Ringo Deathstarr - Shadow EP Review

Having recently bagged themselves the opening slot on the Smashing Pumpkins upcoming UK and European tours, Ringo Deathstarr are clearly starting to make waves in the alternative world. This EP comes as something of a stop-gap between Colour Trip, their debut album which came out last February, and its follow up, which is expected at some point early next year. It offers more of the same Ringo Deathstarr sound you've come to know since My Bloody Valentine and The Jesus and Mary Chain started playing it all those years ago.

Snide, unfair remarks aside, what is on offer here is actually pretty good, as was the case with Colour Trip, and the compilation of early singles they released in July; Sparkler. The title track - Shadow - Is a madcap 4 minutes of off the wall guitars put to an almost hypnotic rhythm, with whispered female backing vocals creating such a cacophony which is in equal parts soothing and headache inducing, which is quite a wonder. New Way is a sub-2 minute thumper following a similar formula, with the wall of guitar and feedback constantly building, but never quite exploding until the songs final 15 seconds.

The second half of the EP is leans much more heavily on the bands more stoned, hypnotic sound, as Prisms drifts out of your speakers under layers of delay. Completing the collection is Just You, another delay heavy number which slowly builds into a wistful, dreamy pop song.

In short, on this evidence, the reformed Pumpkins need to be on absolute top form if they do not want these young guns to make fools of them on this tour. Ringo Deathstarr are brilliant at what they do.

Ben Walton