Guest Directors – Oh, To Be Weightless In The Sky CD (Topsy Records)

Here’s another superb release that recently arrived at our headquarters. Oh, To Be Weightless In The Sky is the latest EP release by Guest Directors, a Seattle-based post-shoegaze group. After googling around, I learned this is not their debut release. Quite the contrary, Guest Directors released an impressive number of EP releases, such as These Beautiful Things, Forks/Spinning Around, Captured In The Light, Dream The Currents, Connected Heavens, and Treading Water/When It’s All (Obscure Color Mix). As you can see, Guest Directors keep their activities as prolific as possible, and each recording bursts with sheer quality.

That’s the case with Oh, To Be Weightless In The Sky as well. This particular EP carries five thoughtfully assembled post-shoegaze compositions that will satisfy your listening apparatus even if you’re not into this music genre. Still, Guest Directors are not only about post-shoegaze. These numbers with some of the finest properties borrowed from other complementary music genres. You’ll notice how grunge, post-grunge, psychedelic rock, post-punk, indie rock, alternative, and dream pop inspired them to assemble such incredible songs. Each composition bursts with so many qualities that you’ll probably have difficulties grasping them all in just one listening. You’ll also notice these are experienced musicians who know how to write, compose and produce numbers where all the instruments shine bright in their complexity.

Maybe Guest Directors prefer the term post-shoegaze, but these compositions aren’t overwhelmed with reverb, echo, and delay effects like many bands do in their works. There’s a reasonable dosage of studio reverb lurking around, but you’ll hear every vocal part, melody, harmony, chord progression, bassline, and rhythm sequence without any difficulties. The band thought about so many details while working on these songs, so you’ll probably notice how every intro, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, or other segment bursts with many complex orchestrations, which are more characteristic of a progressive and psychedelic rock than post-shoegaze. There are many moments where the entire band shapes up a cathartic ambiance where you’ll hear a couple of instruments dueling, while the exceptional lyricism and vocal performance serve as guidance throughout each composition. Oh, To Be Weightless In The Sky carries so many qualities it would be such a shame not to discover them by yourself. The EP comes out tomorrow, October 22nd, so keep your eyes peeled on Guest Directors’ Bandcamp page and other streaming services.