Battant @ Optimo, Sub Club, 28 Jun

French three-piece Battant are signed to long-time Optimo partners in crime KilltheDJ, the Parisian label that released Optimo's excellent How to Kill the DJ, Pt.2 compiliation back in 2004. The trio play a rattling brand of sullen, jagged pop-punk, pulling influences from Suicide, Dead Kennedys and Siouxsie and the Banshees. Their debut album No Head was released in February to excellent reviews, and led Andrew Weatherall to describe them as "one of the best new bands going at the moment". With a dark and captivating sound this may well be one of the stand out performances of the summer. Take the opportunity to see and hear them first as they play their first exclusive Scottish dates. [Chris Duncan]