Category Archives: News

Lovespirals Featured by WRTU FM, Puerto Rico

Radio Universidad de Puerto Rico stations WRTU 89.7 FM and WRUO 88.3 FM are running a series of programs with Lovespirals on the ecclectic music show Frequencias Alternas. Last week, host Iohann Rashi, interviewed Ryan and Anji about their new release, Windblown Kiss. Tommorrow he will run a special show hosted by Anji, highlighting some of the bands and songs which inspire Lovespirals. The program runs from 9pm to midnight.

Here is a Google Translation of Rashi’s recent review of Windblown Kiss.:

The Sound of a Kiss to the Air
By Iohann Rashi, WRTU

Lovespirals Windblown Kiss

THE GROUPING
Lovespirals is the fusion of talents of Anji Bee and Ryan Lum. Anji, is the one in charge to give voice to the project, Ryan music through different types from guitars.  Both create a unique sound that explores all type of styles and textures, that include from eclectic and the ethereal thing, until experimentations with I touch of jazz, ambient, folk and world music.  A quality that distinguishes them is its expressive freedom in its musical composition, allowing the imagination to travel freely by any route that the sound of its compositions allows it.

THE DISC
Windblown Kiss is the turn out to join tastes and influences of both integrates in a unique style that has given the seal them that distinguishes them.  We can appreciate in the voice of Anji Bee a sweet and enthusiastic voice that molds its intensity in each cut, showing to us the guitar and enchantment much that can express a voice that without technological complications can fill to its ears and their minds with beautiful stamps.  This disc includes 10 songs, plus a hidden additional song at the end of the CD Between the additional enchantments of this disc, a song sung in titled Spanish “Déjame” and “Windblown Kiss” is included who includes letters in English and German, in addition to a tribute to the America band with the song “You girl”.

THE RECOMMENDATION
When listening to this album you will notice a mixture of all type of styles, which gives it its particular singularity:  it has something of blues, jazz, rock, folk, world music, ethereal, gothic.  But it is not any of them.  Or perhaps it is all them all simultaneously.  That is what is so special about Lovespirals, its capacity to fuse so many influences and turn them something so simple and simultaneously so diverse.  Reminding us that music is a freedom of expression, as a kiss sent to the air.

Our qualification from 0 to 5:  5 radios

New 'Windblown Kiss' Reviews

A number of positive reviews have gone online at the following music sites:

JazzReview.com: “With a touch of soft blues and world music motifs, this entry into the smooth jazz category is a surefire hit and should appeal to a wide listening audience. The music is refreshingly original and likeable, enjoyable in all ways. Ryan Lum is a master of guitar, his techniques fresh and pleasant, and the sensual vocals of Anji Bee perfectly reflect the high quality of the musical compositions. Windblown Kiss is a magical listening experience, and filled with sensitivity and beautiful soft jazz sounds. Lovespirals is topnotch.”

AmbientTrance.org: “What’s in a name-change? Just by dropping the ballast of “downwards” from the previous moniker, Lovespirals drifts upward into the light (and surprisingly “straight”) musical forms which float like a Windblown Kiss. Rather than prior scenes of swirly guitartronic etherality, Ryan Lum with new vocalist, Anji Bee, spin up sweet, bouncy, loungey songs which shift between various flavors of exotica, often with nostalgic airs. Lovespirals soars on Darkwave’s lightest mists, arising with only a few shadows tainting the warmth and intimacy of Windblown Kiss. So nicely done I don’t much flinch at the “normalcy” as it’s obscured by lush artistry and sensuality. “

MusicReviewer.com: “Founder and long time force behind Projekt band Love Spirals Downwards, Ryan Lum has a new partner, a new band name, and a new style. Leaving long time partner Suzanne Perry — and quite a bit of the Love Spirals Downwards formula — behind, Lum and Bee have come up with an album that grabs you from the first note. Anji Bee has an incredible voice that moves from sultry to sensual to surreal to earthy, that winds its way around the guitar work of Ryan Lum like smoke. Where Perry always sounded sweet and ethereal no matter what she was singing, Bee showcases a wide variety of vocal styling, which, in my opinion, gives the duo much greater latitude on this and future albums. I totally respect what Lum and Bee are trying to put across here and I think this partnership may go much farther than Love Spirals Downwards did – and that’s saying a lot!”

GothicVixen.net: “A strange blend of diverse cultural influences, Windblown Kiss is an eclectic collection of gothic-flavored world music, featuring vocals from Anji Bee and the songwriting and instrumentation of Ryan Lum… Overall, the album is engaging, and successful in creating a dark and dreamy mood. Anji Bee handles both lead and backing vocals with equal grace, displaying excellent range and control. Lum’s songwriting continues to improve, making this release perhaps his most impressive to date, and his guitar work is precise and crisp throughout. More importantly, the musical chemistry between the artists is obvious, more so than in Lum’s previous work with Suzanne Perry in Love Spirals Downwards. Spanning four languages, more than a dozen instruments, and too many cultures to count, Windblown Kiss is a definite must-have for fans of Love Spirals Downwards, other Projekt releases, and world music.”

Anji Bee featured on Mp3.com

Mp3.com is currently featuring Anji on their popular Women of Mp3.com station, as well as the Hot Artist of the Month Spotlight. Jianda Johnson recently interviewed Anji about her musical career, including both Lovespirals and side collaborations. Read — and hear — more at the following URLs:

From MP3.com Hot Artist Spotlight (July 2002):

Anji Bees one half of the lovely yin-yang equation named Lovespirals (mp3.com/lovespirals). Though her presence and electronic collaborations are quite prominent online, oftentimes people arent fully aware of her Lovespirals connection (to Ryan Lum , other music-half), or the depth of her project involvement. Anji’s soft, seductive voice comforts, rather than crushes you, hitting your consciousness in rolling waves. Hence, her popularity with collaborations in a myriad of other projects. If you love lounge, shoegazer, down tempo, ambient, or classical music (or its variations — from subtle to razor-sharp), visit Anji — it’s a damn good trip. Sugary sweet picks: “Perfect Boy (Bitstream Dream & Anji Bee)” & “Goodbye (Bitstream Dream & Anji Bee).”

– Jianda Johnson

Oui Magazine

Lovespirals were mentioned in a recent issue of Oui
Magazine,
for their Oui Rocks section. Devil Doll gives
a brief update of the band in her “Oh My Goth” column,
alongside The Empire Hideous and Virgin Black. A
promo photo by Susan Jennings is included (with the
band fully clothed…) Thanks to Elizabeth for the press
clipping!

LOVESPIRALS (formerly Love Spirals Downwards) songwriter/producer, Ryan Lum and singer/songwriter, Anji Bee, are currently preparing for the release of their first full-length album, tentatively titled ‘Oh So Long,’ due out in May 2002. Ryan reports: “There’s lots of little surprises in our sound this time around, including a wonderful guest appearance by Sean Bowley (of Eden) on 2 tracks. As I have recently rediscovered my love of guitar, this album is really based around beautiful melodies on both acoustic and electric guitar, as well as Anji’s gorgeous, versatile vocals. We’ve had a lot of fun working on our first album together and hope that love shines through to our fans!”

— from Oui Magazine

Gothic Paradise Reviews Windblown Kiss

Website and radio station, Gothic Paradise, announced in their latest newsletter: “Added a review and information on the debut album from the newly formed Lovespirals, featuring almost legendary, multi-talented Ryan Lum of Love Spirals Downwards fame. Combined with Anji Bee‘s musical talents and beautiful voice, they’ve managed to create a very captivating sound. Their style reflects only vaguely Ryan’s previous work with Love Spirals Downwards and takes on a more Jazzier tone with touches of Flamenco, Folk and other genres. I like to compare them to the latest release from The Cranes, dreamy and experimental and Julee Cruise, Ethereal and Jazzy. Great stuff and one of the latest releases on Projekt Records!

Here’s the full review written by Jacob Bogedahl:

I’ve been waiting for this release for a long time and it’s been well worth the wait. I, like other fans of Love Spirals Downwards wasn’t sure of what to expect with this release. I had heard a little bit about it and had a listen of “Dejame” early on before the release. Also being a fan of Julee Cruise and hearing that similarity, I knew I was going to enjoy this album.

Combining so many instruments, different guitars, various styles including Flamenco, Jazz and a bit of Ethereal, everything comes together almost perfectly. The beginning track “Oh so long” really sets the somewhat melancholic yet jazzy mood for the album. The follow-up track “Dejame” is my favorite from this work of art. The Spanish lyrics are pensive and Anji’s vocals are beautiful and thought-provoking. There are some upbeat tracks that have an overall happy mood to them such as “He Calls Me”. “Windblown Kiss” is probably the track that can most closely be compared to the more Gothic Ethereal style with the acoustic elements and the overall dreamy feeling you get while listening to it, another favorite of mine.

Some other great points about this album are the additions of saxophone by Doron Orenstein. Also, the addition of male vocals by Sean Bowley on several tracks. There are other contributions by these artists and others with the entire production, including mastering by Robert Rich. Such a combination of musical styles and instruments along with the talents of this duo is just outright innovative and enjoyable. I think a wide audience will really enjoy this album. I give it a 4 1/2 out of 5 rating, not quite perfect more for my own tastes than for any flaws in the music.

See the Gothic Paradise band bio for Lovespirals at: http://www.gothicparadise.com/lovespirals.htm

Also be sure to check out Gothic Paradise’s Ethereal channel radio programming!

Jive Magazine Interview

A new Lovespirals <a
href=”http://www.jivemagazine.com/interviews/2002/051
92002-lovespirals/index.shtml”
target=”_blank”>interview has been posted at Jive’s online magazine. The print edition is due out June 1st. An mp3 of “Love Survives,” a new unreleased track, is included in Jive’s music section.

Windblown Kiss Press Piece by Alex Lang

Our friend, the poet and lyricist, Alex Lang, was kind enough to write up a lovely little press piece on our upcoming album:

WINDBLOWN KISS is the first full-length album by LOVESPIRALS, the beautiful, and beautifully surprising collaboration of RYAN LUM (the driving force behind legendary LOVE SPIRALS DOWNWARDS) and avant-garde singer/songwriter ANJI BEE.

Renown multi-instrumentalist LUM once again creates musical landscapes of breathtaking beauty – and with vocal styles ranging from ethereal to earthy, sweet to sensual, BEE shows off her remarkable vocal range, and allows the full force of her voice to soar into the sublime.

Drawing inspiration from Flamenco, Bebop, soul, folk and the stacks of early vinyl they each grew up loving, LOVESPIRALS has created a timeless world of romance and intrigue. Leaving behind the conventional restraints of dance-floor tracks, this latest endeavor is at once a dreamscape of nostalgia, and a kiss blown to the future.

Using half a dozen different guitars, and featuring the extraordinary talents of DORON ORENSTEIN (of TOOF!) on saxophones, and SEAN BOWLEY (of EDEN) on acoustic guitar and vocals, WINDBLOWN KISS is a celebration of creative anachronism:  the past and the future negotiate a gorgeous balance.