One of the best unknown groups around is undoubtedly Battle Tapes. They released their first album on November the 20th (2015) named Polygon. The Los Angeles-based electronic rockers are made up of: front-man Josh Boardman, keyboardist Riley Mackin and bassist Stephen Bannister. Polygon emphasises their distinctive style of creating songs that involves incorporating two different genres in a highly refreshing manner.
Battle Tapes are an energetic, talented electro-rock group whose sound is the best mix of electronic synths, drum beats and keys with distorted hooky riffs and punchy bass lines. A great example of their ability is in the song ‘Belgrade’. A pulsating keyboard drives the song along with a simple yet effective beat. It starts as it means to continue. When the vocals come in you are already invested, and then that catchy chorus hits and by then you will be fighting the urge to shake that money-maker. Even if you are in a public place, the want to be movin’ and shakin’ will be so strong that you won’t give a damn. Okay, that could be just me, but whatever: it is a really good, fun pop number and should be taking over the airwaves all over the world.
‘Valkyrie’ and ‘Feel the Same’ are both tracks created using the same mould and are just as great. ‘Feel the Same’ is definitely the bands most recognisable track. It was featured in Rockstar Studio’s masterful video game Grand Theft Auto V and it is a groovy number that hammers home the fact that electronic music and rock really is a match made in heaven. When such a combination is done correctly there are few musical experiences that come anywhere near close to being as good.
In addition to the more “radio friendly” songs there are the instrumental masterpieces, ‘Dreamboat’ and ‘Mulholland’. ‘Dreamboat’ has beautiful keyboards with a contradictingly dark bass track that pulsates in the background, but doesn’t deter the song from being airy and free. It really shows how a repetitive melody can make a song brilliant and that free-feeling keyboard mentioned previously is such an example. The song is almost 6 minutes long but it passes by unnoticed – which is no easy feat to accomplish. You really do get lost in ‘Dreamboat’.
In summary: Battle Tapes’ mix of electronic rock is the perfect blend. With Polygon being so strong, it has laid the path to a very promising and exciting future. To find further information and work from the band head over to their SoundCloud and Facebook pages to hear their EPs Sleepwalker [2011] and Sweatshop Boys [2012].
