Battles is a mostly instrumental post-rock supergroup featuring veterans of the indie-prog scene. Ian Williams played guitar for seminal math-rock architects Don Caballero; John Stanier pounded the skins for Helmet; and Dave Konopka played bass with Lynx. Rounding out the group is sound manipulator Tyondai Braxton, the son of legendary avant-garde jazz composer Anthony Braxton and a noted solo experimentalist in his own right. Both funkier and more outwardly experimental than most math projects, Battles generates tension from repetition, layering polyrhythmic loops on solid grooves as guitar lines interweave and bleeping electronics simmer. Although open to crunching experimental dissonance, the group’s highly complex compositions are nevertheless surprisingly accessible ... you could even dance to them! Check out Battles this Monday (April 2) at Soundlab, with local openers Knife Crazy. starting at 9pm