Ratatat: Magnifique | Album review

Ratatat have carefully staked out their hinterland over the years, so there are few surprises on this fifth album from Mike Stroud and Evan Mast.

Ratatat’s arsenal of guitars, synths and percussion are pressed into service on a range of sleek, dynamic, muscular, occasionally noodly instrumentals, which twist and turn depending on the mood.

On Magnifique, however, it's a case of gliding and sliding rather than swaggering and swaying.

The sound unfolds with great agility, melodic punch and skill on Cream on Chrome and the languid Drift, the duo slowly adding new dabs of colour to the canvas.

Occasionally they wig out and throw all cares to the wind – the prog-guitar routing on Pricks of Brightness sounds as if Mike Oldfield or Steve Hackett have taken over the controls.

Still, the best moments here are when Ratatat stick to their lines.

[ ratatatmusic.com ]