VINYL FORMAT. Mirrored the long awaited third release from New York quartet Battles, has proven to be well worth the wait. A complete eclipse of their earlier work, Mirrored embodies all the prior ideas and qualities that have surrounded the group and extrapolates exponentially upon them. The fractured rhythms, crystalline staccato guitar lines and throttling drums remain. New textures and horizons become attainable through the additions of vocals courtesy of Tyondai Braxton, though the vocals certainly aren't what one would expect. Creatively applied and manipulate through various forms of technical expertise, the addition of these vocals evoke qualities of a completely new and innovative instrument, with or without the use of lyrics. With Mirrored, Battles have effectively eschewed all conventional formulas and created their own cohesive precedent.