Introducing: Ghosts Of Guyana

We might not all realize it, but throughout the Midwest there’s a ton of tiny scenes filled with great bands that are hard to even discover. While the Internet’s ease draws us closer to our Midwestern bretheren, most of us have no idea of what great things lie scattered throughout the neighboring cities and states.

Influenced by the aforementioned Midwestern isolationism and named after the location of Jim Jones’ Jonestown cult, Ghosts Of Guyana formed sometime around a year ago in Sioux City, Iowa. While the sound definitely echoes the town’s early 2000s post-hardcore roots (see early 2000s favorites Swing By Seven), Ghosts Of Guyana add a dreamy space rock element to the sound. The opening track, “If You’re Not There You’re Light Years Away,” bursts out as a direct descendant of Unwound’s late-period output, while tracks like “Stevin’ King” bob in a seven-minute sea of delay. If You’re Not There You’re Light Years Away is a short at eight songs, but long enough to remind you of the great bands hiding all over the Midwest that play for the love of what they do.

As a side-note, we’re planning on exploring beyond our local scene a bit in the coming months—so keep a lookout for a new series exploring bands rocking just a short road trip away from us.

—Adam