Warp

There is always a moment of panic when a musician exits a group, particularly if that musician felt instrumental to a band’s unique sound. But while listening to experimental rock act Battles’ second album – the much-anticipated successor to 2007’s Mirrored – any potential dread regarding the absence of keyboardist/vocalist Tyondai Braxton vanishes. The sparse, mostly instrumental tracks are innovative and strange, seeking a balance between ambient electronica and bizarre math-rock. The few moments of vocals like on “Sweetie & Shag,” which features Blonde Redhead’s Kazu Makino, are almost jarring, sometimes unwelcome interruptions in the arty instrumental soundscapes. First single “Ice Cream,” an odd foray into reggae, misrepresents the disc completely; the ability to transform eccentric sounds into melody is where Battles’ true strength lies.