Sitting ringside at an arena provides a close, intimate view of the action without actually being in it. True to their name, Ringside is a duo whose electronic-tinged rock music tells stories from the perspective of being outside of the norm. Their soulful debut album shatters the notion of a rock band and delivers unique songs with a cast of two – Scott and Balt. Scott contributes vocals and plays guitar, piano, bass and keyboards while Balt makes computer generated beats that give each cut a dark, funky feel.

“Struggle” is a sinister track that’s full of anguish and spooky effects, reminiscent of Beck’s more intense songs or Radiohead’s futuristic blues. “Tired of Being Sorry” features Scott’s raspy voice at the center, backed by flamenco guitars and a cinematic orchestra sound at each chorus. Every song on the self-titled album would work perfectly on a road trip to anywhere because the singalong hooks are instantly memorable and the vivid stories told by Ringside are painful but very universal experiences.