Battles: Mirrored
Some very nice photography by the amazing Timothy Saccenti for New York experimental band ‘Battles’. The art direction and design is supplied by one of the band members, Dave Konopka. These images are taken from the set of the band’s video for first single ‘Atlas’.
The yellow drum set reminds us of the one featured on Prince’s Sign ‘O’ the times cover from 1987.
The simple yet highly stylish video posted below (also directed by Saccenti) features the band performing in a rotating glass cube.
Update: Chris Keegan pointed out the similarities with Brian Eno and Robert Fripp’s 1973 release “No Pussyfooting” album cover.
I spoke to Tim the designers and he commented saying;
“Battles work from a very conceptual standpoint and there is no “homage” or “reference” in their music or their artwork. They do everything possible to remove interference and influence from the outside world.
We arrived at the idea for their 2-way mirrored room by following the lead of their concept for the album, pieces based on mathematical loops and feedback. Any resemblance to the Eno album artwork is purely coincidental.”
DOSEprodSAM:
Great video and song !
# 19 Sep 07 at 6:46 pm
Ash:
Great track and clip. You put all that effort into building the set they might as wlel get a double dip and use it for a cover. I actually liked the other non cover shots better.
# 19 Sep 07 at 9:54 pm
Ash:
I just read that if you buy the album on Itunes the artwork associated changes for every track. I could be wrong I’m reading this off a friends blog.
# 19 Sep 07 at 10:13 pm
Mara Tapu:
Yeah great clip! I agree with Ash, i like the other shots better. Check out how high the drummer has his Crash Cymbal!!!!! haha classic… Wierd thing is that the drummer (John Stainer) was in my dream last night. This made me remember…. hmmm the future is hidden in dreams?… blah blah blah…
# 20 Sep 07 at 10:10 am
Adam:
Same artwork for each track on my iTunes version!
# 20 Sep 07 at 6:36 pm
Chris Keegan:
Love the music great styled cover but..
It looks a little like Brian Eno’s “No Pussyfooting” cover from way back
Check it:
http://www.amazon.com/No-Pussyfooting-Fripp-Eno/dp/B000003S26
# 18 Nov 07 at 12:49 am
David Balogh:
I think Tim is BSing a bit on the pretentious ‘conceptual’ talk (being a designer myself, I now the art of BS ;-). I went to college with Tyondai and watched him play all over campus (including his senior show) and have to say that he clearly pay homage to Eno & Fripp with his looping styles, especially this album! Something doesn’t seem to add up.
That’s not to say the music itself doesn’t deserve respect. It’s one of my fave albums of the year, simply unique and tight.
# 16 Dec 07 at 12:36 pm
Jonathon:
It is also similar to one of the works of glass artist Josiah McElheny. He did a piece in 2004 called “Total Reflected Abstraction” based on the idea developed by Isamu Noguchi and Buckminster Fuller.
Here is a good interview and some nice images.
# 30 Dec 07 at 3:27 pm
John Coulthart:
The mirrored room concept goes back at least to 1966 with Lucas Samaras and his ‘Lesson Plan’ artwork. I’ve always assumed it was this which gave Eno the idea for his own version:
http://www.albrightknox.org/ArtStart/Samaras_l.html
And Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama has produced a similar range of works, especially her ‘Infinity Mirror Room—Love Forever’ whose first version was also 1966.
# 02 Jan 08 at 5:25 am
Ash:
hey John,
great find. I’d say it could even be the same mirrored room?
# 02 Jan 08 at 8:12 am
John Coulthart:
Eno’s room seems smaller (maybe, it’s hard to tell). Also Eno’s table is different and there are shelves which I think Samaras’s room lacks. I used to think that this was a room in Eno’s house but they may have constructed it solely for the album shoot.
# 02 Jan 08 at 1:33 pm
Craig:
Nobody lives in a vacuum, being so original should not necessarily be the litmus test anyway. You can have original crap
# 26 Apr 08 at 11:39 am