Ratatat

American electronic rock duo

Not to be confused with Rattata or Ratata (band).

Ratatat

Ratatat performing in 2014 at First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN

Background information
Origin| Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Genres| Electronic rock
Years active| 2001–present
Labels|

* XL
* Rex
* Audio Dregs

Members| Evan Mast
Mike Stroud
Website| www.ratatatmusic.com

Ratatat (/ˈrætətæt/ RAT-ə-tat) is a Brooklyn-based electronic rock duo consisting of Mike Stroud (guitar, melodica, synthesizers, percussion) and producer Evan Mast (bass, synthesizers, percussion).

## History

[edit]

### Beginnings and first album, Ratatat (2001–2005)

[edit]

Ratatat performing in 2004

Evan Mast and Mike Stroud first met as students at Skidmore College. They started working together in 2001, recording several songs under the name "Cherry".[1] Stroud had previously toured with Dashboard Confessional in 2000.[2]

Ratatat debuted in 2003 with the release of the single "Seventeen Years" on Mast's and his brother Eric's (E*Rock) record label Audio Dregs in the US and Rex Records in the UK. Mike Stroud had been a touring member of Ben Kweller's band, but he "had enough" by 2003 and, after two years of touring, left the band after appearing on their second album, On My Way (released in 2004). Having signed for XL Recordings, Ratatat released their self-titled debut album, Ratatat and the single "Germany to Germany". The album was written and recorded in Mast's Crown Heights, Brooklyn apartment on his laptop.[2] It is entirely instrumental with the exception of vocal excerpts at the beginning and end of select tracks.

In the following year, Ratatat supported the band Interpol on their tour.[2] Also in 2004, Ratatat released Ratatat Remixes Vol. 1 in co-operation with Audio Dregs, a compilation of remixed tracks by other artists, thereby garnering the attention of Rolling Stone.[3]

### Second album, Classics (2006–2008)

[edit]

On August 22, 2006, Ratatat released their second album entitled Classics on XL Recordings.

On October 6, 2006, Ratatat became the first band to perform a public show inside the Guggenheim Museum in New York City.

On October 10, 2006, a new demo album from Ratatat titled 9 Beats was leaked online. This set of tracks does not appear on any official discography listings. 9 Beats was not an official album, the tracks consist of short instrumental electronic musical pieces and demos for their next mixtape.[4] In 2007, this release was followed by their second volume of remixed tracks, Ratatat Remixes Vol. 2.

From June 2007 until October 2008, Ratatat had Martin Bonventre accompany them on their European tour and fall shows in America as the pianist/synthesizer player. Bonventre drew much attention due to his erratic dance movements on stage. The reason for him leaving the performance is unknown.[citation needed]

### Third album, LP3 (2008–2009)

[edit]

Leading up to the release of Ratatat's third album LP3 on July 8, 2008, their official website showed the videos of the three first singles. "Shiller", "Shempi" and then "Mirando" have all been released (or announced) on 7" or 12" singles. "Shiller", the first to be released, featured a special b-side, the track "Mahalo"[5] which was later also included on the fourth album, LP4.

In 2008, it was rumored that they would be signed by Star Trak Entertainment as the understudies of The Neptunes.[6][7]

Ratatat contributed two songs to Man on the Moon: The End of Day, the debut album by alternative rapper Kid Cudi released September 15, 2009, "Alive (Nightmare)" and "Pursuit of Happiness", the latter of which also featured MGMT. Cudi and Ratatat performed "Pursuit of Happiness" together on Late Show with David Letterman on September 11, 2009.

### Fourth album, LP4 (2010–2014)

[edit]

According to Mike Stroud in an interview with Paste Magazine released on August 4, 2009, "most of [LP4] was recorded during the same studio sessions that yielded LP3".[8] Ratatat's fourth album, LP4, was released on June 8, 2010, via XL Recordings.

In 2010, Ratatat supported Vampire Weekend on their UK tour at The Brighton Centre and Alexandra Palace. Meanwhile, their song Neckbrace was used in the ski film "The Way I See It" by Matchstick Productions.[9] In 2011, their track "Mirando" was used in Prada's SS2011 ad campaign.[10]

In August 2011, Ratatat was featured in the song "Red Alert" on CSS's new album La Liberación.

On September 29, 2012, past collaborator Kid Cudi confirmed that Ratatat would be featured and producing on his upcoming third studio album Indicud, however the collaboration didn't make the final cut after Kid Cudi decided to produce the whole album by himself, with the exception of an additional production by Hit-Boy on the track "Red Eye" featuring Haim.[11]

In May 2013 they entered the Austrian Singlecharts after the Austrian network provider A1 used "Loud Pipes" for a radio-advertisement.

### Fifth album, Magnifique (2015–present)

[edit]

Ratatat at the Fox Theater in Pomona, promoting Magnifique, on April 15, 2015.

The band played Coachella Festival and Governor's Ball Music Festival in 2015. They debuted their new song "Cream On Chrome" just a few hours before their night-ending Coachella set on April 11, 2015. The band also played a concert in Pomona, California on April 15, 2015,[12] and at Primavera Sound in Barcelona in May.

In May 2015, the band announced that their fifth album, Magnifique, would be released on July 17, 2015, and feature a cover of the 1971 Springwater single "I Will Return".[13]

The first single from the album, the track "Cream on Chrome", was voted number 52 in the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2015 held in January 2016.[14] This is their second appearance on the annual countdown run by the Australian radio station, after featuring on Kid Cudi's "Pursuit of Happiness", which polled 33rd in the 2009 countdown.[15]

## Live performances

[edit]

A laser light show as part of a live Ratatat performance in 2015.

Ratatat's live performances bear strong similarities to the performances of the psychedelic rock bands out of San Francisco in the 1960s, with energetic light shows, swirling colors projected onto a screen, and clips of movies thrown in. Evan Mast creates and edits the videos that are projected on the screen. Many of them are included on their YouTube account.

Ratatat has toured with acts such as Björk, Daft Punk, Vampire Weekend, Mouse on Mars, Franz Ferdinand, CSS, the Faint, Super Furry Animals, Clinic, Panther, and the Killers.

## Discography

[edit]

### Studio albums

[edit]

List of albums, with selected chart positions  Title  | Album details  | Peak chart positions

|
|

[16] | US
Dance
[17] | US
Indie
[18] | AUS
[19] | BEL
(FL)
[20] | BEL
(WA)
[21] | CAN
[22] | FRA
[23] | UK
Dance
[24] | UK
Indie
[25]
Ratatat |

* Released: April 20, 2004
* Label: XL

| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —
Classics |

* Released: August 22, 2006
* Label: XL

| —[A] | — | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | — | —
LP3 |

* Released: July 8, 2008
* Label: XL

| 82 | 2 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | —
LP4 |

* Released: June 8, 2010
* Label: XL

| 65 | 3 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | 33 | —
Magnifique |

* Released: July 17, 2015
* Label: XL (US), Because (EU)

| 36 | 1 | 6 | 29 | 198 | 89 | 16 | 36 | 29 | 40
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

### Remix albums

[edit]

List of remix albums  Title  | Album details

|

Ratatat Remixes Vol. 1 |

* Released: 2004
* Label: Self-released

Ratatat Remixes Vol. 2 |

* Released: 2007
* Label: Self-released

### Singles

[edit]

#### As lead artist

[edit]

Single  | Year  | Peak chart positions  | Certifications | Album

|
|
|
|

Sales
[27] | US
Dance
[28] | AUT
[29] | FRA
[23] | MEX
Air.
[30] | UK
Indie
[25]
"Seventeen Years"  | 2003  | — | — | — | — | — | —  |  | Ratatat
"Cherry"  | 2004  | — | — | — | — | — | —  |
"Wildcat"  | 2006  | — | — | — | — | — | —  |  | Classics
"Lex"  | — | — | — | — | — | —  |
"Loud Pipes"  | 2007  | — | — | 72 | — | — | —  |

* RIAA: Gold[31]

"Shiller"  | 2008  | — | — | — | — | — | 47  |  | LP3
"Shempi"  | — | — | — | — | — | —  |
"Mirando"  | 2009  | 45 | — | — | — | — | —  |
"Party with Children"  | 2010  | — | — | — | — | 25 | —  |  | LP4
"Drugs"  | — | — | — | — | — | —  |
"Cream on Chrome"  | 2015  | — | 38 | — | 63 | — | —  |  | Magnifique
"Abrasive"  | — | — | — | 200 | — | —  |
"Nightclub Amnesia"  | — | — | — | — | — | —  |
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

#### As featured artist

[edit]

Single  | Year  | Peak chart positions  | Certifications | Album

|
|
|
|

[32] | AUS
[19] | AUT
[29] | BEL
(FL)
[20] | BEL
(WA)
[21] | CAN
[33] | FRA
[23] | IRL
[34] | SWI
[35] | UK
[36]
"Look Alive"
(Despot featuring Ratatat) | 2009  | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —  |  | Definitive Jux Presents IV
"Pursuit of Happiness"
(Kid Cudi featuring Ratatat and MGMT) | 59 | 41 | 46 | 9 | 3 | 76 | 2 | 24 | 39 | 64  |

* RIAA: Diamond[37]
* ARIA: Platinum[38]
* BEA: Gold[39]
* BPI: Platinum[40]
* BVMI: Gold[41]

| Man on the Moon: The End of Day
"Alive (Nightmare)"
(Kid Cudi featuring Ratatat) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —  |
"Red Alert"
(CSS featuring Ratatat) | 2011  | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —  |  | La Liberación
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

### Remixes

[edit]

Year | Artist | Title

|
|

2005  | Shout Out Louds | "The Comeback" (Big Slippa Remix by Ratatat)
2006  | The Knife | "We Share Our Mothers' Health" (Ratatat Remix)
Biz Markie | "Vapors" (Remix by Ratatat)
2007  | Television Personalities | "You Kept Me Waiting Too Long" (Ratatat Remix)
2008  | Björk | "Wanderlust" (Ratatat Remix)
The Notorious B.I.G. | "Party and Bullshit" (Ratatat Remix)

### Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Classics did not enter the US Billboard 200, but peaked at number 30 on the Top Heatseekers Albums Chart.[26]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Laurence, Alexander (September 2004). "Ratatat". freewilliamsburg.com. Free Williamsburg. Retrieved July 10, 2010.
2. ^ a b c Leckart, Steven (August 28, 2006). "Have laptop will travel". today.com. msnbc.com. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
3. ^ Relic, Peter (July 28, 2004). "Hot Remixers: Ratatat". rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 12, 2009. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
4. ^ Rob. "Ratatat 9 Beats Hits Hard". Bittersweet Blog. Retrieved December 7, 2006.
5. ^ "Beggars Group USA - Releases". Beggarsgroupusa.com.
6. ^ Gintowt, Richard (August 27, 2008). "Ratatat". Retrieved April 9, 2009.
7. ^ "Ratatat: frequency bad-asses on LP3". Drownedinsound.com. July 3, 2008. Archived from the original on May 7, 2010. Retrieved April 9, 2009.
8. ^ Julia Askenase (August 4, 2009). "Ratatat's Mike Stroud Talks New Album". Paste. Retrieved July 10, 2010.
9. ^ "soundtrack of Matchstick Productions - The Way I See It". Lcymeeke.nobody.jp. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
10. ^ "Prada SS2011 ad campaign". YouTube. February 7, 2011. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
11. ^ Andy Bustard (October 1, 2012). "Kid Cudi Promises Ratatat Collaborations On 'Indicud'". Prefixmag.com. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
12. ^ James Rettig (April 11, 2015). "Ratatat – "Cream On Chrome"". Stereogum.com. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
13. ^ Evan Minsker, "Ratatat Announce New Album Magnifique," Pitchfork, May 19, 2015.
14. ^ "1-100 List | Hottest 100 2015 | triple j". Abc.net.au. January 11, 2014. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
15. ^ "Countdown | Hottest 100 - 2009 | triple j". Abc.net.au. January 1, 2010. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
16. ^ "Ratatat – Billboard 200 Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
17. ^ "Ratatat – Dance/Electronic Albums". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
18. ^ "Ratatat – Independent Albums". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
19. ^ a b "Discography Ratatat". australian-charts.com. ARIA. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
20. ^ a b "Discografie Ratatat". ultratop.be (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
21. ^ a b "Discographie Ratatat". ultratop.be (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
22. ^ "Ratatat – Billboard Canadian Albums Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
23. ^ a b c "Discographie Nathaniel Rateliff". lescharts.com (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
24. ^ Peaks on the UK Dance Albums Chart:
* LP4: "Official UK Dance Albums Chart Top 100 - 13 June 2010 - 19 June 2010". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
* Magnifique: "Official UK Dance Albums Chart Top 100 - 24 July 2015 - 30 July 2015". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
25. ^ a b "Ratatat songs and albums - full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
26. ^ "Ratatat – Chart History: Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
27. ^ "Ratatat – Hot Singles Sales Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved February 10, 2021.[dead link‍]
28. ^ "Ratatat – Hot Dance/Electronic Songs Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
29. ^ a b "Ratatat Austrian Charts". Austriancharts.at. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
30. ^ "Ratatat – Mexico Ingles Airplay Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
31. ^ "American single certifications – ratatat – Loud Pipes". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
32. ^ "Ratatat – Hot 100 Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
33. ^ "Ratatat – Billboard Canadian Hot 100 Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
34. ^ "Discography Ratatat". irish-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
35. ^ "Ratatat". swisscharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
36. ^ "Ratatat" (select "Singles" tab). Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
37. ^ "American single certifications – Kid Cudi – Pursuit of Happiness". Recording Industry Association of America.
38. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2013 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
39. ^ "Goud en Platina – 2012". ultratop.be (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
40. ^ "British certifications – Ratatat". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 30, 2020. Type Ratatat in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
41. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank". Retrieved May 1, 2018.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Ratatat

* Evan Mast
* Mike Stroud

Studio albums|

* Ratatat
* Classics
* LP3
* LP4
* Magnifique

Remix albums|

* Ratatat Remixes Vol. 1
* Ratatat Remixes Vol. 2

Singles|

* "Wildcat"
* "Lex"
* "Loud Pipes"
* "Shiller"
* "Shempi"
* "Mirando"
* "Party with Children"

Featured singles|

* "Pursuit of Happiness"

Related articles|

* Audio Dregs

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* United States
* France
* BnF data
* Czech Republic

Artists|

* MusicBrainz

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