Mirrored
by Battles
  • Record Label: Warp
  • Release Date: May 22, 2007
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 184 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 149 out of 184
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 184
  3. Negative: 19 out of 184

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  1. L0UI5
    Apr 15, 2018
    9
    9/10.......................................................................
  2. normankant
    Jun 13, 2015
    8
    Mirrored is an album with a unique style and sound design. It revisits prog-rock renewing it by mixing its elements with math-rock, funk and a post-punk attitude. Industrial pulses, post-modern laments, tinny beats and alienating vocals are what makes this record peculiar and interesting. Sometimes the research of absurd sounds outweighs composition and this makes some episodes of theMirrored is an album with a unique style and sound design. It revisits prog-rock renewing it by mixing its elements with math-rock, funk and a post-punk attitude. Industrial pulses, post-modern laments, tinny beats and alienating vocals are what makes this record peculiar and interesting. Sometimes the research of absurd sounds outweighs composition and this makes some episodes of the album a little bit nauseating.… Expand
  3. BENNEB
    May 11, 2013
    10
    What else can I say? This is one damn motherf*cking awesome album. Best of 2007. The complexity and strange and alienating themes of this album keeps you wanting to here more. It might have the potential to reach the popularity of Animal Collective (which I hope it will). For now, listen.
  4. Vampire25
    Apr 1, 2011
    7
    I've never quite heard music this strange, confusing, and joyous in awhile. The sound is like futuristic rock. Definitely some progression rock going on. The singer barely sings the whole album (and when he does, you can barely comprehend what he is saying.) The musicianship is perfect. The drums are excellent. It's about 50 minutes of pure futuristic rock that you don't quite hear all the time. B
  5. DaveF.
    Mar 13, 2009
    8
    This music scares the shit out of me. It's like being in a love/hate relationship with a crazy genius lingerie wearing goddess with a casio keyboard on kryptonite.
  6. David
    Dec 5, 2008
    10
    One of the very best albums of 2007, this one needs several listens to yield its treasures. Hard to describe the sound, but it's truly great.
  7. JohnP
    Aug 3, 2008
    10
    One of the freshest albums I've heard in a long time.
  8. GilderoyL
    May 16, 2008
    9
    Most people will likely find this, dull, repetitive, and not ample head-banging music. It's very out of the ordinary, but if you can appreciate its intricate rhythms, you will probably really enjoy it. It's just fun.
  9. JayL
    Apr 21, 2008
    9
    To describe a cd as "genre-defying" is usually useless, but I make the exception for this cd. To describe it as "Indie" takes away from its electronic aspects, and to describe it as "rock" leaves out the more dancy tracks mostly uncommon to rock. The cd itself is amazing to listen to, even multiple times. The songs get stuck in your head like very little else that is this experimental, To describe a cd as "genre-defying" is usually useless, but I make the exception for this cd. To describe it as "Indie" takes away from its electronic aspects, and to describe it as "rock" leaves out the more dancy tracks mostly uncommon to rock. The cd itself is amazing to listen to, even multiple times. The songs get stuck in your head like very little else that is this experimental, and is recommended to anyone who liked the singles off of it.… Expand
  10. AlanP
    Mar 9, 2008
    2
    The worst album I bought in 2007, complete toss.
  11. StevenH
    Mar 8, 2008
    9
    A must-listen.
  12. LeoC
    Mar 3, 2008
    9
    My personal favourite of 2007.
  13. RoryP.
    Feb 27, 2008
    9
    I can't dance to it, I don't understand the lyrics and I never heard anything like it before. I don't know what it is, but Its f@*king good.
  14. JyotirmayaD.
    Feb 17, 2008
    7
    When I first listened to "Mirrored" I enjoyed all the twists and turns and the way it all comes together... I enjoyed the latter half of the album more than the beginning... It's not for me, really, but I own it and will listen to it when I need to listen to something different than anything else. It's good.
  15. MaxC.
    Jan 26, 2008
    9
    Groundbreaking; what George Orwell feared brought to great music.
  16. IanB.
    Jan 15, 2008
    9
    This is progressive people !
  17. PaulD.
    Dec 28, 2007
    10
    It speaks volumes when you can't lump a band into music that has already been created. Battles is that group and this album is perfect, unlike anything out there. Best of the year hands down. Brilliant!
  18. DavidF.
    Dec 27, 2007
    9
    Best bizarro release of the year.
  19. lk
    Dec 27, 2007
    9
    This Album is very distinguished, different and still so great. Easily the best record of 2007. I didn't give 10 because tracks like "bad trails" seem to me as "fillers".
  20. MycleS.
    Dec 14, 2007
    9
    This album is fascinating and thrilling. a relentless romp! James m., if you don't like the genre, don't comment on the album. I don't comment on country albums. If you think grizzly bear is even close to this genre you're missing chromosomes.
  21. ChrisA.
    Dec 8, 2007
    10
    I was a fan of the record upon my first listen. It's a bit of a mind-f*ck, but also so incredibly (yet strangely) catchy. After seeing them live and realizing that they actually produce the majority of the sounds with actual instruments, it became even better. A highly impressive album that ranks at my #1 of 2007.
  22. Jack
    Dec 2, 2007
    9
    Unique, different, confusing, brilliant. An essential album.
  23. GCB
    Dec 2, 2007
    2
    Jesus wept.
  24. JeremyB.
    Nov 28, 2007
    10
    Hm. This is the best thing I've heard all year. Album of the year by far. At this point, I really don't care what these critics say. Stars of the Lid and The Field better than Radiohead? I think not.
  25. F.H.
    Nov 27, 2007
    9
    Certainly worth some listens. I'm listening to it now. The positive reviews seem more on target than the negative ones. But, we shall see how it stands up over time.
  26. J.K.
    Nov 18, 2007
    8
    Considering how complex, technical and filled with references and influences this is, Mirrored remains surprisingly up tempo and optimistic. Also considering how unrestrained this all feels, it never crosses into the realm of pretension which also comes as a pleasant surprise. The sound is quite unique, but I'd say it feels like some wacky explosion of krautrock and prog more than Considering how complex, technical and filled with references and influences this is, Mirrored remains surprisingly up tempo and optimistic. Also considering how unrestrained this all feels, it never crosses into the realm of pretension which also comes as a pleasant surprise. The sound is quite unique, but I'd say it feels like some wacky explosion of krautrock and prog more than anything else while it keeps in touch with more modern post-rock aesthetics.… Expand
  27. JamesM.
    Oct 23, 2007
    2
    I don't know why everyone raves about this album. Maybe its just because one person thought it was cool and new so everyone started liking it. I don't like this genre, but even inside this genre there are albums far better than this. (eg grizzly bears yellow house) This album will not be remember after this year.
  28. MikeN
    Oct 5, 2007
    3
    I had high hopes for this album after reading reviews saying that they are reinventing music, etc. This is an extremely repetitive album. The band made one cool beat for each song, and played it over and over for 4, 5, or even 10 minutes, adding more and more instruments every few bars. The only thing that was remotely impressive was the drumming, but the Mars Volta pulls that style off I had high hopes for this album after reading reviews saying that they are reinventing music, etc. This is an extremely repetitive album. The band made one cool beat for each song, and played it over and over for 4, 5, or even 10 minutes, adding more and more instruments every few bars. The only thing that was remotely impressive was the drumming, but the Mars Volta pulls that style off 500X better. Overall a boring, repetitive, and at times annoying album.… Expand
  29. JRatcliff
    Sep 27, 2007
    5
    Deeply ambivalent. At moments it seems to digress into the worst kind of atonal jazz riffs imaginable. This album makes a hell of a lot of noise, but not a lot of sense. Sure it's "new","fresh", and any other kind of overused advertising adjective you want to paste to this bandwagon, but is it "good"? I really don't know, I'm not that used to working this hard for pop music.
  30. luke
    Sep 25, 2007
    2
    I bought this album, listened to it, and thought it was boring. It's pretty uneventful. I think this album was created for the sake of the poster inside. Hardly any creativity. It does not go anywhere. Beware.
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Awards & Rankings

13
#13 Best Album of 2007
23
#23 Most Discussed Album of 2007
43
#43 Most Shared Album of 2007

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Universal acclaim - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 31
  3. Negative: 0 out of 31
  1. Alternative Press
    90
    At times, the effect is akin to hearing Tortoise and Animal Collective covering the Steve Reich and Devo catalogs in tandem; but such reference points barely do justice to an album that just halfway through 2007, is already topping the year's best-of list in multiple genres. [Jun 2007, p.151]
  2. Observer Music Monthly
    70
    Battles combine the power of hard rock with an experimental aesthetic.
    Read full review
  3. Urb
    90
    Every song on the 52-minute masterpiece builds and bridges until everything self-destructs and the only thing left to do is dance. [May 2007, p.92]
See all critic reviews »