A sassy review of Temporal appears in Magnet MagazineIssue 44 for April/May 2000. Projekt send over a press clipping to share. It reads:
As one of the most consistent ethereal bands of the last decade, Love Spirals Downwards has absolutely nowhere to go but … down. This retrospective collection of unreleased and hard-to-find synthetic dreamscapes succeeds on a variety of cosmic levels. With Ryan Lum writing and performing the music and Suzanne Perry providing the words and vocals, LSD is an exotically insular sound machine. While Lum’s grasp of technology isn’t always distinctive and Perry’s warble can feel overly familiar, the pair still generates a dramatic wall of sound that stands proudly alongside the works of Dead Can Dance and the Cocteau Twins. Using slight touches of acoustic guitar, saxophone and percussion on top of their ambient/goth electronics and windswept vocals, Perry and Lum are able to create and sustain a mood that’s nearly alien and wholly atmospheric. Still, if you don’t enjoy working your way through a vast abyss of chiming guitars, swirling synthesizers and haunting female croons, Temporal may not be the ideal purchase. Achromatically packaged and containing moodist masterworks like “Asleep,” “Depression Glass” and “This Endris Night,” this album certainly has the icy sound required to keep things properly evocative. Anyone else feel like having an absinthe?
A new review of Temporal has appeared in Lexicon Magazine #15, and Projekt sent along a clipping to share. I appreciate L’Ange Noir’s Huxley reference in this quirky review, and find myself wondering which record store they work at.
Smooth and relaxing as if on holiday, this new album by Love Spirals Downwards is like dropping “three (grammes) for a dark eternity on the moon” in reference to Huxley’s soma holiday. For the novice this is the definitive starting point for an acquaintance with LSD and most definitely a great way to get to know the Darkwave/Ethereal genre that predominates Sam Rosenthal’s Projekt label.
This new album, Temporal, is a retrospective collection of their best and yet unreleased material. LSD, which formed 1991 in Los Angeles, is an experiment in dark ambiance that can be somewhat akin to early Cocteau Twins. Music masterfully crafted by Ryan Lum and the haunting vocals of Suzanne Perry, this album has laid down a basic framework of this duo’s history. The inclusion of material from past albums, Flux, Ardor, Ever, and Idylls, plus newly released tracks makes this the LSD retrospective. “At both ends and in between, “Temporal” is a sumptuous sound of layered guitars and lilting female vocals, rich in mood and melody.”(— Projekt PR)
I give this album a B for its relaxation factor. I think fans of Cocteau Twins, Sarah McLachlan, or the Jazz /Trip Hop group Portishead, will be able to find appreciation in this album. It has received quite the positive response in the music store where I work. I expect that the beautiful ambiance of this LA duo calms the savage spirit induced by everyday life. I highly recommend turning the lights down low, slipping in the tub, and relaxing to this new title from Projekt Records.
A short but sweet review appears in Side-Line Magazine, Issue 31 April/June 2000. Projekt sent over a press clipping, which reads:
I love anything this band puts out. This collection of works is no exception. They always give the listener a treat with their beautiful music. Their songs are made up of Ryan Lum’s smooth guitar work and Suzanne Perry’s lovely, yet haunting voice. They have also utilized the talents of some special guests over the years including guitar, saxophone, and even vocals. The tracks on “Temporal” are a varied selection of Love Spirals Downwards’ songs ranging from their first release, “Idylls,” in 1992 through to “Flux” in 1998. The best part about this release is the addition of 5 tracks previously unavailable on any of their past albums. A must-have for any Love Spirals Downwards fan; of which I’m sure there are many!
Indie goths gone electronic, LSD’s sound now sketches its past while tracing its future.
“We’re the first and only for a lot of things on Projekt,” says Ryan Lum, the multi-instrumentalist and driving force behind Love Spirals Downwards, darkwave label Projekt Record’s top-selling act. Lum is sipping on a soda in a RadioSpy conference room and choosing his words carefully. He’s speaking of his band’s use of saxophone riffs on a song from its latest release, Temporal, a career retrospective that includes a number of unreleased tracks. Lum was concerned that Sam Rosenthal, Projekt Record’s sometimes finicky founder, might be less than enthusiastic about the sax track.
“[Rosenthal] actually made a positive comment about the saxophone. He said, ‘You know, it fits somehow,” recounts Anji Bee, Ryan’s self-described “partner-in-crime” and recent collaborator on everything from album art to vocals. Lum’s experimentation — with his sound and with the band’s direction — initially met with grudging acceptance from Rosenthal, who eventually warmed to the band’s new sound.
“It’s not his cup of tea,” Lum says of Rosenthal’s reaction to the band’s shift in sound from “shoegazer,” the ethereal style of feedback- and synth-drenched pop defined by British bands like My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive and the Cocteau Twins, to drum ‘n’ bass. “But we more or less have artistic freedom to do as we please. I guess being the top seller on the label doesn’t hurt us in that,” Lum says with a chuckle.
Beginning Friday March 17, and continuing through the weekend, Radio Spy will run a Love Spirals Downwards feature interview and music broadcast. The program includes a number of songs I consider influential to our music, as well as a number of our songs selected by interviewer, Sean Flinn. After the weekend, the radio show/interview will go into their permanent archive, but try to catch the premier, as they’ll have a special flash animation on their main page. Radio Spy has also made my mix set, “Atmosphere 99” available for listening in their Jungle section, so check that out as well.
A very cool review and feature on the band just went up on a new website, The Stranger Next Door.
And for kicks, you might want to check out my guitar/music set up on the fanatical new site, Guitar Geek.
More articles in both web and print format are coming out soon, so check back here often!
Peace- Ryan
UPDATE: You can now stream DJ Ryan Lum’s ‘Atmosphere 99 Mix Set via Mixcloud:
Joined DJ Membraneous B. Sausage last night for a “sneak attack” DJ set and interview on the Ryders of the Plastic Groove show at KUCI FM. Anji was on hand to snap some pix.
I’ve got a few radio spots coming up at KUCI, including a live remote broadcast that you can attend. I’ve heard that they can really get the crowd moving up there sometimes, so come join the fun! (but no booze, please…) All KUCI shows are broadcast via the internet, so you can tune in that way, as well. And later in April and May, I’ll be DJ’ing in San Francisco and Los Angeles. I’ll post more about those gigs soon.
Wednesday, Feb 23 KUCI 88.9 fm, Irvine, CA Music for Lunchpails – 8:00 pm
On-Air phone interview
Friday, Feb 25th KUCI 88.9 fm, Irvine, CA Swope Transmissions – 8:30 pm
On-Air interview & CD giveaway
Friday, Feb 25th KUCI 88.9 fm, Irvine, CA Riders of the Plastic Groove – 9:00 to 10:15 pm
Live remote broadcast: Ryan will be spinning a live on-air DJ set
This remote broadcast event will run from 9 pm to 12:30 am (and longer if conditions permit) at the University of California Irvine, outside in the Computer Science Plaza. It is free and open to the public, so come on down and dance! For directions, please view the Riders’ website.
A number of internet features are happening over the next few months, including an exciting interview with Radio Spy. I’ve also made my mix CD available through Live 365, so everyone can finally get a feel for what my DJ sets are like. More interviews with the band will be coming up in the next few weeks and months, so stay posted.
And then there’s the store promotions. We’re in a number of listening stations, so check for any in your neighborhood:
Twist & Shout — Denver, CO listening station 2/1 – 2/29
Rasputins — San Fran, CA listening stations 2/1 – 3/31
There’s a new review of ‘Temporal‘ in the ‘Inside Borders‘ store magazine for February. Be sure to check out our album in the Borders listening stations this month!
Drifting Toward a Romantic Twilight
Just as Valentine’s Day can bring about all kinds of emotions with regards to romantic love, so can romantic music take on many different forms. Such is the case with the duo known as Love Spirals Downwards. They were one the first acts to exist on the Projekt record label, which has been a specialist in all manner of gothic, electron ambient, and other various ethereal kinds of music for over 10 years now. From their 1992 debut, Idylls, to 1998’s very popular Flux, Love Spirals Downwards has always existed in a moody, enchanting universe all its own, thanks to the music scapes of guitarist/keyboardist Ryan Lum, and the unearthly crooning of vocalist Suzanne Perry. Their earlier releases contain haunting, drifting melodies and layered, melancholy vocals reminiscent of Enya, while later albums incorporate some gentle yet vital dancebeats into the spell. Now, Love Spirals Downwards releases a long-overdue retrospective titled Temporal. It features 13 songs spanning all of their albums and singles, and includes six previously unreleased tracks. It is a comprehensive overview of the duo’s many shades. Whether you’re relaxing in the dark tranquility of post-first-date bliss, or are swimming in the nostalgia of love lost, this album will help keep you warm.
Temporal has been released by Projekt Records! We want to thank everyone who pre-ordered it at our webstore, and invite the rest of you to come pick up your copy (on sale for $13, including a personally signed band photo) at our e-store.
Several offers for interviews with radio stations, e-zines and magazines are coming in now, as well as a few DJ gigs, so keep checking back here for the particulars. If you are interested in setting something up with me, feel free to send an email.
It’s certainly been some time since I’ve had a moment to update the news section! Lots of things have been going on for me and the band recently and it’s all kept me quite busy.
First off, I want to mention our exclusive holiday song, “The Little Drummer Boy,” which is available FREE for your listening pleasure at our webstore. We’ve included both a Real Audio file and mp3 format, so be sure to take a listen (and download it for later enjoyment).
Secondly, I’m sure you’ve noticed the new look of the website; we’ve updated it in the style of…. our next album! Yes, we will be releasing a full-length album on Projekt Records this coming new year. Entitled Temporal, it features music from points covering our entire career, including 6 tracks which have never appeared on any Love Spirals Downwards albums. Check out the Releases section for further details.
Peace,
Ryan
Ethereal Shoegaze and Electronica from Projekt Records
