Ryan Lum may have tamed the breakbeat. His duo with vocalist Suzanne Perry, Love Spirals Downwards, has turned out three brilliant albums of majestic, guitar-wash dream-pop on the Projekt label, rife with heavenly ballads that conjure images of exotic cultures. But on Flux, the group’s fourth album, Lum adds breakbeats to the mix without compromising the band’s signature sound.
A follower of the dance music scene since the acid house of the late ’80s, Lum had wanted to do a more electronic Love Spirals Downwards album for years, but never found the right style. “When I first heard the more ambient, ethereal breakbeat stuff, I was amazed,” he says. “I haven’t heard music that moved my soul like that in years.” So when work began on Flux, the multi-instrumentalist/producer built many of the tracks on breakbeat foundations. “I’m used to making pop songs, like an A section, a B section,” Lum says, “but half the songs on Flux don’t follow that traditional pattern. It’s like having all these different parts and having them make sense as they flow together.”
LOVE SPIRALS DOWNWARDS FOUNDER RYAN LUM DISCUSSES USING THE SONY MDM-X4 FOR THE BAND’S LATEST ALBUM, FLUX.
I got the MDM-X4 mainly to record vocals, figuring that four tracks of audio would be plenty for our vocal tracks. But soon after I started using the MDM-X4 for recording Suzanne Perry’s vocals, it became apparent to me that I could get much more out of this unit than I first thought I could from a 4-track recorder. By planning my editing, I found I could free up a track or two, which then gave me ideas to add more guitars to many of the songs, which I did. Using the MDM-X4 gave me more creative options with my guitars, which in the end helped make the songs better.
I will be DJ’ing in Long Beach, California on Thursday September 16th from 9 to 10:30 pm at the mellow coffeehouse club, Dervish. Dervish runs 7 PM to midnight at Portfolio, 2300 E. 4th St., 562-434-2486. Resident DJs Glenn Bach and Chowderhead, along with guest DJs and musicians, perform a wide variety of electronic and analog music, including ambient, dub, drone, downtempo, IDM, drum-and-bass, and free jazz. Visual artists provide a spatial environment of video, projections, and loops.
THE DARLINGS OF PROJEKT Interview & photos by Anji Bee
Love Spirals Downwards are known as the darlings of Projekt Records. And with just cause; they are the best selling band, with the hottest moving new release of Projekt for 1998, “Flux.” This latest of 4 popular full-length albums marks a turning point in the band’s ever-fluxing sound. Whereas the last album, “Ever,” showcased several electronic-based songs in the mix, “Flux” concentrates almost completely on the electronica side of band mastermind, Ryan Lum’s musical influences. There has been some slight controversy over LSD’s “sound change” and band member relationships, but all of that seems ludicrous to the mellow, well adjusted Lum. He’s always created the music for Love Spirals Downwards using whatever inspiration happened to hit him, be it a fine dining experience, an exotic vacation, a shamanic vision, or just simply a new piece of gear to fiddle around with. Although a philopsher at heart, searching for his own personal truth in life, Ryan isn’t a terribly serious artist with an attitude or an agenda. He just likes to make music like anybody else does, for the fun of it.
Anji: What are you working on now? Ryan: I’m working on getting live stuff together for us to do some shows soon. Not sure where or when yet, but you can check our web site for updates on that at the Projekt web site. I personally update our news, so there’s no rumors — everything is confirmed and absolute and will happen. Anji: Playing live is not a usual occurrence for Love Spirals Downwards… Ryan: We usually play a few shows a year. I don’t know what happened last year; we only played one — the Projekt Fest in L.A., at the El Rey. That’s why I always tell people not to flake out on us; ’cause you don’t know when — or even if — we will play next. Anji: It’s always difficult to take such a studio based project to the stage. Ryan: Yeah. The way we work is kinda backwards. Most bands typically have a song first, then they go into the studio and record it. We’re the total opposite of that. We have no song first. I just start messing around in my studio, coming up with ideas, and at the end of a long process, finally, a song emerges. So, it’s kinda weird. We don’t rehearse ever, a song just gets created, almost through chance accident and goofing around. Anji: It’s mostly just you, isn’t it? Ryan: Yeah, pretty much. Yeah. Anji: You’re the man! Ryan: I am. (Laughs) I put a lot of work into it. Yeah. It takes me a long time to make a record.
Today is the launch of our new webstore! To kick off the opening of the store, we’ve put all four full-length albums on sale, including an extra special offer for the latest album, Flux. The first 50 customers will receive an autographed sticker for Flux, and the first 3 customers will also get a free copy of the Sideways Forest cd-single.
Projekt is selling ‘flux’ tees in a very non-goth green over at www.projekt.com. Sam has encouraged fans to send in photos wearing their favorite Projekt t-shirt, so Anji got in on the action.
Hello! This has probably been the longest gap in which I haven’t updated the news. I’ve been traveling a bit this summer, both for business and pleasure. It was great to take a vacation or two (though I kinda wish I hadn’t taken that one to Las Vegas now…)
Lots has been happening for the band during the past few months. I’m still busy in my studio working on new tracks. Now I’ve got a number of nice drum ‘n’ bass tunes, featuring the musical skills of my good buddies from the jazz/house band Toof on saxophone and piano and the vocals of Anji Bee. Hopefully some of these will be released sometime soon!
And we’re looking forward to the September launch of our online secure webstore here on the site. The store will feature Love Spirals Downwards albums and exclusive releases unavailable elsewhere. So stay tuned for the kick off the webstore!
On Thursday August 5, I will be the guest on The All Purpose Nuclear Bedtime Story, with DJ Anji, from 9 to 11 pm on KUCI 88.9 fm in Irvine, CA. For those of you outside of its broadcasting area, you can listen to KUCI on the net 24 hours a day at www.kuci.org. I’ll be playing songs that have influenced me musically throughout my life.
A couple shots from Ryan’s second DJ set at the Virgin Megastore in Hollywood. The decks were set up in a different spot this time as it was an opening slot before a Black Tape for a Blue Girl performance. Nice to see Sam and the old Projekt crew again. Thanks to Anji for these pix!
Friday May 21st, I’ll be dj’ing at Sterile, located at Neutral Grounds Cafe in the Santora Building for the Arts, 207 N. Broadway, Santa Ana, CA. (More information on the Peach site). This promises to be a very cool show with the bands Halou (Bedazzled Records) and Sweet Trip (Darla Records) coming down fron San Francisco to perform live. I’m looking forward to a fun evening and those of you in the area should try to go.
Also in Southern California, I’ll be on two radio shows next week as part of the KUCI 88.9 fm annual fund drive. For those of you outside of its broadcasting area, you can listen to KUCI on the net 24 hours a day at the KUCI site.
Wednesday 5/19/99 Space Disco For Fish Tacos.
Special 3 Hour Fund Drive Edition 8pm to 11 pm, with Sweet Trip (Live), Halou (Live), plus Special Guest appearances. I will be doing a short live interview, either in person or by phone.
Thursday 5/20/99 The All Purpose Nuclear Bedtime Story
9pm to 11pm: Host DJ’s, Anji and Justin, will be giving away 3 promo copies of Flux to listeners who pledge, plus I’ll be doing a live interview by phone.
Last month, I sent out the first mailing of the Love Spirals Downwards email list. There’s no regular schedule that i’m planning to send mailings out, but It’ll most likely be once every month or two.
Ethereal Shoegaze and Electronica from Projekt Records
