As half of Ratatat, Evan Mast’s music has reached an enormous audience with its bombastic merge of rock and electronic music. With his music as E.VAX, there’s sometimes bigness but always poignancy. The popularity of Ratatat brought him on tour around the globe many times over, which eventually instilled in him a desire to always look to new places and experiences for motivation and inspiration.
In addition to his work in Ratatat, Mast has spent the last few years providing producing records for rappers and singers. He’s spent ample time with Kanye West, producing the organ-heavy “Selah” for his Jesus Is King album and the loping “Reborn” for Kids See Ghosts. He has also produced records for Kid Cudi, Jay-Z and Despot.
Working outside of Ratatat, and as a producer for others has been the bridge to return to his solo music.
For his upcoming album, Mast loosened his attitude towards production, looking to capture some of the spontaneity and messiness of the creative process. He recorded in his studio in Brooklyn, various hotels in China, Taiwan, and Japan, and then midway through the pandemic he spent several months in Montana, recording in a friend’s art gallery.
Mast also produces his own music videos made up largely of videos he shot while walking through unfamiliar cities far away from home.
