Ringo Deathstarr builds moods, then revels in blasting them away
Strangely soothing and abrasive at once, Ringo Deathstarr distill the dissonant charms of shoegaze down to the last detail: loud guitars that only get louder; distortion pedals that are likely hot to the touch from overuse; entrancing, benumbed vocals that frequently sound as if they were phoned in from the furthest recesses of the Milky Way.
The Austin, Texas, trio does more than create a pretty, anesthetizing drone, though.
On their last full-length, 2012’s “Mauve,” they approximate the sensation of floating in outer space, a la Spiritualized, on “Brightest Star,” but they also violently disrupt those moments of carefully cultivated atmosphere with the bullying guitars of forward-lunging songs like “Burn” and “Slack.”
This bunch is skilled at creating and sustaining a mood — and just as adept at disrupting it.
Contact reporter Jason Bracelin at jbracelin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0476. Follow on Twitter @JasonBracelin.
