We are now offering a reissue of the 1998 ‘Flux’ tee from Projekt Records for sale. It’s available in the original green tee version and now in black, as well. For the first time ever it’s available as a hoodie, as well, both in green and black. Additionally you can pick up a sticker of the original ‘Flux‘ cover art.
If you’re more of an early-LSD period fan, check out the original band logo merch. The tee is offered in ‘Idylls‘ blue or classic black, while the hoodie is available in ‘Flux‘ green or classic black. There’s also a sticker in either blue or black with white ink.
Love Spirals Downward (LSD for short) formed in Los Angeles in 1991 when guitarist, keyboardist, and composer Ryan Lum asked Suzanne Perry to record vocals over some music he had written. The positive results led to a recorded demo, and by late 1992, the duo released their first album, Idylls, on the ethereal Projekt label. Their debut maintained a strong Cocteau Twins vibe, but they differed from that group by virtue of Perry’s distinct vocal style and a dreamier, folksier sound that manifested itself on subsequent releases, each of which have shown LSD more strongly defining their personal style, slowly but gradually stripping away the processing and becoming more acoustically based. In fact, their sporadic North American shows have generally featured Lum on acoustic guitar and Perry singing. Ever shows them experimenting with modern electronica, also evidenced by an ethereal drum’n’bass tune performed at the 1997 Projekt Festival in Chicago. Flux followed in 1998. Throughout their career, the duo have maintained a strong following among the goth set, even though their audiences are far more varied than that. Ethereal folk is the best way to describe them, for they fit neither the image nor the dark mood of the gothic genre, although their occasional melancholic edge does explain the connection. By the new millennium, Lum started the Lovespirals project with singer/songwriter Anji Bee on vocals. Lovespirals issued Windblown Kiss in summer 2002. — by Bryan Reeseman, All Music Guide
The All Music Guide (AMG) biography of Love Spirals Downwards provides a general overview of the band’s history, tracing their evolution from their 1992 debut Idylls to their final studio album Flux (1998) and the later Lovespirals project. However, the biography makes several broad claims about the band’s stylistic shifts—some of which warrant closer examination. Does Ever really mark their first experiment with modern electronica? Did their sound truly move from heavy processing to a more acoustic-based approach? And is “ethereal folk” the best way to describe them? Let’s analyze their discography and documented history to find out.
Check out “This Ain’t Love (Lovespirals Remix)” on the brand new Projekt Records release by Alan Elettronico, ‘Electronic Mind (Deluxe Edition).’ I had a lot of fun working on this mix with Anji and am excited that both the artist and label like it enough to make it the main single on both Bandcamp and Spotify. It’s good to be back with a new song after a long break.
Lum has remastered and reissued Flux along with a number of bonus tracks, including outtakes, remixes, and live performances. Which is a perfect way to discover one of my favorite Projekt releases, an album that I often turn to when I need to chill out and bliss out at the same time.
We found a pre-album live performance of “Sound of Waves” Live at ProjektFest 1997 that we just had to include on the 25th anniversary reissue of ‘Flux.’ This video features more goodies from the LSD archives including proof sheets of photos taken of Ryan and Suzanne performing at The Vic in Chicago on the very night of this recording. The photographers are Katie McIntree and E. Katie Holmes.
We are celebrating the 25th Anniversary of LSD’s final studio album, ‘Flux,’ with the remastered and expanded ‘Flux Deluxe Edition’ featuring 13 additional tracks. Previously unreleased songs created in 1997-98, a live performance from ProjektFest 1997, two remixes from 1998, plus a brand new recording are all included in this epic reissue! The Bandcamp release also includes one bonus track recorded in 1998.
“Fusing their familiar style with updated breakbeats, Love Spirals Downwards’ sound coalesces into a massively layered textural workout. ‘flux’ organically caresses your soul while electronically massaging your mind. Inspired by ambient drum & bass, Love Spirals Downwards combines their trademark ether-bliss guitars and heavenly female vocals with a breakbeat rhythmic foundation. The result of ‘flux’ is Love Spirals Downwards’ most advanced passage yet. Creating a style that is as much about mood as melody, Love Spirals Downwards continue their evolution beyond their ethereal dream-pop roots.”
“Psyche” from ‘Flux’ in a scene from ‘Dawson’s Creek’ S5: The Bostonians 10/10/2001
Love Spirals Downwards’ first television music placement was on the internationally syndicated show ‘Dawson’s Creek’ on The WB network. The 1998 ‘Flux’ track “Psyche” was featured in a party scene starring Michelle Williams and Chad Michael Murray on the season 5 premiere episode “The Bostonians.” According to Neilson Media Research this episode had 4.47 million viewers when it aired on October 10, 2001. It was really cool hearing this vocal drum ‘n’ bass song co-written and sung by Suzanne’s sister, Kristen Perry, on such a popular TV show and especially in such a long, fun scene.
Check out “Psyche” on the new 25th Anniversary ’Flux Deluxe Edition’ out now on all digital music services including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, TIDAL, Bandcamp, and YouTube Music!
It’s been 25 years since the last Love Spirals Downwards t-shirt was released by Projekt. Many fans have lamented the lack of band merch in recent times, so we had the classic 1992 hand drawn band logo recreated digitally for use on t-shirts, hoodies, and stickers. Get a tee in sizes S through 4XL in either classic black or ‘Idylls’ blue from the newly launched Love Spirals Downwards Spring shop. A sticker comes in those same color combos.
Few bands in the ethereal wave and dream pop genres have sparked as much debate over their influences as Love Spirals Downwards. As a flagship act on Projekt Records, the California duo of Ryan Lum and Suzanne Perry blended lush, reverb-drenched guitars with angelic female vocals, a combination that immediately drew comparisons to the Cocteau Twins—arguably the defining act of the genre.
But were Love Spirals Downwards merely imitators, or did they carve out their own space within the dreamlike, atmospheric soundscape they inhabited? The answer is more complex than the simple label of “Cocteau Twins clone.”
Spotify has posted an official playlist of the band’s music. Not sure, but it might update from time to time to include trending songs? Follow the list to find out — and be sure to mark your favorite songs with a heart!
Ethereal Shoegaze and Electronica from Projekt Records
