Ratatat — Classics

Classics

XL/Beggars

Phil Villeneuve (CHARTattack)

08/29/2006 8:42pm

Some (namely restless music media types and blogging hoodlums) have proclaimed the end of the guitar solo is nigh. New York City electronic rock duo Ratatat, on the other hand, are declaring its rejuvenation with their hypnotic sophomore release, Classics. Combining the simple yet majestic powers and sounds of the electric and acoustic guitar with nail-biting beats and heaps of different synthesizers, Ratatat have almost mastered the art of recognizing what's right in front of them. In turn, they're using pretty basic instruments to make warm-blooded electronic music. There's nothing totally new on the instrumental Classics, but tracks like "Montanita" and "Swisha" give an organic feel to dance music, while the synth explosions of "Lex" reminds listeners that there's also nothing wrong with pure electronic rock-outs.