Battles is a band you either love or hate. And La Di Da Di probably won’t change your mind about this all-American avant-garde band, but I hope it will (if you aren’t into them). Unlike their first and second albums, which at least featured vocalists in some fashion, La Di Da Di is completely vocal-less. And I don’t think it matters.

Battles has pulled off what a lot of people, including myself, probably largely thought was impossible: make an instrumental rock record that sounds interesting. Loaded with effects, keyboards, big riffs, and incredibly intricate layering work, La Di Da Di is an effort you should not miss.

Each member of Battles comes from other prestigious groups, the most recognizable of which is probably Helmet. This is far better than any of their previous records. Long-time fans will tell you that Battles is “struggling” without a vocalist; I believe they’re just hitting their prime as songwriters and musicians.

La Di Da Di is a keeper.

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All of that is to say: there is a degree of complexity to Empyrean Atlas that does not exist amongst most of their contemporaries. The album feels a little bit like math rock, but it’s largely experimental with its rhythms. And while the band would like you to believe they’re making something new, saying that would be doing them a disservice: they still stick within the conventions and boundaries of modern rock music. A chorus still sounds like a chorus, even if it is almost jazzy in feel and euphoric in its reckless abandon of standard time signatures.

All of that is to say, despite Empyrean Atlas’ best efforts, Inner Circle still feels recognizable. It’s a good thing, because it allows the EP to remain accessible despite its mathematical complexity. There’s a lot to unpack with Inner Circle, but if you choose not to get too deep into it, you’ll still find a lot to like.

Empyrean Atlas might not be reinventing the genre, but they are a singularly new talent within it — and they’re positively refreshing.

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