Land of the Emu(sic) Presents: Ratatat

It's not often that I find an artist or song in which the twisting of melodies, sweep of guitars, and balance of instruments does anything but distract my ears from listening to a song in it's entirety; not to mention removing any sense of enjoyment at the same time. More often than not it's due to an overwhelming feeling that one effect bleeds out over the rest to the point where there is little to no sense of harmony. I think it's a common issue with a lot of recent music in that one instrument or aspect of production is far too overbearing, or songs are simply too complicated in general. Today I will share with you a group that not only has an amazing ability to harmonize, but to some, very well redefines the term itself.

I originally introduced Ratatat to much of Gameriot back when I did my beta preview video of DK's. After my inbox was flooded with questions about them, I decided they would be perfect as the first group I discuss here at emusic.

There is something strangely desolate about Ratatat's blend of Rock, Electronic and to a lesser extent, hip-hop music. The delicacy in the layering of instruments and beats is an electronic symphony that commands audiences into a rage of hunger, yet empowers a warm feeling of intimacy at the same time. Listening to tracks such as Crips will often leave a listener in such a state of serenity that life itself seems to blur. However, one cannot become consumed by the almost majestic ability of Mike Stroud (Guitars) and Evan Mast (laptop/synths) to intertwine their relative styles. Ratatat produces their tracks in such a way that the empty spaces are just as important as their most impressive drops or breaks. Still, it's hard to discredit their abilities to produce bass at such low frequencies they're sometimes deemed alien, or guitar riffs that literally seem to tear pockets into the air they pass through.

Everything about Ratatat is atypical when it comes to your conventional song structure and standards. There are no vocals here; rather a delightful experience of pure sound that resonates such a sense of fluidity within that you will often find yourself putting one song on repeat for hours. Choruses? Yeah, you can scratch that too. Each track by Ratatat guides the listener down an emotional path of build-ups and breaks so monstrous, that when put in tandem with the relaxed, almost melancholic rhythms inbetween, you aren't sure whether to close your eyes and enjoy the music on an individual level, or embrace the large feeling of unity between you and your fellow listeners. Regardless, you're sure to endure some sort of cerebral experience unlike any you've had before.

A prime example of this emotional rollercoaster, is the song "Cherry" from their first album. This is one of the best instances of the way Ratatat is able to melt and blend their instruments together with processed drum loops to create an experience of progression and movement within their music.



In terms of hip-hop, Ratatat undoubtedly makes some heavy beats. Unbeknownst to many, Ratatat has worked behind the scenes in collaboration with the likes of Kanye West in "Get Em High", Jay-Z in "Sunshine", Wu-Tang's Buddha Monk, and many more. There's no doubt that the approach they took to these tracks is significantly different than their normally produced tracks, but even those released under their own name have such a significant and profound beat.

In example, Nostrand, from their self-titled album:



It's this very combination of beats in synergy with the guitar riffs and cries of the synthesizers, that allows the music of Ratatat to almost have a sense of beauty and mysticism, as well as the ability to feel both heavy and weightless within the same measure. One of the most impressive aspects of the recording process of Ratatats music is that their writing actually happens as they're recording, so it's basically improv that ends up being finalized as a song right on the spot as they jam.

It seems like it's more common than not that recent bands tend to be so heavily overproduced and mastered with voice manipulation, pitch correction, vibrato adjustments etc. that when they actually perform live, there is much left to be desired. Ratatat is one of the most incredible bands I've ever seen live in my entire life, and that includes seeing Tool alone, which was a memorable experience in itself. To give you the best idea I can, here is footage from the last Ratatat show in Chicago that I attended. I was about 5 rows up from this camera (you might even be able to see the back of my head, who knows) I was in the second row. Even though the show was outside, it felt as if the music surrounded and enveloped me. Words cannot explain how amazing the experience was.



On the surface, Ratatat provides beats, melodies and Rhythm that will almost always invoke head bobs or tapping of the foot, but their music is guaranteed to send you into an entire new world of audio contemplation. If you find you're still interested in the band, here's a clip in which both Mike and Evan describe the creation of Ratatat.