Battery

Momentum EP (COP)
by Rowan-Morrison

When Battery started out, their voltage was comparable to the electricity generated by rubbing socks on a carpet. Now, after a half-dozen releases, they could power up an electric chair and fry a guy to bacon. In the past I’ve compared this Bay Area trio to a cross between Depeche Mode, Front 242, and Yaz, and to a certain extent, this still applies. Battery is, and will probably always be, a mesh of synthpop and rage. This balance is kept intact by the versatility of Maria Azevedo’s passionate singing. By channeling both anger and introspection through her wide-ranging pipes, she goes from mellow to aggro in the speed of a heartbreak. Since their brand of cyberpunk packs a sincere melodic bent, the warmth element will insure more staying power than the average guy growling away over noisy electronics and metal guitar loops. On this EP, Heavy Water Factory, Fishtank No.9, and Ipecac Loop provide good remixes, but the two stand-out cuts are Hate Dept.’s guitar-fueled interpretation of “This Much” and Battery’s original version of “Headcheck.” Combining dynamic electronic percussion with Azevedo’s emotive wail, “Headcheck” is easily the EP’s highlight, but it won’t be on their upcoming full-length album, making this release definitely worth acquiring.
(981 Aileen St Oakland, CA 94608)