Introducing… Battlemode

If you pivot around the chiptune scene you may recognise some of Battlemode’s members from their previous band Triheart. The Boston chiptune trio have spent the last few years evolving their sound into a merger of mature electronic-pop. There are still plenty of Gameboy LSDJ samples running throughout but four years on, ideas have cemented into a more cohesive and smoother sound.

Battlemode’s new single to launch this new era is ‘Playlist’. The band describe it as Yacht Rock swagger meets synth-pop seduction. I am instantly reminded of Royksopp in their ‘Junior’ and ‘Senior’ phases. It’s got groove, vocoder, catchy melodies and even some sax. The song is about reminiscing over a lost love through the music that remains after they’ve gone. This is why couple playlists should never replace personal ones!

It is possibly also a comment on the fact that Battlemode was born out of a need for change. Biff and Astro dissolved and rebranded Triheart as they moved from the abandon of making chiptune and chiprock about friendship. After Triheart stopped and Sam joined to make Battlemode a trio, the band assessed their lives and found themselves appreciating balance as they grew older. This has seeped into their music, and the trio treat it as a bonus challenge to channel creativity into balanced music.

Enjoy this excellent new single below. It’s out now, just in time for summer fun. For more information, including their summer tour dates, visit Battlemode’s website.

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