Stanier's drum setup is defined by both its bright yellow color and its extremely high Zildjian K ride cymbal, arguably the band's most distinctive visual trademarks. He believes the ride cymbal is overused in drumming, so he wanted to make it more of an effort to play it, forcing himself to jump up from his seat to hit it during live performances.
The band released two EPs and a single in 2004, each on a different record label (Cold Sweat, Monitor and Dim Mak); all three releases were packaged together in a reissue on Warp in 2006. With hype built up around their initial EPs and the "Atlas" single (which included a remix by DJ Koze), Battles released their debut album Mirrored via Warp on May 14, 2007 to substantial critical acclaim. "Tonto" was later issued as a single in October, its accompanying video directed by design group United Visual Artists and then soon bundled with an EP that featured remixes by Four Tet and The Field.
Gloss Drop, the band's sophomore album, was released on June 6, 2011 (again on Warp), anchored by singles "Ice Cream" and "My Machines". In lieu of the departed Braxton, several guest vocalists were brought in: Chilean DJ/producer Matias Aguayo on "Ice Cream", British singer/musician Gary Numan on "My Machines", Japanese musician Kazu Makino (of Blonde Redhead) on "Sweetie & Shag", and Japanese vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Yamantaka Eye (of Boredoms) on "Sundome". Like its predecessor the album was met with positive reviews, with many critics praising the guest vocal spots.
A four-part remix album series via Warp entitled Dross Glop arrived in the spring of 2012 (later bundled into a compilation), featuring interpretations of Gloss Drop's tracklist by Gui Boratto, The Field, The Alchemist, Shabazz Palaces, Kode9 (owner of Hyperdub), Silent Servant (of Sandwell District), Kangding Ray, Hans-Joachim Roedelius (as Qluster), Brian DeGraw (of Gang Gang Dance), Hudson Mohawke, Patrick Mahoney & Dennis McNany (also known as Museum of Love), and Yamantaka Eye.
In 2015, following a characteristically extended break of writing and recording, Battles announced their third album entitled La Di Da Di, to be released by Warp on September 18, 2015. They debuted four songs including lead track "The Yabba" on a livestream in August.
Battles' fourth album, Juice B Crypts, was released on October 18, 2019.
Ddiamondd
Battles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Water into letters spelling, where it had been taken to
In fact, I had a vision of the numbers
Corresponding with the letters, T H E D I A M O N D
They're suspended like a prism splitting floodlight
To poles of primary colors clawing the veil of the vacuum
There's a picture of this given to authorities, the sentence
With schematics so meticulous the measurements
Of super-impositions of a room within the window
Make a dream that ends up being such an entity in your
Reflection, you are the dream to it, you are the prism
The mirrors in the corner throwing images
Against the other mirrors made counting corners impossible
The breaking news had counted one, two, three, four, five
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven corners of the mirrored corners
Why have you done? What you have done something
Is so sinister when staring at the diamond something
You have done sinister why have you done this am I in the mirror?
Am I what you have been staring at, am I a diamond?
Just like a reflection of a friend of mine
I am a reflection of an enemy, am I a reflection of an enemy
Just like a reflection of a friend of mine?
The lyrics of Battles's song Ddiamondd are an enigmatic puzzle that invites multiple interpretations. At its core, the song seems to tell a story about a stolen diamond that holds some kind of code, perhaps the code that unlocks its secrets or identifies its rightful owner. The singer of the song has a vision of the code, which is spelled out in water turning into letters. The image suggests a form of communication that is fluid and elusive, like the diamond itself.
The second verse of the song introduces a new set of metaphors, which are based on the concept of light and reflection. The diamond is described as a prism that splits floodlight into primary colors, which claw the veil of the vacuum. The image suggests a form of energy that is powerful and disruptive, like a laser beam. The singer of the song seems to have created a complex blueprint of the diamond's location, which is so precise and intricate that it creates a dream-like entity. The singer is both the dreamer and the dreamed, the prism that reflects and refracts the light.
The third verse of the song introduces a new set of symbols, which are based on the concept of mirrors and corners. The diamond seems to have generated a breaking news story that counts the corners of the mirrored walls, but the counting is confounded by endless reflections. The singer of the song seems to be questioning the motives of the person who stole the diamond, asking if they see themselves reflected in the diamond or in the mirror. The song ends with a cryptic statement about being a reflection of a friend or an enemy, implying that identity is a fluid and unstable concept that depends on the context.
Line by Line Meaning
The diamond that was stolen held the code that melted
The stolen diamond contained a code of immense power.
Water into letters spelling, where it had been taken to
This code could turn water into words describing its location.
In fact, I had a vision of the numbers
The singer had a vision of the numerical code that corresponded to the diamond.
Corresponding with the letters, T H E D I A M O N D
These numbers spelled out the word 'diamond'.
They're suspended like a prism splitting floodlight
The numbers are like a prism, dividing light into colors.
To poles of primary colors clawing the veil of the vacuum
These colors represent the opposing forces warring in the vacuum of space.
There's a picture of this given to authorities, the sentence
The authorities have been given a picture showing the code and the sentence...
"I'm an architect and here's my prison" written on it
...'I am an architect, and this diamond is my prison.'
With schematics so meticulous the measurements
The plans are incredibly detailed and accurate...
Of super-impositions of a room within the window
...showing how to create an entire room within a single window.
Make a dream that ends up being such an entity in your
Following these plans leads to the creation of a structure that is like a dream.
Reflection, you are the dream to it, you are the prism
The artist and the structure are like reflections of each other, both prisms dividing light.
The mirrors in the corner throwing images
The mirrors create countless reflections, making it impossible to count the corners.
Against the other mirrors made counting corners impossible
The multiplication of reflections makes it impossible to discern the true number of corners.
The breaking news had counted one, two, three, four, five
News outlets reported that there were eleven corners, but this cannot be verified.
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven corners of the mirrored corners
The number of corners is ambiguous and impossible to confirm.
Why have you done? What you have done something
The artist questions the motives behind a sinister act.
Is so sinister when staring at the diamond something
There is something sinister about the diamond when you look at it.
You have done sinister why have you done this am I in the mirror?
The singer wonders if they are somehow involved in the diamond's mysterious power.
Am I what you have been staring at, am I a diamond?
Could the artist be the object of the sinister plot? Are they the diamond?
Just like a reflection of a friend of mine
The artist reflects on their relationship with someone close to them.
I am a reflection of an enemy, am I a reflection of an enemy
But now the artist wonders if they are actually an enemy, turned against their friend.
Just like a reflection of a friend of mine?
Ultimately the singer is left questioning the nature of their relationships and the truth behind the diamond's power.
Lyrics © WARP MUSIC LIMITED
Written by: DAVID KONOPKA, IAN WILLIAMS, JOHN D JR STANIER, TYONDAI BRAXTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind