New York's RATATAT return to Australia this month playing shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. After their fantastic reception here in 2006 and their unforgettable Classics album, along with their various tours in Europe and the US supporting CSS, Bjork and others the band are back in the country playing the Essential Festival as well as some shows with Regurgitator. This time the 2 piece is augmented by their touring keyboard player.

The band will also be releasing a brand new album entitled ‘LP3’ due out later this year. Still resolutely instrumental, 'LP3' came together over the course of a few weeks in October and November of last year, whereas 'Classics' took them months to record. It all came together at Old Soul Studios, a large old house in the small town of Catskill in upstate New York. It doesn't have much in the way of hi-tech recording equipment but does have a wealth of keyboard instruments from a grand piano and harpsichord through to a mellotron and wurlitzer. Pretty much all of the instruments at Old Soul made it onto 'LP3' giving the record a much broader palette of sounds. It's a much more dynamic record than their previous two, with much more of an emphasis on keyboards, and as many as five tracks with live percussion rather than programmed beats. A 7” single is expected to be released in May with the full length album to follow.