LP4

Ratatat’s new album, LP4, has so many twists and turns, so many bizarrely contrasting song sections (while remaining laudably coherent), one could make a justified comparison to progressive rock. It just so happens that said prog band has a knack for producing a damn good dance track, and doesn’t have a cheesy hair-band singer—in fact, aside from the odd vocal sample, the album is entirely instrumental. For fans of the duo, you’ll be serenaded with all the familiar electronic sweeps, jungle rhythms, video game beeps and that exact same soaring double-tracked guitar sound Mike Stroud has favored in every Ratatat song ever. Which brings up the band’s glaring flaw: They need to switch up the tone from time to time. However, producer and synth player Evan Mast does an excellent job digging up more weird noises than ever and employing them in creative ways for a lush, layered product that sounds way too dense and complex for a two-piece. Highlights include “Bob Ghandi” (pulsing tribal psychedelia) and “Alps,” which features a memorable piano chord progression colliding with a baroque string arrangement (in outer space). There’s room for improvement, but LP4 is Ratatat’s most diverse album to date.