Not much talk about the new Ratatat album, most likely because everyone and there mother with a blog is busy building the complete Fake Blood remix set or posting ironic pictures next to Busy P’s new single. I want to get back to that lifestyle as soon as possible but for now, here is a take on a full album.
Review, tracks and downloads after the jump.

Ratatat has always been driving music. Or biking music. Or walking-with-headphone music. Never on the club side but unique sounding with some mass appeal. On Self Titled it was clear that the sound changed little, minor differences in structure and key making a full album pass quickly and blend together with the stand out obviously being 17 Years. Quick vocal sample dropping into the trademark sound at best effect, so good in fact that it was quickly snapped up for a Hummer H2 ad. Classics was similar with the standout being (arguably) Wildcat with it’s sweeping bass line and snappy “rawr’ing” samples.
17 Years

The hiphop remix album was a bit more varied, an amazing selection of Missy, Jay-Z and Method Man (among an equally all star cast) making the same backbone structure seem appealing and fresh. These were not mash ups because they were built from the ground up but the music also seemed stuck between genres, somewhere between Subpop indy and NYC street.
Jay-Z-Sunshine (Ratatat Remix)

Finally with the appropriately titled LP3 we see new ground being broken with a noisier and more fleshed out sound. Built with the same pieces we see new Tetris blocks falling from the sky and being carefully wrapped around the trade mark and ultimately charismatic sound- the reliable and trustworthy. With The Falcon Jab it’s a heavier bass line and more driving beat, with Imperials it’s a drone heavy breakdown ending dragged into the floor and reminding you that Ratatat is still artsy, is still confident and still distancing itself (slowly) from the Hot Topic floor. Gipsy Threat is the most interesting song yet and that I will let you find that out for yourself…
01 Shiller
02 Falcon Jab
03 Mi Viejo
04 Mirando
05 Flynn
06 Bird Priest
07 Shempi
08 Imperials
09 Dura
10 Brulee
11 Mumtaz Khan
12 Gipsy Threat
13 Black Heroes