BATTLES NEW SINGLE

This is Battles new single 'Ice Cream' from their forthcoming album, Gloss Drop. Released yesterday, the track has already been performed live by the band, in addition to the video already receiving nearly 300,000 views on YouTube.

As you could expect from Battles, this is not your run-of-the-mill rock. It's not your standard formula get in get out with your balls out and whatever rock. Any Battles fan can tell you that, you don't need me to tell you. Beginning with a dreamy little riff that gradually speeds up and up, accompanied by grunts (ugh...ugh...ugh..ugh-ugh-ugh; something sex-related, I'm sure), into a fast frenzy, the song then starts in full. There's definitely a summer feel around this song, helped by the strange distorted staccato organ riff that runs throughout.

High-pitched guitars squeal throughout, backed up with tight drumming from John Stanier, topped with crazy vocals: yells, yelps, and a catchy, if slightly incomprehensible, chorus - if a chorus it is. Nothing wrong with that though. In fact, often when the music is as good as this, the lyrics play second fiddle to the awesome and pretty crazy Paganini-type first fiddle.

Coming from their upcoming album, Gloss Drop (out 6th June), it's an exciting piece featuring Chilean experimental musical artist, Matias Aguayo. There's certainly a Latin feel to this song - whether it's down to Aguayo's input, or the collaboration of the band as a whole for a slightly skewed direction as compared to their debut album, will have to wait until we hear their new effort in full.

For now, I think we're all pretty safe in the knowledge that Battles haven't changed too much. If anything, it's a lighter sound, more structured, less mathsy in its composition, than previous songs. It is completely different to something like Tonto, for example.

You can get the wonderful new single in vinyl form, as you can see on the left here, with some pretty nice pastel colours decorating the covers and records themselves. The pictures are of ice cream, believe it or not.

If you fancy one of these limited edition 12" (if you have a record player), head on over to Amazon or Norman Records. But it's good to download, if you prefer living in your era.

The album Gloss Drop is out 6th June. Have a little gander at the video below. It's a strange one, featuring everything from a naked girl eating ice cream in a bath (?), some beachside calisthenics, and a lot of colours. If you don't like seeing nakedness, don't watch for the first... 30 seconds or so. 

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