Guest Directors - Dream the Currents

Guest Directors

Dream the Currents
self-released; 2019

4.0 out of 5

By Matt Jensen

I had a feeling I was going to really dig the EP Dream the Currents by Guest Directors when I read about them. In your bio, if you mention Teenage Fanclub and The Cure in the same sentence you have my attention.

The band definitely has some of that ’90s grunge sound going on but the reverb drenched guitars can make these songs feel more aligned with shoegaze.

They start off with “Parachute On” which felt like a song that was more aligned with artists like Real Estate and other like minded bands that utilize melodic and sometimes very pretty sounding picking styles on the guitar. By the end of the song the band gets through a nice jam session reminding me a little of Deerhunter which doesn't overstay its welcome. It’s a great song that is dynamic and catchy but not predictable.

The EP starts to open with “For A Day.” This song was a little more nostalgic for me in a The Jesus and Mary Chain type of way. They rock out here and while the early shoegaze aesthetic is present the ’90s alternative feel is just as noticeable.

“Minor Mendings” was the strongest song to me. The song starts with a slick drum pattern and dark waves of guitar feedback. There is a syncopated bass line that mirrors a similar pattern to “Airbag” by Radiohead. All the elements come together on the verse and I also thought the uplifting almost angelic vocals was where the singer shined. The song falls into beautiful chaos before getting back to the verse. Around the four-minute mark the song gets into post-rock territory with a wall of sound.

“Where You Belong” has the intensity of a Guided by Voices song. The chorus was instantly catchy and infectious. The band embraces classic shoegaze MBV style with some pitch bending guitars on “Twinkle, Twinkle, Bête Noire” which creates that slightly dissonant effect.

​Dream the Currents is a great EP. I’m in my late 30’s and this album felt like it was made for my age range. There are a lot of things in this EP which made me love music so much in the first place. Don’t pass this up.

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