Spotlight: Ratgrave — Ratgrave

In a 2014 interview with Resident Advisor, a lackadaisical 21-year-old Max Graef expressed his disbelief at people fawning over his “boring” house and techno DJ sets. A producer and multi-instrumentalist, he discussed his open relationship with genres, and his love for obscure hip-hop and jazz.

On July 31st, Ratgrave — a partnership between Graef and Acoutic Funk’s Julius Conrad — released their eponymous LP through FunkinEven’s Apron Records. It was recorded over three years and is described by the duo as “electronic P-fusion from earth”, but you could be fooled into thinking the album is a soundtrack for interstellar travel; there is a cosmic ambience within the live instrumentation and programmed parts throughout.

The work between Graef and Conrad — who are first time collaborators as Ratgrave — is an almost indescribable, thoroughly mixed bag of groovy treats. The bustling, warm percussion and sound effects alongside Conrad’s funky basslines sound loose and improvised; but with each play the detail becomes more apparent, such as the move from breakbeat into spacey synth in the last seconds of El Schnorro.

One of the highlights — musically, as well as in the title — is the second track, “Big Sausage Pizza”. One only needs to look as far as the tracklist to see that Graef is still opposed to his work in electronic music being taken too seriously, but he needn’t worry. The Ratgrave LP is a ride from start to finish, sometimes smooth, sometimes wild, but never boring, and a ride you will want to take again.