REVIEW

Debut EP from dream pop band Melodyguild, featuring Suzanne Perry of Love Spirals Downwards. Released via the storied Projekt Records, the EP has long been something of a hidden gem—made more confusing by the fact that it is often misattributed to Love Spirals Downwards on streaming services. To be clear, Ryan Lum is not involved; Melodyguild is a distinct project.

For context, Love Spirals Downwards (often abbreviated as LSD) began in the late 1980s as an ethereal wave / dream pop project founded by Ryan Lum. In 1991, his then-girlfriend Suzanne Perry joined as vocalist, and between then and 1998 the band released four albums—each widely regarded as classics—becoming one of Projekt Records’ flagship acts. In 2000, Lum reconfigured the project with a new vocalist, Anji Bee (now Anji Lum), launching Lovespirals, while the original incarnation effectively came to an end.

Melodyguild emerged in 2002, formed primarily by members of the LA dream pop band The Von Trapps, with Suzanne Perry recruited as lead vocalist. Their sole EP arrived in 2008 on Projekt Records and now stands as the final release to feature Perry as a full-time vocalist.

Musically, Melodyguild shifts away from the medieval and folk-tinged mysticism that defined LSD, leaning instead toward a more universal blend of dream pop and shoegaze. Perry’s voice, however, remains unmistakable—an angelic presence often compared to Elizabeth Fraser of Cocteau Twins.

Tracks like #3 “Flicker” introduce lush walls of noise that would have been unthinkable in classic LSD, while #4 “Un Parallel” reveals a darker edge, hinting at new directions the band might have explored. Unfortunately, those possibilities were never realized; Melodyguild quietly disappeared, leaving this EP as both their debut and swan song.

Since then, Suzanne Perry has continued to appear as a guest vocalist on select projects. To my knowledge, her most recent recorded appearance is on Sleepthief’s “Empyrean”, included on the compilation Beauty 2: Music That Touches the Soul.

That track is, fittingly, a beautiful return to Love Spirals Downwards–adjacent ethereal folk and dream pop. Across their catalog, Sleepthief feature an impressive roster of guest vocalists beyond Suzanne Perry, making the project well worth exploring for listeners drawn to new age, electronica, and dream pop.

As a label, Projekt Records occupies a unique historical position at the intersection of gothic music and shoegaze, having consistently nurtured artists operating in that liminal space. Melodyguild may ultimately be remembered as a fleeting presence within Projekt’s vast constellation—more like a shooting star than a fixed point—but one whose brief glow left a lasting impression. One can only hope their work continues to resonate with new listeners.

From a broader perspective, the relationship between Love Spirals Downwards, Projekt Records, and the wider dialogue between gothic and shoegaze aesthetics remains a rich subject—one that merits deeper examination in its own right.