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.
DJ’ing at La Belle Epoque in San Francisco was one of the funnest things I’ve done yet! Thanks to those of you who came out. I’ll be back again sometime soon for sure! The Megastore was cool too, but it wasn’t a club, so not quite as much fun (no booze or dancing).
Friday April 23, I’ll be dj’ing at Spaceland, here in Los Angeles at 1717 Silverlake Blvd (323-833-2843). This will be the release party for the Dewdrops Records’ compilation from last year called, Splashed With Many A Speck, featuring tracks by us, Cocteau Twins, Scenic, and Lanterna – to name a few. Scenic, the Von Trapps, and Daniel Figgis (all the way from Ireland) will be performing live.
More stuff’s in the works, so check back again soon.
It’s now confirmed that I’ll be guest DJ’ing at the Virgin Megastore on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood on Friday evening, February 12 from 8 to 10 pm (8000 Sunset Blvd at Crescent Heights, 323-650-8666). They’ll be giving away some Flux stickers and cd’s, and I’ll be spinning records in a similar mood to our album, Flux. It’s not a club, so you won’t be able to get down and boogie, but this should be a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to this.
A reminder that I’ll be DJ’ing in San Francisco this Saturday, January 30. Be sure to come down if you’re in the area. See below for the club info and time.
An interview with Ryan Lum of Love Spirals Downwards by Gary Thrasher
Call it post-shoegazer, call it ethereal majesty… call it post-apocalyptic drum ’n’ bass trance… just don’t cal lit goth. Love Spirals Downwards, darlings of the Projekt label, are a blissful masterpiece of hypnotic rhythms and swirling guitars, topped off with angelic vocals… all with a tinge of dark moodiness and Middle Eastern mysticism. With their fourth album, Flux, a foray into the hazed world of melodic drum ’n’ bass, Love Spirals Downwards are poised on the print of world dominance… it was on this cliff that I spoke with the mastermind behind the music, Ryan Lum.
How did Love Spirals Downwards come together in the beginning and how dit you first become involved with Projekt Records?
It’s so long ago. Suzanne and I knew each other and we just decided to try it out… see how it worked with her singing on stuff I had made. I’d been making music for ages. I’m always just recording and making my own music as opposed to doing the band thing. I don’t mind rehearsing for shows, but I like to record… that’s where my heart is. I sent a few demo tapes out for the hell of it. I didn’t know who Projekt was. One of my friends, the guy who shot our cover for the first album, knew someone in his art school… Susan Jennings (Projekt owner Sam Rosenthal’s former girlfriend). Somehow they got talking and she said, “Why don’t you have your friend Ryan send his tape in?” We went a few others out, I think 4AD and Creation were the other two, and Projekt was the first and only to respond. It just evolved from that.
What were your early inspirations both musically and vocally? What singers have influence Suzanne?
I don’t think she’s influences by other people, not even people she likes. She’s just singing from herself… she’s just being herself. If you’re looking for origins, influences back in ’91… that’s coming out of 4AD of the late 80s… Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, and Indian music that I was into a lot back then on our first album… kind of a big mesh of 4AD and Indian music. I’m really into moody and intense music. What got me into making Flux was I stumbled across some very beautiful drum ’n’ bass music. It’s so beautiful, probably the greatest music I’ve heard this decade. The only stuff I can compare it to as far as beauty would be Cocteau Twins during the Victorialand / Love’s Easy Tears era. Just really awesome stuff… and most people who are into goth may not find it, but I just found it. It made perfect sense… this is us, this is the kind of beauty I’m into musically.
What albums are you referring to?
It’s some hard to find stuff. One easy way to find out what I’m talking about is compilations… Logical Progressions by LTJ Bukem. It’s about 3 years old. It’s the defining CD of melodic drum ’n’ bass. It hold up well now in drum ’n’ bass clubs. It kicks ass!
What led you down the road to the new sound that began on Ever and finally metamorphosed itself on Flux?
If you backed it up, it also led to the new sound on Ardor that was different from Idylls. All the albums have a different sound…at least that’s the goal. You don’t want to make the same album consecutively again, that would be quite boring for us. I’m sure it would bore a lot of listeners too. So this was the next logical progression for us. I’ve always been into electronic music, and I finally found a style that would work well with the music that we do…something where we could be spacey, ethereal, and beautiful as we have on our previous records. It’s hard to do that with house music or trance… those are precisely defined types of sounds, while drum ‘n’ bass is a lot more open. It will still sound like a drum ‘n’ bass record, but you can put on a lot of jazzy stuff to kind of make it more ambient.
Are you pleased with Flux and the way it was received, both among long time Love Spirals Downwards fans and new converts?
Yes, I’m really happy with Flux. All of my other albums I really cringe at listening to. Actually, it’s kinda sad, Flux is the first one now where it’s like, finally did it right.” There’s nothing too cringing to hear as far as the sounds or the recording. The technical aspects are done well, and the aesthetic was aiming for are pleasing to me still. So I’m really happy with Flux… I’m sure it will always be for me, my favorite record, or at least one of. As far as other people, it is always a surprise. As you are making it, it’s always just you and a small circle of people that hear it. But when it comes out there’ always the other people factor that gets brought into the equation…it becomes something you start hearing about, whether people like it or not. l’ve been pleasantly surprised that people are into It, fans of ours. and we have all kinds or hans, but I’m particularly happy that the ones who don’t have much interest in electronic music, trip-hop or drum ‘n’ bass, are into it. I think that’s because it still sounds like us. Suzanne’s still doing her thing and I’m still doing my thing. It’s still melodic… it’s all still pretty. You could still do the same things to Flux that you could do to any of our previous albums…sit down and listen to it at night, or make love to it, or whatever people do to our stuff. Some of the elements have changed, but it’s still Love Spirals Downwards. I really don’t think about what happens with my music after it’s done, after it leaves my studio, gets onto CDs, and people play it. All I think about is making a great song and making a sound for me that shakes my soul…that’s it. And from the stuff I was listening to, it just pointed me in that direction with Flux.
Are you hoping Flux finally lays to rest the goth connotations of Love Spirals Downwards?
I don’t think anything will do that. I have nothing against goth music. What I am against is people summing us up in one fell swoop as a goth band… it’s a disservice, it’s dishonest, it’s inaccurate. People can think of us whatever they want… people think we’re a goth band, or a new age band, folk band, techno band… even a yuppie band! Not that we’re yuppies, but yuppies can dig our sound. Even adult contemporary has been thrown around. It just goes to show that our music is open ended.
What does the future hold for Love Spirals Downwards?
I don’t know. It’s just a big uncharted future out there. I can go anywhere… it’s hard to say, even when I started making Flux, I just started making music with no particular intention of it being an album. I just wanted to make music for the sake of music. I just started making new songs a couple weeks ago… I got boatloads of new gear! I finally got it all going. I’ve started again… I’m gonna have some jazz buddies come over tomorrow to lay down some stuff, too, so who knows what it will be… maybe I’ll make a flamenco record news time!
My DJ gig in San Francisco for Saturday January 30 is now confirmed. I’ll be spinning at La Belle Epoque, located at the Top, 424 Haight St. (between Webster and Fillmore, club info 415-241-1545, 21 and over). I’ll be on from about 9:30 to 11:30. Along with my records, I’ll be bringing along some “Flux” cd’s and stickers to give away as well. This should be a lot of fun and I’m excited about this since La Belle Epoque is my favorite club in San Francisco. It’s where I’m always at when I’m in town on a Saturday. Come on out and say hello.
Also, this Friday January 15, I will be the featured surprise DJ at Sterile, spinning several sets of ambient and drum n’ bass, along with Orange County DJ’s Christopher Robin (KUCI’s on air/off air & ROTPG) and Daniel Bremmer (Peach, KUCI’s Space Disco For Fish Tacos). There will also be a giveaway of cd’s and stickers of Love Spirals Downwards’ Flux. Performing live will be Kid 606 (Vinyl Communications, San Diego) and Phone. Sterile is located in Costa Mesa, CA at 2944 Randolph ave. #1. Club info is at: www.peachfuzz.net/sterile/. 9PM, $5 + 2 cans of food or $10 without, All ages.
Here’s my favorite records from 1998. By far, the most brilliant album of the year was Mezzanine by Massive Attack. I’d recommend it to anybody who was into our album Flux. Perfume Tree is another band you should check out if you’re into our sound. Moon Safari and Earth are a bit more jazzy and very nice and melodic.
HAPPY NEW MILLENIUM to everyone! Hope you had a great holiday season!
We’re starting out 2000 with the release of Temporal, a collection of songs spanning the 8 year history of the band. From the acoustic beginnings to the present electronica/drum ‘n’ bass sound, this compilation covers the entirety of LSD’s career with 13 tracks selected from our master tapes for your enjoyment. The official Projekt Records release date is January 11th, 2000 — but we are offering Temporal for sale NOW at our webstore for just $13!
I had the opportunity to spin a little at a great B-Sides New Year’s Eve party, which got me excited to get back into DJing. Hopefully I’ll have some new bookings to list here for you real soon, so be sure to check back later.
Thanks to everybody that came out to Nightnoise last weekend. I’ll be doing some more DJ’ing in conjunction with Flux giveaways over the next few months. The next one will be in San Francisco at La Belle Epoque (at The Top) on January 30, and possibly Mexico City in March.
And a very big thanks to everybody who has bought Flux, making it the most sucessful new album launch in the label’s history! It’s well on its way to surpasing our previous albums, which are the label’s top selling releases. Thanks!
Live shows: people keep asking us what’s up and we still have no confirmed shows to report. We are talking with several promoters, so hopefully soon there will be some set dates. In the meantime, Suzanne and I will be doing one live performance on radio, and there are several radio interviews coming up as well.
So here’s the complete rundown of confirmed things that we will be doing:
Ryan of Love Spirals Downwards DJs Saturday, January 30, 1999
La Belle Epoque, located at The Top, San Francisco, CA
Ryan will be DJing, spinning records that are in a similar mood as well as an inspiration to Love Spirals’ album Flux. There will also be a giveaway of Flux CDs and stickers. More info to come soon.
Ryan and Suzanne perform live
Wednesday December 16, 1998 at 8PM – 10PM PST.
On “Space Disco For Fish Tacos” KUCI 88.9 FM, Irvine, CA
Space Disco For Fish Tacos has been on the air for three years, featuring weekly live performances and interviews by electronic musicians from southern California and abroad. KUCI is now broadcasting via the internet! KUCI broadcasts 24/7 on the internet through java-based streaming technology. All you need is a net connection (the faster the better) and a modern browser (AOL may not work) — try it out at www.kuci.org
Radio interview with Ryan
Friday, December 4, 1998. 8PM EST.
On WRAS 88.5 FM, Atlanta, GA
Ryan will be talking live on the air! WRAS’ phone set up does not allow callers to ask Ryan questions directly, but you can e-mail your questions (in advance) to Jez and she’ll pose them for you.
Radio Interview with Ryan
Saturday, December 5, 1998. 10PM to midnight PST.
“Oblivion” on KLYK 105.5 CITY, Longview, WA
The show can be heard in parts of Portland, OR as well.
Radio Interview with Ryan
Sunday, December 6, 1998. 8PM to 10PM PST.
“The All-Purpose Nuclear Bedtime Story,” KUCI 88.9 FM, Irvine, CA
With DJs Anji B. and Justin J. KUCI broadcasts 24/7 on the internet through a java-based streaming technology. All you need is a net connection and a modern browser (AOL may not work). Try it out at www.kuci.org
On Sunday November 22, i’ll be spinning at Nightnoise (in Costa Mesa, California) from 8:30 to 10 pm. I’ll be bringing along my records that are in a similar mood as well as an inspiration to our album Flux. There will also be a giveaway of Flux CDs and posters.
Attention Southern California Fans:
Nightnoise is Orange County’s only chill out weekly. Resident DJs Chowderhead and Mr. Lumpy (along with occasional guest DJ’s and live bands) accent the atmosphere of the Gypsy Den cafe, located in the LAB in Costa Mesa, with genre-crossing experimental, ambient, downtempo, dub ‘n’ bass, drone hop, space rock, sonicollagism. The event is free and happens Sundays from 7 to 11 pm at 2930 Bristol, Costa Mesa. Call 714.549.7012 for more info.
Today is Suzanne’s birthday! Happy Birthday Suzy!!!
The article on us in the November issue of Keyboard is out and I’m excited about us and Massive Attack sharing the same page. If you don’t have their latest, Mezzanine, get it! It’s my favorite release of the year.
Lots has been going on with the release of Flux, which continues its great run on sales and radio. If you still haven’t bought Flux yet (you’ve all got it by now right?), you should be able to find it at most stores including Tower, Virgin, and Borders. Plus, Flux is featured in Borders listening stations now until November 16.
There’s still no shows to announce as of yet. The good news is that Suzanne and I have now started rehearsing and working on music again, after a several month break that both of us needed after finishing Flux.
Ethereal Shoegaze and Electronica from Projekt Records
