Get a few quantum physicists together, put them in a labyrinth and make them play several instruments simultaneously. In space. That’s how I would explain Battles.
The show at Sydney’s Manning Bar on Wednesday (10 February) was a potent display of their experimental, otherworldly sound and mind-blowing technical complexity. And they’re getting weirder.
Battles - Image © Kim RudnerTo pick an example, their track ‘My Machines’ features a series of people repeatedly falling over on escalators while being serenaded by Gary Numan.
Sydney trio Making opened the show with a set that started seamy, glitchy, distorted and LOUD. There was an eerie unsettling anticipation as the sound built up: hoarse, pained, speaking to an incomprehensible darkness. Weirdly, it was like sound and the absence of sound simultaneously, a void lit up occasionally with polyrhythms and erratic drum beats.
Making - Image © Kim RudnerThe droney noises were like being lost in a dream of a series of empty corridors, turning corner after corner yet still finding the same blank space. At first it was upsetting, disquieting. Then all of a sudden the set was immersed with potent rhythms underlined by ambient melodies. The crowd started responding instinctively.
Making - Image © Kim RudnerThis band clearly has a solid fan base in Sydney, which was evident in the pit. It would be good to see their offbeat and discordant sound more recognised here and throughout Australia. The set finished and I stood there for a bit stunned, thinking to myself I may have just become a nihilist.
Battles - Image © Kim RudnerI’ve seen Battles play three times now and each time the context has been completely different. Whether playing in the smokey basement dungeon of Sydney’s Gaelic Club (sadly missed) or rousing crowds of thousands outdoors at Big Day Out, they never fail to impress with their offbeat, original sound and freakish mastery of their instruments.
Battles - Image © Kim RudnerThe crowd were enraptured as they played a mix of old stuff and material from their latest album 'La Di Da'. People went particularly nuts during their fiery rendition of ‘Atlas’ with all its futuristic, convoluted instrumental witchery.
Their set was the opposite of nihilism, highly chaotic yet somehow perfectly ordered. NME have described their sound as ‘maximalism’ which may just turn out to be my new favourite word.
Battles - Image © Kim RudnerThe gig was basically an extremely technical, polyrhythmic-syncopated-music nerdgasm. Also hands down, best use of sleigh bells by any band: ever.
Click here for photos from the show.
