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.
Snare Hangar
Battles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A mighty wreck that once was proud
Ate alive by oxidation
Abandoned by a crew of cowards
Navigation systems failed
Computers crashed and they all fall down
Possibly I've seen too much
Hangar 18, I know too much
Suspended by their broken necks
No one survived to tell the story
When foreign life forms resurrect
And military intelligence
Is still two words that can't make sense
Possibly I've seen too much
Hangar eighteen, I know too much
The lyrics to Battles's song "Snare Hangar" paints a dark, dystopian picture of an abandoned military base, specifically the titular Hangar 18. The opening lines show that the base is in ruins, described as an "empty fortress" and a "mighty wreck that once was proud". We then learn that the base was brought down by neglect, as it was "ate alive by oxidation" and "abandoned by a crew of cowards". The next lines reveal that this base was for advanced technology, as "navigation systems failed" and "computers crashed". However, we also learn that this was a massive cover-up, as "all the guilty paid the price" and were "suspended by their broken necks". Despite the horrific scene, the singer seems to know a lot about what happened, having "seen too much" and having knowledge of the haunting Hangar 18.
The next lines of the song shift in perspective from the singer to a hypothetical scenario. The fear of beings from other worlds is present, as the line "when foreign life forms resurrect" implies an otherworldly quality to what is happening. The military is also mentioned, with a hopelessness added to the mix, as "military intelligence is still two words that can't make sense". The final line of the song is a reflection back to the singer, reflecting on how they may know too much, and that this base's secrets have consumed them.
Line by Line Meaning
Welcome to an empty fortress
The song opens with the singer introducing the listener into an abandoned place, which once was a symbol of mightiness, but now, everything is deserted and lifeless.
A mighty wreck that once was proud
The singer refers to this abandoned fortress and how it was once viewed as an impressive construction that showed power and strength to the world.
Ate alive by oxidation
This line portrays how nature has taken over this place with rust and corrosion, which devoured this once impressive structure.
Abandoned by a crew of cowards
The fortress was deserted by the people who were supposed to take care of it, suggesting that the crew was afraid to face its consequences or responsibility.
Navigation systems failed
The artist draws our attention to the fact that the system that was supposed to guide the team and avoid this outcome failed them.
Computers crashed and they all fall down
This is a reference to how technology malfunctioned and caused the disaster for everyone involved.
Possibly I've seen too much
The singer could be acknowledging the fact that his own curiosity might lead him to a dangerous path but also pointing out that some people might not be ready for the truth.
Hangar 18, I know too much
The reference to Hangar 18 suggests that the artist is aware of some classified information, which is not known by the public.
All the guilty paid the price
This line refers to the idea that whoever was responsible for that abandoned fortress disaster got punished or faced the consequences for their mistakes.
Suspended by their broken necks
The expression suspended by their broken necks is a graphic way of portraying the punishment or the fatal outcome for those guilty.
No one survived to tell the story
The truth about what happened in this location is now a mystery as no one was there to witness or reveal it.
When foreign life forms resurrect
The line suggests that some event or technology could allow the reanimation of whatever was left behind and that something from the past could resurface.
And military intelligence
This line suggests that the term's intelligence and military do not fit together, and the singer draws an ironic contrast between the two ideas.
Is still two words that can't make sense
The singer points out that the combination of these two terms still does not fit together and implies a bigger idea or mystery at play.
Possibly I've seen too much
The repeated use of this line seems like the singer is looking back at everything that he witnessed and acknowledging that he could have seen too much.
Hangar eighteen, I know too much
The song ends in the same way as it started, with the artist making sure we remember the place's name and implying that some information about it is still classified or unknown.
Lyrics © WARP MUSIC LIMITED
Written by: TYONDAI BRAXTON, DAVID KONOPKA, JOHN D JR STANIER, IAN WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind