Ratatat - LP3

During their four-year-old recording career, Ratatat have proven themselves true explorers; not always striking gold, but taking risks nonetheless. For the creation of LP3, the intrepid duo decamped from their native Brooklyn to the Old Soul studio in the Catskill Mountains, a dusty musical playground of Wurlitzers and harpsichords. It's unsurprising then, that LP3 is their most ambitious album so far. Schiller raises the curtain with a radioactive haze of synth, before a haunting lullaby takes effect and Mike Stroud's trademark pomp-rock guitar slinks in; Falcon Jab reclaims the bravado of 2006's Classics, with added vocoder and organic beats; Mi Viejo adds Indian Tabla drums into the mix; Mirando is salsa-meets-Pacman insanity - and that's just the first four tracks. LP3 is both far-reaching and doggedly individual: any track may have elements of reggae or Bhangra or hip hop, but it's still distinctively Ratatat. For this duo it's all a mean feat, and one that confirms they have the talent to back up the exploration. [Nick Mitchell]