come on, who didn't get the urge to put together a bunch of smut too.

ANYWAYS, other great moments included Lou Reed's fantastical 'Satellite of Love', which, for the obvious love song implemented in every movie of this nature, was very welcome. And I nearly died when I heard The Jesus and Mary Chain's-oddly seductive in this case-acoustic cover of 'Taste of Cindy', which I hold very near and dear to my heart, but of course isn't on the official soundtrack.

I reccomend seeing Adventureland if a) you grew up on the kiddy rides there, b) have a thing for good 80's-based music, or c) need a quirky shot of nostalgia.

Music videos don't get any sweeter.

I WANT TO BE APART OF THIS.

You better look out below

The trailer to Spike Jonze's Where the Wild Things Are is pretty heart-wrenching. Whether it's from memories of sitting indian style in a classroom while a teacher read the book to you, or Arcade Fire's emotion crushing dance-a-long 'Wake Up' that scores it. Whatever the reason, it's bound to strike something inside of you that gets you on the verge of tears, even if your not sure why.

Karen O (of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs) is scoring the film, which I'm personally on the fence about. I'm expecting great things, but this sounds like a first for her. If the entire thing was filled with Arcade Fire's Funeral then I'd be happy as bees (a wish of mine since I first bought the album), but rarely do I hear a trailer song actually make it to the final product.

Anyways, Where the Wild Things Are comes out October 16th.

Lookee what I made

(This is just a fan-made video done through inspiration and boredom, if it's infringing on all the things of the world then i'll take it down. Thank you.)

What's going on here?!

My beloved 'Sweet Love for Planet Earth' is in a movie trailer? I don't really know how to react. I'm not really upset with it, there's only a bit of the beginning chime part. So not enough for people to go "Oh what song is this? I need this!" but enough for fans to identify.

Not to mention Victoria Bergsman (of The Concretes and Taken By Trees) cover of 'Sweet Child O' Mine' is played through all Kubricky. What with such a sweet song overlapping gorey rape and murder.

I can't say I'm excited for the movie, but if EITHER of these songs is in it I may shell out the cash just to hear them on the big screen. Wait...what?

'If I Had A Heart' Fever Ray

For whatever reason, I never took the time to get into The Knife. Which is a shame because I have a weird fondness for Swedish bands (The Radio Dept., The Concretes) and judging by the sister half of The Knife's new solo album I'd probably fall for them as well. Karin Dreijer Andersson, or Fever Ray, has proven that she can break off from the family tree and succesfully make hauntingly beautiful, badass music.

Her first single 'If I Had A Heart' is a real soft treat. Blending the sounds of a tribal funeral with a continuous stream of threat and a drum machine. Unlike other songs such as 'When I Grow Up'-where Karin's voice is used to it's sharpest-'If I Had A Heart' demonstrates a more breathy and throbbing chant, demanding "more, give me more, give me more..."

The B-side to this single is more of a surprise treat, taking things to an inevitable next step. It's not surprising to hear a more beat-orientated remix of the dark track, but who would have expected noise geniuses Fuck Buttons to take it there. Luckily it's an absolute success (not that I would expect any less) and proves that you can turn a hypnotizing requiem into what should be this years most danced to song. It starts with a sped-up beat almost reminiscent of 'Bright Tomorrow', Karin's deep-breaths weaving in and out of electronic chimes, then at the 4:44 mark the "calm before the holocaust" that we love in tracks like 'Sweet Love for Planet Earth', 'Bright Tomorrow', and the FB remix of Mogwai's 'Fear Satan' initiates. It's loud, it's static, it's perfect. My only complaint (and it be a small one) is that the ending seems to come out of nowhere, leaving you wishing it would loop for another five minutes. But maybe that's just their genius at work, making you re-listen over and over again.

Fever Ray's self-titled debut album is out now, and the second single will be 'When I Grow Up'.

So Wrong It's Right (D:)

I can't decide which I'm more excited about: New Depeche Mode? or new a new Patrick Daughters video?

Either way they're both exceptional.

Depeche Mode - "Wrong" (official music video)


Neither cease to satisfy me.

Exploding carousel

Merriweather Post Pavilion is giving me chills! Everything is so new and exciting, but each song shares and borrows from the others. It really is as fucking brilliant as everyone says it is.

SHIT

I CAN'T STOP LISTENING TO:
a) Ladytron's new single 'Tomorrow'
There's this really "off" sounds in it that is driving me insane in the best possible way.
b) Three songs off of the Kings of Leon album Only by the Night.
Those three are 'Closer', 'Sex on Fire', and 'Cold Desert'. Quite frankly the rest isn't exciting me as much as I hoped, but I really don't need anything other than those three.

And because the video is of equal impressive-ness:

Ladytron- Tomorrow

Battles' 'Mirrored'

So this past December was a music free for all for me, if I wasn't receiving it I was hunting down elusive albums I had yet to own. But math rock geniuses Battles first full-length LP 'Mirrored' came to me as a gift, one that helped ring in the new year.

Before actually hearing all eleven tracks in their entirety I grew attached to their second single 'Atlas'. And a special shout-out has to go to Timothy Saccenti for his awe-inspiring accompanying video and album cover (he also directed Animal Collective's 'Peacebone', a personal favourite). Then I re-discovered 'Tonto', which was introduced to me by God-knows-who years ago. But hearing the full album (minus the Japan bonus 'Katoman', which I'll find eventually) gives me a good appreciation for what this band can do, and how well they do it. So let's begin.

'Race: In' - Starting off 'Mirrored' is 'Race: In', a kind of "calm before the storm" sort of intro, where it starts out hushed and builds up with cameos of scaling guitars and shrill chirping synth horns, before letting the drums get a bit harder for what turns out to be only a moment. After a while the vocals come forth, simple escalating notes that fall into hums. It's a good song, not necessarily the first thing that comes to mind when I think Battles, but it's an enjoyable first look into what becomes a great album.

'Atlas' - This song always strikes me as some kind of evil, not Hitler on steroids evil, the sound is so unique you can't help but hear the warped vocals and thumping drums as some kind of dark chant. Even the lyrics are reminiscent of childhood songs twisted into horror movie anthems. But don't let me turn you away, 'Atlas' is a heart-pumping, foot-moving song, even if you don't realize it. And it only gets better when the sound you got used to drops to a repeating guitar chord, making you wait while it finds new sick notes to play. The chorus will stick in your mind for days, even if you can't understand what Mr. Tyondai is saying.

'Ddiamondd' - I can only describe this as a burst of energy. It starts without warning and forces you to try and understand the hyper-fast vocals, which may or may not be saying what you think they're saying. 'Ddiamondd' survives on short breaths of winding guitar and the clapping of drums, then weaves back into a paragraph of mirrors, prisms, and diamonds. For being the one song with the most diverse lyrics on 'Mirrored', 'Ddiamondd' is an absolute trip.

'Tonto' - I will name this song "Most likely to be used in a western film" for it's growing and ruthless guitar focus, but it stays adventurous and different by adding in the plucking of what you'd certainly guess was some kind of harp or something. But for all it's seven minutes and forty-three seconds it seems like nothing in it's center really happened, only to slowly end as it began. This is the kind of song you're sure to air-guitar no matter what, but it'll also leave a serene, thoughtful impression.

'Leyendecker' - Starting off with simple-yet-sexy pounding drums and barely-there guitar, 'Leyendecker' never really transforms into anything than what it was meant to be, but that doesn't suggest it's not a great listen. The various sounds are a play for the ears, and the elevating vocals that sound like an alternative take on the Chipmunks sound familiar but interesting.

'Rainbow' - The longest song on 'Mirrored' for good reason, there's alot packed in. Like most of the other tracks this one is a kind of buildup; new instruments appear before you could ever get bored of what you were hearing already. It all sounds like a preperation for something great and climactic, and it delivers, but it wasnts you to hold on and enjoy everything Battles has to offer, showcasing a bit of everything. Everything collapses all at once, but instead of going back to what it was it erupts in much louder, ferocious sounds, making way for some majestic vocal-work. 'Rainbow' is both soft and thunderous, like something destructive descending from the clouds.

'Bad Trails' - A little after a minute something strange emerges in 'Bad Trails', do Battles play in aviaries? Who knows, but I love hearing it nontheless. The comforting sounds that make up the backbone of this song are what draw you in, and it stays like that, only allowing other sounds to escalate to certain heights before drawing them back into their roots. It's a devious track, sounding rather toned down to the rest of the album, but massivley different in the sounds it presents.

'Prismism' - There isn't too much to say about 'Prismism' really, it's just shy of playing at an actual minute. You won't really notice it coming after 'Bad Trails' but there's no reason to skip it. Is it necessary? Probably not. Is it a good listen? Absolutely.

'Tij' - 'Tij' is a total ride, there are so many sounds to concentrate on it'll take multiple listens to really discover what you're hearing. The gasping in the background are all the vocals it needs, from the enraging drums to reverse-sounding guitars there's so much to pick apart you really just need to keep in mind it's a fast-paced rock song. Every instrument and sound gets a chance to make itself known, but who can complain when Battles are so good at playing them?

'Race: Out' - Appropriately named, the ending track is without a doubt my favourite piece of 'Mirrored'. It's the end of everything you just heard, but a link to what will come next. It starts off beautifully solemn, like warped voilins playing their last notes. Battle drums follow, growing closer and louder, but before you can get completely used to it the guitar appears out of nowhere striking every pitch imaginable with such speed, soon to be accompanied by furious, melodic drums that don't quit. You'd think, listening to it, that 'Race: Out' would never end, but unfortunately it begins to fade, and an eruption of symbols takes off seconds before departure.


I'd reccomend 'Mirrored' to just about anybody. It's packed with enough sound to make it a permanent member of your collection, but leaves you wanting more. Luckily there are several EP's to hunt down, and seeing as it's been two years since 'Mirrored' debuted I wouldn't be surprised if Battles were working hard on something new to singe our eardrums with.