Here we are on the first Monday of the new year. Hurrah! The band’s resolution for the year is to release our new album and to set that whole whirlwind of promotion in motion. Part of that will likely include our first practice with a live bassist and drummer. So I guess that’s 2 resolutions: 1. release album, 2. practice with live rhythm section. I ‘spose that would lead to 3. set up live shows. Sounds like a full year in and of itself, doesn’t it?
All posts by Anji
Lovespirals 2005 Biography
It’s a new year, we’re working on a new album; time to release a new band bio!
Lovespirals began in 1999 as an outgrowth of multi-instrumentalist Ryan Lum’s previous band incarnation, Love Spirals Downwards. Following the release of his 10,000+ selling electronica/ethereal rock hybrid album, Flux, Lum began working as a DJ and dance track producer, collaborating with vocalist Anji Bee, and the members of Subliminal Records duo, Monkey Bars, Doron Orenstein and Gabriel D. Vine.
By 2001, Lovespirals had released a number of tracks on various artist compilations, including Chill Out in the City and Chill Out Lounge Vol. 2 on Water Music Records, and a remix of Claire Voyant for their album Time Again on Metropolis Records in the US and Accession Records in Europe. 2002 brought the release of Lovespirals’ first full-length album, Windblown Kiss, on New York indie label, Projekt Records, as well as tracks on Hot Topic and Border’s various artists’ compilations.
Over time, Lovespirals have evolved from a dance sound to a more pop sound, highlighting Bee’s versatile vocal work and Lum’s mastery of guitar. From track to track, and even within each tune itself, the duo culls their favorite aspects of every genre – those most beautiful, haunting, or groovy – to create a unique hybrid of electronica, soul, jazz, blues, and pop, with dashes of world, folk, and rock… or whatever else tickles their fancy.
Lovespirals have performed all across North America with a semi-live set featuring guitar, sax, and vocals over a backing track on laptop. Lum as also appeared in Los Angeles and San Francisco clubs with traditional DJ sets, often including dub plates of their material.
If you are seeking music for the soul as well as the body, something sweet to kick back and unwind with, then Lovespirals are for you.
Free Lovespirals Xmas Mp3 on MySpace
Anji recently unearthed a “bootleg” mix of the classic Christmas song, “The Little Drummer Boy,” created by Ryan in 1999. This drum ‘n’ bass track featuring Gabriel D. Vine, of Monkey Bars, has never before been released! A 128k mp3 will be available to download for your holiday listening pleasure only at MySpace.com/Lovespirals
Relax was, well, relaxing!
Sunday night over at the Kitsch was pretty mellow and fun. The bar has a nice vibe and nobody ever gives attitude, which is great. It was my first time DJing to a live club audience, even though I’ve been a radio DJ for years, so I was a little bit nervous. Once I got going though, I was totally in the groove. It was fun mixing from old school jazz to new school downtempo, then into classic soul and on into contemporary deep house. Its always great to hear your favorite tunes blasting on a good sound system, too. I was particularly grooving to Diana Ross’ “Brown Baby.” Anyway, Kristina B. was way into both of our sets and said we were welcome back “anytime” so I’m sure we’ll set another date early next year, for those who were too busy with holiday plans to make it out this time!
E-mail List Elves
It’s great that the site has been redesigned so that the email list automatically updates itself when people join. Just about every day since the change, someone has joined. Even still, there are hundreds of folks on the old email list that I’m making sure don’t get left behind.
I think I’ve recreated our email list probably a half dozen times since I joined the band in 1999. I’ve done it so many times before that I feel like I’ve memorized some of these people’s contact info, even though I don’t know them personally.
Last night I was fricken dreaming that I was updating the email list… If only I had woken up to find that little elves had done all the work for me!
:[ chillcuts ]:
I’ve had this concept of an internet radio station and record label that I’ve been working on for a few months now, called chillcuts.
I thought I’d reactivate my old Live365 account that I used to stream “The Lovely Ladies of Electronica” with back in 1999. I began a trial run last week. I’m trying out their new Mp3Pro streams, which are better sounding, but a pain in the ass. I have to re-rip anything I might want to play from CD format into Mp3Pro format, because turning an mp3 into an Mp3Pro just doesn’t sound good.
Right now my station selection is relying heavily on the Live365 library, which luckily has a lot of cool tunes. I’m slowly adding my own selections into the mix as bands send me their CDs, so my playlist is expanding every few days. I’ve got about 6 hours of music on random play. Later, I’ll make personalized playlists and schedule them at set times.
The lame thing right now is that, since I’m using a free account I began during their beta phase, only paid listeners can tune into my stream. I’ll probably sign up for their free “upgrade” trial sometime soon so I can test out the new Mac live broadcast tool. Anyone will be able to tune in during that phase. If everything seems cool, then I guess I’ll bite the bullet and start paying for my account, so the general population can tune in, along with the paid subscribers.
After that, then I’ll worry about the record label side of my plan…
Find out more at chillcuts.com
Looking Goo-ood!
Man, the site is looking awfully sharp if I do say so, myself! After a heavy 2 days of geeking out, everything has come together just as we envisioned. We really needed a good first page, but when we first changed the site over, we still weren’t sure what we wanted. Now we’ve got a pretty nice balance of image and content, with an emphasis on all the basic things any first time or returning visitor would want to find. We even have a link to the previous incarnation of the band, to make it easier on old folks looking up the band for the first time in a decade. 😉
Ryan and Anji DJ set @ Relax
On Sunday December 12, come listen to Ryan and Anji deejaying a set of old school jazz, soul, and downtempo for Relax @ Kistch Bar, located in Costa Mesa, California. Relax starts at 10 PM and admission is free. See www.kitschbar.com for directions.
Always evolving
Looks like we updated the site yet again! Seems like there’s always something new we want to try out. Sometimes we bring back something old that we miss, but with a new twist — like this blog! Now ya’ll can comment on things, if you feel so inclined. We’re still in need of some new band photos, as Ryan and I look quite a bit different than we did back in the Windblown Kiss period, but it looks like we’ll be hooking up with our favorite photographer, Susan Jennings, early next year. It’s not as far away as it sounds…
Ryan and I have already made a New Year’s resolution to stay in better communication with our fans, and part of that will be accomplished by sending out newsletters more often. We get people signing up to the newslist every week, but it’s been months since I’ve sent one and I do feel a little bit bad.
We’ve also set up an RSS feed of our news page, and I think we’ll have one of the journal soon, too. Looks like we haven’t added that link to the site yet, though. I’ll have to pester our code monkey. Heh heh…
"Love Survives" Garners Garageband Awards
“Love Survives” has been showered with Reviewer Pick Awards at Garageband.com this week, including top 3 awards in the categories of Female Vocals, Lyrics, Keyboards, Bass, Melody, Production, and Mood, as well as “Best Love Song,” “Best Feel-Good Track,” and “Coolest Chill-Out Track”. Check out the dozens of awards and reviews of “Love Survives” plus other Lovespirals songs at http://www.garageband.com/artist/lovespirals
Walk Away (SinQ Remix)
I’ve felt the dizzy heights
Don’t wanna take the fall
Well, I’ve climbed and seen the sights
Just wanna take it all in
Then walk away, yeah (x2)
I’ve come close to the fire
Nearly burned my hands
I won’t be lifted higher
To be dropped to the sands
No
No, I’ll walk away
Find my own space
I’ll hide away
Til I feel safe again
Maybe I’m acting scared
See, I been hurt before
And my old heart just ain’t prepared
To take a chance any more
No
I’ll walk away
Find my own space
I’ll hide away
‘Til I feel safe again
I’ll walk, I’ll walk away
Again
Find my own space
Again
I’ll hide away, til I feel safe again
I’ll walk, I’ll walk away
Ooh
– By Anji Bee (BMI)
Synerdata Lovespirals Feature
This month Synerdata Radio is hosting a 2+ hour streaming radio feature on the history of Lovespirals and Love Spirals Downwards in 160kbps mp3 format. The show includes 2 cuts from every album, plus unreleased and demo tracks, as well as numerous interview clips of the band members taken from various sources, compiled and hosted by Anji Bee. The show is in medium to heavy rotation on both the main feed and the “secret hidden underground” feed, so keep an ear out for it!