Battles is an American experimental rock group, founded in 2002 in New York City. The band’s current line-up comprises guitarists Ian Williams, Dave Konopka, and drummer John Stanier.
[audio:Battles – Ice Cream.mp3]Following a string of EPs, the band released their debut album on the Warp Records label in February 2006, which was titled EP C / B EP. It is a compilation of their early releases, EP C, B EP and the single Tras.
Their first full-length album Mirrored, recorded by Keith Souza at Machines with Magnets, was released on May 14, 2007. The album received positive reviews and appeared on several top album lists for 2007.
The first single from the album, Atlas, was released on February 21, 2007 as streaming audio, and the accompanying streaming video was released on February 28, 2007. It was voted “Best Single of the Week” by NME magazine, and received a glowing review in the British Clash Magazine, as well as ranking at number one in the second Dandelion Radio Festive Fifty.
Battles | Tonto (from the album Mirrored)
httpv://https://youtube.com/watch?v=1LLAN29W-4w
In August 2010, the band announced that Braxton is to leave the band due to commitments to his solo work. Battles’ second album, Gloss Drop, will be released in June 2011 featuring guests including Gary Numan, and the band announced a spring tour in support of the record.
[audio:03 Riffifi.mp3] On September 7th, Thrill Jockey released Oval’s new 70-track double-album, O. The album comes in 4 different covers, and Oval is slated to play some rare performances in support of the new record in Europe, Japan, and North America.
Popp, who lives and works in Berlin, took some time between his last release under the moniker SO and the “Oh” EP because he wanted the new material to be a radical departure from his old concepts and methods on all levels, to essentially be a second “debut” album.
As a musician, Popp’s process was more theoretical in nature. Creating the platform and knowing what that platform could and should do to the sound sources. He selected the sound sources and then turned it over to the platform.
Oval | AH! from Oval’s new album, “O”, released September 7th 2010.
httpv://https://youtube.com/watch?v=Q0MWfJE3ejI
For ”O”, Popp uses an instrument that is very common, a stock PC outfitted with stock sounds and plugins. He no longer uses or creates a custom platform, but instead utilizes a readily available instrument. What he has done with this instrument highlights Popp’s, perhaps for the first time, musicianship.
Popp spent years woodshedding with his instrument and worked diligently to push the instrument beyond its normal sonic boundaries.
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Battles & Oval LIVE
Sunday, 10.04.2011 | 20:00 CET
Festsaal Kreuzberg | Skalitzerstr. 130 | 10999 Berlin/Kreuzberg
http://www.festsaal-kreuzberg.de | Map | http://bttls.com
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