Fun Fest Interviews: Ratatat

During Fun Fest weekend, we had the chance to sit down and speak with electro beat makers Ratatat. Duo Mike Stroud and Evan Mast were a tad bit on the sleepy side early in the morning, but we still managed to discuss some things we thought you guys would like to know. Hopefully you’ll find out something new about the band if you’re a fan. Follow the jump for full interview.

ATH: You guys have been quoted as saying that the new LP was recorded mostly during LP3 sessions. Is this to be seen just as a continuation of LP3? How will these tracks differ from what we heard on LP3?

MS: Basically what we did is record a whole bunch of songs in a row during about 2 months of recording. Then we’re sort of releasing it chronologically with LP3 being the first half and the second being LP4. LP3 is more us getting the more obvious ideas out of our system and LP4 is sort of weirder…

EM: We started being really weird.

MS: Yeah so LP4 is sort of really bizarre.

EM: I mean some of it will sort of sound like a continuation but in a much stranger direction.

MS: It’s also a lot more complicated. At that point, once we started working on those songs, we were well in the practice of writing and in the zone. We had already done a whole record and we were doing things really quickly. The ones for LP4 are just more focused and strange.

EM: We’re playing two songs from the new record tonight.

ATH: Any idea on when we can expect the new LP4? 2010?

MS: Not sure yet. At some point I’m sure but we don’t have a date yet.

ATH: How did the sessions with Kid Cudi come about and are you pleased with the results?

MS: He got in touch with someone through our label. Then he just sort of called up one day and was super excited about it and excited about our records. He knew a lot about our records and was really enthusiastic. So we checked out his stuff and liked it so we decided to do a couple of songs. It was pretty relaxed. We made the tracks and he laid over the vocals.

EM: Yeah he actually played with us in New York before we did recording and it was a good show. So that got us more and more excited for the session. It was fun and he’s a fun guy.

ATH: Are you guys currently working on any sort of new collaborations in or out of Ratatat? You just did the one with Kid Cudi, are you working on one with another artist?

EM: Not really right now. We sort of took some time off recently since we’ve been touring so much.

ATH: You do a lot of remixes and collaborations with hip artists/rappers, what would be your dream collab? Alive or dead.

MS: Bach. With him rapping and us making the beats.

EM: He’d probably be an amazing rapper. We also just want to hang out with Rhianna. I guess I’d like to make music with her too.

MS: Lil Wayne.

ATH: Your music works really well with added visual elements and you do a lot of those things during your live shows. If you could re-write the soundtrack to an old favorite movie of yours, which one would you pick? Two? Three? The Rocky trilogy?

EM: Ha, definitely not The Rocky trilogy. It would be crazy to make a soundtrack for those old Alejandro Jodorowsy films. He was a Mexican director in the 60s. His film Holy Mountain is a great movie.

MS: That’s a really tough question. I’d have to think about that one for a while.

ATH: Similar type of question: We had a feature on our website about imaginary supergroups and had a contest about it for Fun Fest passes. What would be your dream group?

MS: Bill Cosby on drums, Eddie Murphy on keyboard…

EM: Chris Farley on bongos.

MS: Steve Martin on Banjos and Bill Murray as the band director.

ATH: What was the best release of this year?

EM: I don’t really know anything about current music. What came out this year?

MS: We haven’t really seen much new music…

EM: Yeah we don’t really listen to new music.

MS: I guess that new Zero record. I mean we haven’t heard the whole thing yet but it sounded pretty good.

EM: We were on tour for most of the year and it’s really hard to get into stuff when you’re on tour.

ATH: Who do you like in the 2010 World Cup?

EM: I have no idea…

MS: Vietnam.

Thanks again for the time guys. Job well done on the late night Saturday set as well.