Battles - Gloss Drop (2011)

I was quite the fan of Battles when their debut LP Mirrored came out. I recall seeing that at a festival that same summer and really enjoying it as well. However, they took their sweet ass time coming out with another album, and it isn't exactly what I remember liking about Battles yet it isn't bad. Although Tyondai Braxton left the group last year, there's certainly enough talent left to keep them going. Gloss Drop summoned images of a circus or carnival to my mind when I heard it for the first time. I do think the different style was a intention shift in their sound and it was pulled relatively successfully, especially in the instrumental tracks that make up most of the album. However, they decided to have some collaborative songs with Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead and Gary Numan that I could take or leave. Matias Aguayo's input is a bit more worthwhile, yet the brilliant idea was getting Yamantaka Eye from Boredoms in on one. That song is strange and fantastic as most things involving Yamantaka Eye are. Battles perhaps got overhyped after Mirrored so longish time it took them to follow it up makes hearing them interesting anew and Gloss Drop is a satisfying foray back into the spotlight.

To be had here:
Battles - Gloss Drop [192 VBR kbps]