Ratatat

Ratatat are a Brooklyn-based electro-rock duo who formed in 2001. The band is comprised of Mike Stroud and Evan Mast who met when they were both students at Skidmore, a liberal arts college in Saratoga Springs.

Stroud, who plays guitar, melodica, synths and drums, had previously toured with Dashboard Confessional, a rock band from Boca Raton in Florida. Stroud teamed up with bassist Mast initially recording under the name Cherry. Their debut single as Ratatat was released in 2003 when the duo recorded the track 'Seventeen Years'.

During the early days of the group's formation Stroud had been playing with American singer-songwriter Ben Kweller but had to quit due to increasing commitments with Ratatat. The band's self-titled-debut album came out in 2004 and was predominately instrumental with the lead single being 'Germany to Germany'. Although the album was only moderately successful in terms of sales, a number of tracks were adopted by the advertising industry and used in commercials. Since their debut album Ratatat have pursued their own brand of electro-rock defined by Stroud's distinctive guitar work. Significant commercial success has so far eluded the band but they have a hard core fan base and their work continues to find favour within TV and film advertising.