Ringlets — S/T

Once in a weenie while you catch a live band that comes at you from all angles, making multiple concurrent cases for immediately becoming one of your must-see acts. A couple of weeks ago I had the magnificent fortune to see Ringlets live, and by the end of their set I had already texted everyone in my rolodex to spread the good word.

A deceptively classic-shaped indie rock quartet, Ringlets is the musical Voltron formed by Arlo, Arabella, Leith, and László; this isn’t your cookie cutter rock band, no ma’am. Their self-titled debut album has just dropped, and it’s packed with influences that don’t care if you think they’re cool or not, and melodies that don’t care if you wanted to share your brain with other songs. 

Opening tune ‘I Used To Paint’ kicks off with an intro that, bear with me, calls to mind… 90s Incubus, before immediately giving way to a melodic indie rock tune that would have Suede’s Brett Anderson trading in every cigarette in his pack to have written. 

The album continues apace, with single ‘Sever’ another stand-out, melding kickass riffs with vocal acrobatics, relentless rhythms, and even hints of 90s emo. Yeah, it’s hard to explain.

There’s a change of scenery with eighth track ‘Made of Mist’, with bassist Arabella stepping in to share lead vocals. Her voice would nestle in perfectly over the top of a shoegaze soundtrack, but instead it’s a driving rock number that only heats up as it progresses.

In a world where it’s smart to play dumb, on their debut album Ringlets have unleashed a monster that’s at once intelligent, exciting, and deadly serious about your enjoyment. And they’re unbelievable live, but I probably already texted you about that… 

Review by Matthew “Rolodex” Crawley