Rating: NNN
On LP4, Ratatat’s appropriately named follow-up to LP3, the New York City duo of guitarist Mike Stroud and producer/synth player Evan Mast basically re-fry their trademark instrumentals and sprinkle them with the occasional vocal interlude (in this case a clip from a Herzog film and others from a conversation with actor Linda Manz).
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Considering that the album arose from the same Old Soul Studio recording sessions as LP3, similarities are to be expected. The only real evolution is the use of a full string section. It’s a good move that works well on Drugs and We Can’t Be Stopped. Strings also help to slow down the steady thump fans of Ratatat expect and enjoy.
LP4 hints at the band’s potential. The mildly weirder arrangements and quirkier synth twists on Party With Children are signs of what they should have fully run with.
Top track: Party With Children
