Life Goes On, Lovespirals’ fifth full-length album, released on November 2, 2018, is more than just a collection of songs—it’s a testament to artistic perseverance, a meditation on life’s inevitable transitions, and a rich sonic tapestry woven from years of shared experience.
Much like a traveler returning home with stories etched onto their soul, Lovespirals—comprising lyricist/vocalist Anji Bee and multi-instrumentalist/composer Ryan Lum—delivered an album that stands as a profound statement on their nearly two-decade journey together. A careful blend of dream pop, shoegaze, and classic rock, Life Goes On reflects the emotional highs and lows of their evolution as both musicians and partners. As Anji Bee insightfully shared on the band’s podcast, Chillin’ with Lovespirals:
“We really took our sweet time. We spent the most amount of years of any of our projects on this. I mean, our first album I think we spent 6 months total, writing, recording — the whole thing. This one took us more like 6 years! It’s pretty crazy.”
Released independently on their own Chillcuts label in an eco-friendly gatefold CD format, featuring stunning wrap-around artwork by Bee, along with digital distribution, Life Goes On marked another significant step in Lovespirals’ evolution, showcasing their continued dedication to their craft and their independent spirit.
A Culmination of Craft and Experience
For Ryan Lum, Life Goes On wasn’t just another album—it was a deeply personal milestone. At 51 years old, he saw it as a moment to fully realize a dream that had been brewing since his early career.
“I always wondered, if I had good equipment back in the 90s — which I didn’t then, it was pretty primitive, would I have been able to make an album that sounds as gorgeous as theirs [Cocteau Twins]? So I’ve got the gear now. That was my goal and inspiration, to make the album I wished I could have made back then. But not trying to be retro, I’m still using the influences and things I’ve learned since then.”
Lum’s early work as Love Spirals Downwards had been crafted on an 8-track tape machine, forcing him to work within the constraints of analog recording. It wasn’t until the late 90s, just as Anji Bee joined the band, that he transitioned to computer-based recording.
Now, with nearly limitless studio tools at his disposal, Life Goes On became the album Lum had always dreamed of making. Unlike the limitations of early digital recording, modern advancements gave him the flexibility to fully realize his vision. As Lum explained,
“Computers have gotten way more powerful, which was the inspiration to make this album. I can run a ton of plugins—not that I’m a plug-in freak—but to craft the sound I wanted, I needed some processing power. You just have so much more power now than in the early days of computer recording.”
This technological leap allowed Life Goes On to blend the atmospheric textures of shoegaze, the lyrical depth of folk, and the lush production of classic 90s dream pop with a newfound precision and richness.
A Sonic Inspiration: Cocteau Twins’ Influence on Life Goes On
From the moment Lovespirals began crafting Life Goes On, a singular goal loomed in Ryan Lum’s mind—could he finally create an album that sounded as lush and immersive as his 90s shoegaze idols? Most notably, the Cocteau Twins. The duo spoke about it on their podcast:
“So the inspiration was to compete with Cocteau Twins, I guess? Is that what it is?” – Anji Bee
“I just wanted to see if I can make an album that sounded just as good as theirs did—and I’ll let you guys be the judge of that. I’m very satisfied with how the album turned out.” – Ryan Lum
Still, while their influence is undeniable, Lum was careful to emphasize that Life Goes On wasn’t an imitation.
“It’s just more of a soundscape, a texture, a vibe. I don’t sit there and go, ‘Hey, I’m gonna rip off this chord, I’m gonna rip off this lick!’ Any of these songs of ours, I can’t say, ‘Oh, it sounds like this song from the Cocteau Twins!’ Really, it sounds like it in a vague sort of way.”
Yet, the resonance was clear enough for Barry of Joyce Manor to remark to Bee, “Hmm sounds like Cocteau Twins!” upon hearing the album.
The layered, dreamy production of Life Goes On undoubtedly draws from shoegaze legends, but it remains distinctly Lovespirals, blending their past influences with their modern evolution. While the Cocteau Twins’ ethereal sound provided a guiding light, each track on Life Goes On stands as a unique emotional statement, forming a cohesive journey through time and introspection.
The Tracklist: A Journey Through Emotion and Reflection
Life Goes On unfolds as a deeply introspective journey, with each track exploring various emotions and reflections. Here’s a more detailed look at each song, including descriptions of their sound and brief lyrical quotes, with insights from the band’s podcast:
- “It’s Alright”: Opens with a moody piano reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac before blossoming into a soaring dream pop anthem with layers of shimmering guitars and Anji Bee’s comforting vocals. Lyrically, it finds solace in the “little things,” with lines like, “When I come up for air / It’s the little things that help me to get through.“ Lum noted its diverse inspirations, “Fleetwood Mac, Slowdive, Cocteau Twins, and a little Mojave 3“, calling it “near perfect.”
- “Are You Lonely”: Features a distinctive vintage drum machine beat, creating a backdrop for ethereal guitars and Bee’s poignant vocals. The lyrics delve into modern isolation, asking directly, “Tell me, are you lonely? Like I am lonely?” Lum considers this the best song they’ve ever made.
- “Will It Ever Be The Same”: A darkly atmospheric track built around a haunting guitar melody and Bee’s yearning vocals. The lyrics express anxiety about fading connection: “You don’t see me, you don’t hear me. Not sure I even exist to you.”
- “Life Goes On”: The title track offers a soulful and melancholic reflection on resilience, with a gentle yet funky melody and Bee’s reassuring voice singing, “Life goes on, that’s what you say / Life goes on, anyway.”
- “Heartstrings”: An upbeat and poppy retro trip-hop tune driven by a bluesy electric guitar riff and Bee’s confident vocals. The lyrics celebrate creative connection: “I feel him heartstrings, his fingers pluck the melodies.”
- “Dark Night Of The Soul”: A beautifully devastating ethereal rock soundscape characterized by swirling guitars and Bee’s emotive vocals lamenting loss: “If only I could remember how to breathe / If only I could recall how to be.”
- “Brother Against Brother”: A swirling, ambient, folk-tinged dream pop track with heavily affected guitars and Bee’s “heavenly voices.” The lyrics carry a socio-political message, questioning division: “Its brother against brother, woman against man / Struggling for power, why can’t they understand?” Both band members expressed immense satisfaction with this track.
- “Spinning Circles”: A nod to their drum and bass roots with a driving breakbeat fueled rhythm, layered with atmospheric guitars and Bee’s vocals conveying frustration: “You’ve got me spinning circles, round and round again / Spinning ’til I’m dizzy, where will this all end?”
- “Breath of Life”: A dreamy and largely instrumental ambient piece with Western-inspired ethereal textures and ghostly vocal harmonies, originally written for a documentary. It evokes a sense of mystery.
- “Foolish Heart”: A vulnerable and emotionally raw track with a simple yet powerful melody and Bee’s heartfelt but tounge-in-cheek plea: “Oh take pity on my foolish heart, please do, do, do / Take pity on my simple soul, boo hoo hoo.”
- “Memories”: The closing track is a melancholic reflection on the past, featuring John Mayer-esque guitars leads, slide guitar, and Bee’s wistful vocals: “My memories are all that I have / Our love was too beautiful / For it to last.”
Highlights: Diving Deeper into Beloved Tracks
Throughout their “Chillin’ with Lovespirals” podcast, Anji Bee and Ryan Lum offered deeper insights into the creation and significance of several tracks on “Life Goes On.”
- “Are You Lonely”: Lum considers this track a career highlight, stating, “For me, that’s the pinnacle, the best song we’ve ever made. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done in my career. The whole thing from beginning to finish.” Bee vividly remembered the genesis, particularly her insistence on keeping the vintage drum machine sound that gave the song its unique character, saying, “You started with that drum machine that reminded me of when the Cocteau Twins worked with those cute little vintage drum machines, and I was like, ‘I really like this, I’m into it.’” Lum concluded, ““Are You Lonely” came out a hundred times better than I thought it was gonna. All the sounds, all the production, everything in the whole stereo field, the soundscape, just nailed it!”
- “Brother Against Brother”: This track holds immense pride for both. Lum declared, “’Brother Against Brother’ I am completely a hundred percent satisfied with how that song came out from start to finish, every sound on there, every track.” Bee echoed this sentiment, calling it “some of their best work ever.” Lum conceded that this all acoustic song reminded him “a little bit of Victorialand and specifically “Whale Tail,” ‘ — by the Cocteau Twins, nothing that “Some people said it’s ‘a copy of ‘Welcome To The Machine’ by Pink Floyd.” Bee pointed out that Lovespirals had covered the song previously, suggesting that Lum “might have had a little bit of that ingrained,” just as she had said of his relationship to Cocteau Twins’ sound. Lum confided, “I would have lost my shit back in the 90s if I had made a song that sounded as good as this one.”
- “It’s Alright”: Lum described this track as coming out “near perfectly,” noting the inspirations for the opening piano line came from the song “Beautiful Child,” saying it’s “A Stevie Nicks song, one of the best Fleetwood Mac songs ever. Super ‘beautiful sadness,’ moody” — that’s my wheelhouse right there. So I kinda combined Fleetwood Mac, Slowdive, Cocteau Twins, and made our own thing. A little Mojave 3, which is an offshoot of Slowdive.” Bee noted that the guitar solo reminded her “a little bit of ‘El Pedregal,” a song from Lum’s 1996 Love Spirals Downwards album, Ever, which she admits that she was “obsessed with.” Below Zero Beats wrote the band to say, “Tell Ryan that when he hits that guitar note on “It’s Alright” it’s like buttah — perfectly timed and love the eighties feel to it. Well done.” Lum’s response to the compliment was, “Near the end there is big sustain-y sound. It was one of those magical moments where I had an idea and it just came out way better than what I conceived of. Sometimes things just work out better. Often I hear something my head I can’t get it to close to that, but sometimes it comes out better. That’s one of those rare moments.”
As Lovespirals reflected on their finest work to date via their band podcast, a new audience was discovering their music through an unexpected avenue.
Bridging the Gap: Connecting with a New Audience
A significant development in the eight years since Future Past was the creation of the duo’s YouTube channel, Happy Healthy Vegan. With a subscriber base exceeding 200,000, the show not only brought attention to the band’s passion for veganism but also cultivated a new fanbase for their music. Over the years, their experience with vlogging led to the band more fully embracing the visual medium. Bee often used the band’s emotive music as soundtracks to her vlogs, frequently pairing it with serene nature scenes. This practice not only enhanced their vlogs but also organically led to the creation of several music videos. While many of these new listeners were unfamiliar with Lum’s earlier band, Love Spirals Downwards, his history with Projekt Records, or the challenges of pre-digital music technology, they were nonetheless drawn to Lovespirals’ signature blend of ethereal guitars and captivating vocals.
Bandcamp user 0kO commented:
“Was really fixed by the use of “Spinning Circles” at the end of the Happy Healthy Vegan YouTube videos and I don’t regret looking into their music at all.”
This new audience embraced the band’s return to their dreamiest, darkest, and most ethereal guitar-and-voice centered style, often discovering their music through their vegan lifestyle content.
Return of the Chillin’ with Lovespirals Podcast
As part of the album’s promotional push, the duo resurrected the Chillin’ with Lovespirals band podcast, but this time in video format. In December 2018, the duo made their first vidcast, sharing stories about seeing Fleetwood Mac perform at The Forum. In April 2019 the duo took spoke in depth about their favorite tracks on Life Goes On, and shared other news related to the album’s release. Additionally, the duo released a vlog showing behind the scenes footage of them mastering the album with Robert Rich in his Mountain View studio. Not only did this give fans an in-depth look at what goes into mastering, but it also provided a sneak peek of the album with clips from every track, along with commentary from Rich:
“What I did is just the slightest bit of sanding. Mostly I felt that everything sounded so good that I didn’t want to do anything noticeable. It’s all really good.”
Another vlog the band released chronicled Lum building a custom Telecaster guitar from various parts including hand wound pickups from local legend, Don Mare, and vegan vintage guitar straps from local artisans, Couch. Lum showed the newly printed CDs, promoting the pre-sale on the band’s site and gave listeners a sneak peek at the closing song, “Memories,” which featured the newly built guitar.
Singles and Visual Narratives: A Long Road to “Life Goes On”
The journey to Life Goes On was a long and winding one, punctuated by the release of two singles, “Brother Against Brother” and “Heartstrings,” years before the album’s eventual arrival. These early releases not only offered a glimpse into the sonic diversity of the upcoming album but also highlighted the extended and thoughtful creative process that shaped Lovespirals’ fifth full-length record.
“Brother Against Brother” (2014): A Distant Prelude
Released on March 8, 2014, “Brother Against Brother” was the first new single from Lovespirals since Future Past. It signaled a return to Ryan Lum’s earlier dream pop sound, reminiscent of his early work with Love Spirals Downwards. The single featured swirling, ambient, folk-tinged dream pop with heavily effected ethereal guitar and Anji Bee’s serene vocals. Bee created a self-made music video for “Brother Against Brother” using her iPhone and Final Cut Pro, featuring ethereal slow-motion clouds and the duo dressed in white.
Beyond its musical style, “Brother Against Brother” also took on a more socially conscious tone, with lyrics such reflecting a concern for global conflict.
“Though they might have dominance / Destruction is not prominence / We don’t float or sink alone / We all share the same home”
“Breath of Life” (2014): A Visual Collaboration:
The B-side to the single, “Breath of Life,” is a dreamy, ambient, near-instrumental piece originally written for the opening sequence of Michael Squier’s documentary about the Mauli Ola Foundation. The version released here was updated with additional vocals, guitar, and new production. The music video for “Breath of Life” featured stunning time-lapse footage by Michael Squier from his documentary of the sam name. This marked the first time Lovespirals had collaborated with another videographer for one of their music videos.
The large gap between the release of the single and the release of the album shows how long the journey for Life Goes On was.
“Heartstrings” (2016): A Twelve-Year Odyssey
Released on April 6, 2016, “Heartstrings” offered a more upbeat sound, blending dream pop and Americana with Lum’s blues riffs and shoegazer guitar work alongside Bee’s confident vocals. The song had a long history, beginning as a collaboration with Beauty’s Confusion in 2004 and evolving through various iterations before finding its final form on Life Goes On.
The music video for “Heartstrings,” featuring the band performing in fields of wildflowers, further enhanced the song’s celebratory tone. The single’s cover art was also taken from the video shoot. The long creative journey of this song, and the gap between the release of the single and the release of the album, really highlights the long process of creating Life Goes On.
After years of carefully unveiling their evolving sound through singles, the full album’s release was met with eager anticipation and critical acclaim.
Critical Reception and Industry Recognition
Life Goes On was met with a warm and positive reception from both longtime fans and new listeners. MusicTAP praised its return to the band’s dreamiest, most ethereal style. The Shoegaze Collective raved about the “Heartstrings” single, “All I can say is that the track is gorgeous!”
Jon’s Conscious Life wrote, “Masterpiece. Trans-generational nostalgic blues à la Pink Floyd, with the sultry allure of Madonna-esque vocals, wrapped in dreamy ambience; timeless and enveloping.”
Bandcamp user Will Sibik commented, “I’m speechless. This whole album is amazing. I’m having a hard time selecting a favorite track. As described, sonically masterful, there are layers that remind me of some of the older works, matured. I love it!”
Blogger Terry Majamaki praised the album as “an instant classic,” stating, “This album transcends you to a lush and peaceful place that evokes serenity and love. Perfect for driving up the California coast as the sun sets, with the windows down and the ocean breeze kissing your face. Just go and enjoy the ride.”
Beyond critical acclaim, Life Goes On has found a strong home in the world of internet radio. Soma FM, a longtime supporter of Lovespirals, has embraced the album, featuring it prominently on LUSH. The title track held the number one spot on their Top 30 chart for eight weeks, while “Are You Lonely” topped their listeners’ chart. Below Zero Beats has also championed the album, giving multiple tracks back-to-back airplay. In an exciting turn, Pandora has reintroduced Lovespirals into its library, signaling renewed industry recognition. With radio stations and streaming platforms alike rallying behind the album, Life Goes On continues to find its way to new ears, proving that truly timeless music knows no boundaries.
A Labor of Love: Reflecting on the Journey
Life Goes On is a testament to Lovespirals’ artistic evolution and enduring dedication to their craft. This extended timeframe allowed for a deeper level of reflection and refinement, resulting in an album that feels both personal and sonically rich. It’s an album that invites listeners to reflect on their own journeys, to find solace in the beauty of the music, and to embrace the inevitable passage of time.
Reflecting on the album’s completion, Lum acknowledged just how far their production capabilities had come: ‘I could have never made an album as sonically sublime as this back in the day.’ That sonic evolution, paired with years of creative growth, makes Life Goes On a timeless sonic journey that resonates with both the heart and the soul, reminding us that even through loss and change, life, indeed, goes on.