Battles played their robotic rock at the Paradise last night. The sold out crowd was bleep-blorping along, especially during their single of sorts, “Atlas”. I spent part of their set trying to see just how they pull off their strange, mesmerizing sound full of laptops, loops and live samples. Not to mention indecypherable lyrics that sound like they could be from some squirrel king.
The drum kit was at center stage. Perhaps only because the Paradise stage is shallow and wide, but the drums of John Stanier (formerly of Helmet) steal the show. Hard-hitting and atomic-clock precise.
The only disappointment was an encore that was anticlimactic. Despite all the positive reviews for Mirrored, I’m surprised at the popularity of Battles’ experimental sound. Perhaps this is music for/from the future?