Love Spirals Downward

Love Spirals Downward

Genres: ethereal, dream pop, darkwave, shoegaze, ambient

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About Love Spirals Downward

Love Spirals Downwards is a California-based recording project founded by multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer Ryan Lum. Originally emerging on Projekt Records in 1992, the project's early work featured Suzanne Perry, a psychology student whose fortuitous foray into ethereal vocals helped define the label’s early aesthetic. They quickly became one of the label's most popular acts, blending ethereal wave, dream pop, and atmospheric electronica into an emotionally rich and sonically immersive sound. During their tenure with Projekt Records, Love Spirals Downwards released four studio albums—Idylls (1992), Ardor (1994), Ever (1996), and Flux (1998)—as well as the career retrospective, Temporal: A Collection Of Music Past & Present (2000). LSD appeared on dozens of international CD compilations, notably anchoring genre‑defining series like Hyperium’s Heavenly Voices and Projekt’s Beneath the Icy Floe. Their music was also featured on high‑profile samplers from Alternative Press, Zillo, and Caroline Records, and more recently on Cherry Red’s Cherry Stars Collide: Dream Pop, Shoegaze and Ethereal Rock 1986-1995 (2023). Beyond the studio, Love Spirals Downwards was a pillar of the label’s live presence, performing at the inaugural Projekt Festival ’96 and ProjektFest ’97 in Chicago alongside the label founder's band Black Tape For A Blue Girl, fellow Projekt artists Soul Whirling Somewhere and Lycia, and ambient pioneers Steve Roach and Robert Rich --as well as the 1998 one-night event at The El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles with Black Tape and Faith and the Muse. LSD also anchored the 1997 Festival Etereo (dubbed "ProjektFest Mexico") in Mexico City, sharing the stage with label mates Lycia and Arcanta. The project’s early sound drew frequent comparisons to the Cocteau Twins and Dead Can Dance. A 1995 review of Ardor in Alternative Press lauded the instrumental foundation of "droning, quivering layers of electric and acoustic guitars, minimal drums and just the right amount of synthetic keys as needed for texture." Central to this atmosphere was Perry's vocal delivery, which the magazine described as "soft with cathedral ambience" where her voice would "fade gently into the droning backdrop rather than soaring above them," eschewing the "theatrics" of Elizabeth Fraser. A 1992 feature in Ray Gun observed that Idylls "swims on waves of guitars and airy, otherworldly vocals," suggesting that "you’re meant to feel the lyrics, not understand them," noting her use of "sustained evocative vocalizations." Further praise from B-Side described the tracks as "soft-focus mood montages" that seem to "flow from a wellspring of divine inspiration." Guest vocalists added new dimensions to the project. Jennifer Ryan Fuller (who now performs as Jennifer Wilde) contributed lyrics and vocals for the duet with Perry, Depression Glass, as well as wordless vocals to the track Sunset Bell on Ardor—vocals that were later reused for the Sunset Bell (Flux Mix) featured on Flux. Suzanne’s sister, Kristen Perry—who had actually pre-dated Suzanne's involvement in the project—penned and performed the Flux cuts Ring and Psyche. These collaborations extended Lum's reach into television, with Psyche appearing in Dawson’s Creek (Season 5, Episode 1) and the Sunset Bell (Flux Mix) featured in La Femme Nikita (Season 3, Episode 1). Throughout the late 90s, Lum promoted frequently at KUCI 88.9 FM, doing on-air interviews, live performances, and DJ sets. It was here that he re-connected with former zinestress, singer/songwriter, and DJ, Anji Bee. The release of Flux marked a turning point for the project; during this period, Lum and Perry parted ways as she transitioned to a career in social policy research, leaving Lum to continue the project’s musical evolution. He began collaborating with saxophonist Doron Orenstein and Rhodes keyboardist Gabriel D. Vine—both of whom were also active in the local DJ scene—on jazz-inflected dance tracks, eventually inviting Bee to contribute vocals to the songs. Simultaneously, Lum was becoming deeply immersed in the underground West Coast DJ scene, performing at iconic venues like La Belle Epoque, Spaceland, Sterile, and Virgin Megastore Hollywood. Here, he shared stages with acts like Halou, Sweet Trip, and Kid606, spinning cuts from Flux alongside new club-friendly atmospheric drum and bass remixes of Perry-fronted tracks I’ll Always Love You and Alicia, as well as unreleased Bee-fronted jazz-step tracks which Lum had pressed to acetate. Lum and Bee began releasing their new music online in 2001, initially under the Love Spirals Downwards name. Original tracks like Ecstatic and Hand in Hand found a global audience online, while the Bittersweet (LSD Mix) of Claire Voyant—created for Time Again on Metropolis Records—became their first formal CD credit. As these tracks began appearing on electronic compilations like Chill Out Lounge, Vol. 2 (2001), Chill Out in the City (2001), and Mondisk: A Celebration of 13 Years (2002), the project officially transitioned to the shortened moniker Lovespirals. 2002 saw Lum’s final studio album release with Projekt Records, the Lovespirals debut, Windblown Kiss. The record significantly expanded the project's sonic palette, fusing dream pop with alt‑country, rhythm and blues, and jazz, and featured guest appearances by Sean Bowley of Eden. Reviewing the album, All Music Guide noted that "Bee’s singing is key here; instead of the angelic bliss-out of Perry, her approach blends that touch with a subtly sassier tang, reflecting her love for singers like Billie Holiday." Lovespirals headlined day one of ProjektFest 2002 in Philadelphia—closing out a bill that included Johnny Indovina, Mors Syphilitica, and Mira. They performed an all-new set of material with the trio of Lum, Bee, and Doron Orenstein, followed by an intimate acoustic set the following day with just the core duo. This release capped a period of strong retail visibility; following a featured review of Temporal: A Collection Of Music Past & Present in the Inside Borders store magazine (February 2000) to promote the CDs listening station placement, the duo’s new work was featured on the Borders Books & Music compilation The Arbitrary Width of Shadows (2002). Simultaneously, the project maintained a major presence at Hot Topic through several compilations. Projekt:Gothic (2002) featured Swollen Sea from Windblown Kiss; the CD was offered exclusively through Hot Topic from Sept 2002 – March 2003 and then offered in Borders and other outlets. The Hot Topic compilation The New Face of Goth (2003) continued to market the project's legacy through archival Perry-fronted Love Spirals Downwards material, while A Dark Noel: The Very Best of Excelsis (2002) featured both iterations of the project. In 2005, seeking greater creative autonomy amidst the music industry’s digital transformation, Lum and Bee transitioned to a fully independent setup. Driven by a desire for direct-to-fan engagement, they launched their own imprint, Chillcuts. This move also allowed them to step away from the increasingly gothic branding of their previous label and debut a more evolved sound with Free & Easy—an album that further expanded the band's palette with a warm blend of downtempo, deep house, and jazz. This independent infrastructure facilitated a prolific period of sync licensing, with tracks from this era widely featured across television and cable programs, including Oprah, Martha, and Mind of Mencia, as well as numerous shows on MTV, VH1, and E!, like Gastineau Girls and MTV Cribs. During this time, the duo also pioneered new digital media strategies by launching one of the earliest music podcasts, [pod]Chillin' with Lovespirals[/pod] on PodShow, a network founded by former MTV VJ and podcasting pioneer Adam Curry. Over the next two decades, Lum and Bee continued to release new music as Lovespirals via Chillcuts, exploring a blend of dream pop, trip hop, and downtempo on albums including Long Way From Home (2007), Future Past (2010), and Life Goes On (2018), while simultaneously preserving the LSD legacy by reissuing and expanding the full back catalog. This included the 2007 Idylls (Remastered Reissuer) and Ardor (Remastered Reissue), which were co‑released with Projekt Records handling the physical CD editions, while Chillcuts managed digital distribution. Later independent digital-only reissues followed, including Sideways Forest - EP (2017), Ever (Remastered Reissue) (2020), and Flux (Deluxe Edition) (2023). The Flux (Deluxe Edition) —a 25th‑anniversary, remastered‑and‑expanded edition with previously unreleased material—paired with the 2024 first‑ever vinyl reissue released by Lost In Ohio, reignited interest among a younger generation. This introduced the band’s blend of dream pop and drum & bass—later celebrated by NTS Radio as a key example of the drum & bliss sound—to new listeners via streaming and vinyl channels. This renewed attention was amplified by the band’s inclusion in high‑profile DJ mixes: Bored Lord on an official Apple Music Early Hours (DJ Mix) set, Avalon Emerson’s five‑hour Apple‑Music‑released All Night Long in London (DJ Mix), and the Princess P‑curated vinyl compilation Infinite Sonore (2025), as well as the NTS Radio In Focus feature on Love Spirals Downwards (2024) and a later appearance on a Resident Advisor Greenhouse Session curated by Ciel. In 2024, Lum returned to the full Love Spirals Downwards name for the release of Noumenon and its accompanying Noumenon (Drum n Bass Mix), bridging the project’s original ethereal sound with its current, genre-blending incarnation. This era saw Anji Bee drop her earlier DJ moniker in favor of Anji Lum as she stepped into a formal role co-producing alongside Ryan. Together, they have fused dream pop, chillout, and neo‑soul into a powerful, emotionally resonant new chapter. In response to the shifting rhythms of the digital age, the duo transitioned from traditional album cycles to a more fluid stream of singles, favoring creative agility and constant evolution. This revival has continued with a string of releases including Not Myself (2024), Okay (2025), Without You (2025), Glittering (2025), Boss Mode (2025), and Gray (2026). For over three decades, Ryan Lum has created a unique and influential sound entirely on his own recording gear in home studios. Defined by shimmering guitars, layered electronics, and spacious arrangements, this sonic foundation has hosted a diverse array of vocal approaches—from wordless glossolalia and atmospheric sample-based textures to full narrative songcraft and nuanced, soulful harmonies. Traversing the shift from analog 8-track production and cassette culture to today’s digital workstations and global streaming, the project’s evolution mirrors the broader transformation of independent music, honoring its roots while maintaining complete artistic independence.

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