Bleep

On their second LP Rock, Ratgrave turn in a set of hypnagogic jazz-rock and fusion tunes. This sound was already at work on the duo’s eponymous 2018 debut album, but these tracks lean even harder into the band’s vaporwave Weather Report thing. One thing that has helped Max Graef and Julius Conrad take their style even further here is some much cleaner production - whereas Ratgrave’s first full-length was muddied and muffled, tracks here are, if not squeaky-clean, then at least scrub up a lot better. Given the sense of playfulness that runs through Rock, it’s no surprise to find Ratgrave’s noodlesome playing spill out into other styles at points - closing number ‘Mutti Hat Gekocht’ ends with this bonus track that’s got a cool sort of jungle-metal thing going on.