Ringo Deathstarr

Melding the noisy pop hooks of late-'80s indie pop, the hazy guitar overload of shoegaze, and the gauzy punch of dream pop, Ringo Deathstarr carried the torch for the original wave of bands like Ride, Medicine, and early Smashing Pumpkins, who worked in similar fashion. Starting with their debut album Colour Trip, the trio's recorded output was reliably consistent from the very beginning; each record displayed their skills at crafting blown-out guitar pop songs, then putting them on tape with minimal nods to modern recording technology. This meant that their albums held up nicely next to those of their inspirations, and when the band finally pushed the formula a little by adding new sounds on 2020's self-titled album, they began to forge their own path.