Mirrored is a breathtaking aesthetic left-turn that sounds less like rock circa 2007 than rock circa 2097, a world where Marshall stacks and micro-processing go hand in hand.
Mirrored is a marvel, dastardly and wholly original as it is, and one of the year’s finest.
Mirrored is unlike any recording out there at the moment. It's loud, funny, and astonishingly sophisticated, and doesn't feel pretentious in the least.
Powered by its fluid and seeming invincibility, Mirrored is almost firghteningly cosmic.
The indie-rock universe hasn't coughed up a record as rhythmically thrilling as Mirrored in ages.
Mirrored is a focused, exhausting, and rewarding treasure.
Mirrored explodes with twisting grooves and obtuse angles.
Mirrored is Battles at their most experimental and their most immediate, their most wanky and most focused.
‘Mirrored’ is the sort of album that the sharp rock kids will be citing as an inspiration in the pages of NME in a decade’s time. It’s a glimpse through a prism into a myriad of rock futures, and all of them look like a blast.
Even if you’re not much of a cerebral-rock person, take a chance with this one — it pays off.
Where before they gave the distinct feel of a quick side-project for a bunch of talented musicians who were currently in other bands, on Mirrored it's clear that their hearts and souls are in every one of these songs.
Give Mirrored a handful of listens and you might just enjoy having your brains splattered against your speakers.
Elaborate time signatures and clever tape manipulations abound, and there's some fun trying to guess which instruments are synthesized and which are authentic, but Mirrored suffers from being too bright and spirited.
I was beyond excited to listen to "Mirrored" when I heard "Atlas" and it pretty much met my expectations and then some! This record is experimental rock played to the most fun and music theory-laden extremes. I was always ecstatic to see what happened next in the record, whether it be the brief detours or the colossal tracks that remain some of the best math rock bangers in recent memory. Overall, "Mirrored" is a catchy and captivating record that I'll definitely ... read more
SOLID!
You don't know what a "banger" is until you've heard tracks like; "Atlas" or "Tonto" or especially "Tij".
This album is like the murder who's already caught you, and is now carefully contemplating where to leave your remains. No one really talks about the eerie aesthetic, it might just be me. But I feel quite anxious to get to the next moment of the record.
VIBES - ●ALLEY•
Number 26:
Battles. Battles is Good. Battles makes me feel like I’m the future riding a roller coaster past all the landmarks of the 29th Century. Song like Ddiamondd and Race: Out are just so much fun. Not as good as Gloss Drop, but still, Battles.
One of the most amusing and outlandish musical projects I've heard in a while.
"Mirrored" by Battles is absolutely one-of-a-kind album! Released in 2007, each member's musicianship of the back then four-piece compliments the playful yet futuristic experimental rock soundscapes the band has to offer. You will find a lot of repetitive rhythms, addictive riffs and weird sound effects being used here. Tyondai Braxton, their frontman at the time, adds inflected and manipulated vocal ... read more
One of the most interesting math rock albums, hell even the most interesting rock albums in general. Every track puts emphasis on a certain instrument and highlights the shear amount of instruments they know how to play. PLEASE GIVE THIS A LISTEN.
This avant-garde masterpiece blends elements of math rock, experimental rock, post-rock and electronic music into a cohesive and mesmerizing sonic journey. And after 17 years, it sounds as futuristic as it did to my ears in 2007.
Battles demonstrates a willingness to push boundaries and explore new sonic territory. Tracks like "Leyendecker" and "Tonto" showcase the band's mastery of texture and atmosphere, while songs like "Ddiamondd" and "Tij" highlight ... read more
1 | Race - In 4:50 | 86 |
2 | Atlas 7:06 | 92 |
3 | Ddiamondd 2:33 | 84 |
4 | Tonto 7:43 | 90 |
5 | Leyendecker 2:48 | 82 |
6 | Rainbow 8:11 | 84 |
7 | Bad Trails 5:18 | 80 |
8 | Prismism 0:52 | 78 |
9 | Snare Hangar 1:58 | 82 |
10 | Tij 7:03 | 90 |
11 | Race - Out 3:29 | 84 |
#2 | / | Drowned in Sound |
#2 | / | The Skinny |
#3 | / | Gigwise |
#3 | / | Tiny Mix Tapes |
#5 | / | Cokemachineglow |
#7 | / | TIME |
#8 | / | Pitchfork |
#9 | / | Treble |
#10 | / | NME |
#10 | / | No Ripcord |