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Melodyguild
Aitu

Projekt Records

Posted: Tuesday, May 13, 2008
By: Leslie Benson
Journalist

The difference between musicians signed to Projekt Records rather than EBM-heavy labels like Alfa Matrix is that Projekt's bands fit more into the mold of a rock group - the standard quartet of vocalist, guitarist, bassist, and drummer, in variations. You'll also see Projekt bands with pianists or violinists at times, but you're less likely to witness two-person electronic synth projects bent of steaming up dance floors. The great aspect of Projekt bands is that they play ethereal dark rock, oftentimes interwoven with spectacular songwriting and vocal harmonies. Melodyguild fits that mold of emotional, atmospheric, yet easily digestible music. Their lyrics are poems set to warm melodies and indie rock riffs. Melodyguild's brief four tracks on Aitu are lovelorn professions sung by vocalist Suzanne Perry of Love Spirals Downward, who hasn't recorded an album in nearly a decade. Her cohorts are equally as talented as the musicians' genuine rock skill and dreamy pop qualities make them memorable. The 22-odd minute collection contains four easy-to-swallow capsules of aural medicine. Although in Polynesian languages, the word "Aitu" refers to malevolent spirits or ghosts, Melodyguild's CD is far from ill-disposed. The songs are straightforward and current without veering into intense darkwave or futuristic territory. Instead, Melodyguild does on Aitu what most good Projekt bands similar to Mira do: create a cohesive, shoegazing group of gentle, inoffensive tracks.