Rat & Co – Third Law (Smooch Records)
25 August 2017
Out Now
8 / 10
Australian electro trio release their third album.
Hailing from Melbourne, Rat & Co release their much
anticipated third album aptly entitled Third Law. It’s an interesting mix of electro, ambient
and hip-hop dance beats and sits somewhere in the void between Public Service
Broadcasting and O.M.D. with its wonderfully chosen soundbytes and perfectly
placed melodies.
Following the band’s first two albums, One Uno Ein and
Binary was always going to be a difficult thing to do. Both albums were highly praised and the
prospect of repeating the feat must surely have been a daunting one. Thankfully Rat & Co have succeeded and
produced one of the most fulfilling and successful albums of the year. Opening with the voice synthesized overture
that is A Place Called Home the atmosphere of the album begins to be laid into
place as the sounds of exotic birds co-exists in the background.
The following track, A.I. could quite easily have nestled into
the soundtrack of TV mini drama Fortitude.
It is both haunting and progressive and contains some effects that are capable
of sending a chill up your spine, with some Eastern sounding effects and
looped, undecipherable vocoder recordings it is a fine piece.
Third Law is not without its surprises, after two (in
reality) instrumentals, the breathy vocals of Liahona add to Soldiers and the
album takes an unexpected, if not cleverly thought out turn. It drifts along comfortably
and satisfyingly with some lovely bass throbs and atmospheric interludes. Rumble
has a drum ‘n’ bass feel again with some great bass lines and I’m Not Dead
borders on trip-hop with faint voices pushed right to the back of the mix.
Noslo again features inserted library sounds with a
synthesized version of the well-known song Daisy Bell (Bicycle Made For Two) and
explanatory diction describing the potential of electro intervention and Nerd
Lock seamlessly follows gradually upping the tempo. By the time Control enters the fray Third Law
is a special album, a talented trio not scared to experiment but doing so with
a commercial aspect also in mind. A
thoroughly enjoyable album with enough twists and turns to please everyone from
indie pop lover through to ambient fiend.
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