Dry Humour on the Wet Coast

Ratatat is back to their old tricks with this July’s latest realse, LP3

Staying true to form, the New York techo vikings offer another ample selection of trippy sonic sound scapes to shock and sooth the celestial soul.

While this may be the most baroque sounding of their three albums, LP3 still bears all the marks that make Ratatat endearing to beging with. Back are the curious and inviting instumental loops, as the the fuzzbomb guitar vibrattos and shuffle stepping keyboard routines that found a home with the group largely in 2006’s Classics.

However, if you are a causal fan who hasn’t tuned in since the 2004 self titled release, you may be in for a bit of a shock, for a lot has changed for Mike Stroud and the gang in the last four years. No longer are they the underdogs of old, but rather they’re established, Hollywood soundtrack featured artists. These days, their sound deals a lot less in the currency of aggressive electro-clash guitarsenals of the New York urban guerrals. Now it seems as though the choking urgency and immediacy of a group trying to prove themselves has left the studio and without the geist of pressure twiddling the knobs like a kid with aspergers syndrome, the group is free to explore some of the more atmospheric heights that they didn’t soar in previous endevours.

That doesn’t mean that they’re resting on their laurels, but rather they’re standing on the.m. Standing and jumping and flying to new atomic heights.