Ratatat's LP4 Leaks, Band Offers Up New Track "Party With Children"

By Michael Lopez Wed., May 5 2010 at 6:51 PM

Categories: CD Preview

Brooklyn electronic/experimental duo Ratatat did an interview with Pitchfork today, also releasing a song from their forthcoming album, LP4, "Party With Children." It is worth noting that a copy of the album was somehow sold early by Dutch retailer Velvet Music, making its way to the internet by way of 4chan's /mu/ section. This all took place roughly 6 days ago, making it more than a month early for the album's June 8 release date.

With that all said, LP4 picks up right where Ratatat's previous album LP3 left off -- and damn is it good.

LP4 kicks off with the three-song arc "Bilal," "Drugs" and the super funky, head-scratchingly brilliant "Neckbrace." The songs all feel like pretty standard-fare Ratatat, yet "Neckbrace" branches off into places unknown with its eery, human beatbox/gutbucket line -- accompanying the already solid, tribal-eqsue drum beat. It is a song far too irresistibly sinister to listen just once, demanding multiple takes just to figure out what the hell is all going on -- and we've now come to expect such an effort from Ratatat.

LP3 catapulted the band into a different airspace from their previous efforts, 2004's Ratatat and 2006's Classics. Songs like "Falcon Jab," "Mirando" and "Shempi" proved that Ratatat had evolved their already revolutionary sound, and LP4 cements a legacy from a band that has never been one to disappoint. The duo's time with Chris "Kid" Mescudi on his debut album was well-spent, and while LP4 isn't overly hip hop influenced, it carries on the groundwork that LP3 laid two years prior. LP4 has its moments of influence from other genres like hip hop, but it is a beast of its own kind -- one that music has yet to (outside of Ratatat) come across.

LP4 is out June 8 via XL Recordings. Tracklist is as follows:

01. Bilar - 4:14

02. Drugs - 4:55

03. Neckbrace - 4:06

04. We Can't Be Stopped - 2:10

05. Bob Gandhi - 4:01

06. Mandy - 3:42

07. Mahalo - 2:00

08. Party With Children - 2:58

09. Sunblocks - 3:42

10. Bare Feast - 2:38

11. Grape Juice City - 3:56