Seven years ago, Ratatat's home-recorded debut single, "Seventeen Years," hit college-radio airwaves amid a trend of instrumental electronic music built on pulsating bass and heavy synthesizers. These days, the Brooklyn duo is best-known for its remixes, with the signature tailoring of whining synth lines and drop-out dance beats. Something about the video-game sound has attracted artists in other genres — Ratatat has worked with such heavyweights as Björk, Daft Punk, the Killers, and Vampire Weekend. A collaboration with Kid Cudi on his hit "Pursuit of Happiness" introduced Ratatat to a new fanbase, making the strong argument that the duo is not just an electronic indie act but also a legitimate hip-hop production team.
