Ratatat emerged as one of the most distinctive instrumental duos in 21st century electronic music, crafting a signature sound that blended intricate guitar melodies with pulsating synthesizers and driving beats. The Brooklyn-based pair, consisting of multi-instrumentalists Mike Stroud and Evan Mast, formed in 2001 and became known for their dynamic live performances and a series of critically acclaimed albums that defied easy genre classification, sitting at the intersection of rock, electronica, and experimental pop.

The duo's origins trace back to the early 2000s New York City music scene. Evan Mast, who also recorded under the alias E*Vax and co-founded the independent label Audio Dregs, initially collaborated with Mike Stroud, a guitarist who had toured with artists like Ben Kweller. Their creative partnership solidified with the 2004 release of their self-titled debut album, "Ratatat," which introduced their core aesthetic of weaving Stroud's melodic and often classically-influenced guitar lines over Mast's robust, hip-hop-inflected production. The album garnered a dedicated following and set the stage for their breakthrough.

Ratatat achieved significant commercial and critical success with their subsequent releases. Their 2006 sophomore effort, "Classics," featured fan favorites like "Lex" and "Wildcat," further refining their anthemic style. Their claim to fame, the 2008 album "LP3," marked a notable evolution, incorporating a wider palette of global influences and unconventional instruments such as the harpsichord and symphonic percussion, expanding their sonic universe while maintaining their instrumental focus. They continued this exploratory trend with "LP4" in 2010.

Beyond their own studio work, Ratatat built a reputation for inventive remixes, reworking tracks for a diverse array of artists including The Knife, MGMT, and Television. Their music found a natural home in various media, being featured in video games, television shows, and film trailers, which broadened their audience. The duo maintained a consistent output through the 2010s with albums like "Magnifique" in 2015, which was praised for its return to a more guitar-centric and streamlined approach. While public releases became less frequent in the late 2010s, Ratatat's influence persisted, their catalog representing a unique and enduring strand of instrumental electronic rock.