Monthly Archives: October 2009

News

Lovespirals Go Green With New Digipak

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Lovespirals band founder, Ryan Lum, proclaimed that the band’s last album, Long Way From Home, would be the final one to come out on CD. But response to such claims in interviews and the band podcast, Chillin’ with Lovespirals, was consistent amongst fans; they want a physical product, not just a digital one. So the band scrapped their plans to release one or two digital-only EPs per year and returned to their original format, the full-length album. This time around, however, the eco-conscious duo decided to do their homework before going with their usual compact disc manufacturer. The resulting packaging is one that the fans are sure to love, and that the band can feel good about. Future Past will be Lovespirals’ first digipak, printed on 100% recycled stock with 100% recycled plastic trays, printed with vegetable-based inks and coated with water-based biodegradable varnishes. You can hear Ryan and Anji talk about the CD packaging — and hear a clip of the opening song from Future Past — on Chillin’ with Lovespirals #70.

Read more about the packaging from the designer’s blog post on ithinkitsnice.com.

Please add yourself to the official Lovespirals newslist to stay informed of release date, news, events, and specials. Check out the video section to view in-studio clips of the band at work on the new album.

News, Video

Anji @ CD Pre-Launch Listening Party

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You may have heard about Lovespirals’ exclusive little pre-launch CD listening party from band Tweets or the latest episode of Chillin’ with Lovespirals (#70), but if not it was a small get together with a few San Francisco friends to both celebrate the completion of Future Past and to get some feedback on album. The party took place at the same groovy Victorian flat where the album photos were taken, which you can hear more about in Chillin’ with Lovespirals #64. Anyway, Ryan captured some video of Anji showing off the party spread moments before their guests arrive.

This video was originally posted to the Lovespirals Facebook page. Come add yourself as a fan!


Anji shows off the party spread as she awaits guests

News, Podcast

Chillin' with Lovespirals #70

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Lovespirals are back with tons of stories, mostly related to their upcoming new album, Future Past. The duo just returned from a trip up North to master the album with Robert Rich, and throw an intimate pre-release listening party at the BlizzzzCrib with a few friends including members of Karmacoda, Under, and Falling You, as well as band photographer, Susan Jennings, and Sinikus and Sarika of Below Zero. The band also discuss finalizing CD artwork with Scott of ithinkitsnice and going green by manufacturing with Groove House Records. Ryan and Anji also talk about attending the Immersion Festival and hanging out with Steve Roach and Loren Nerell afterwards at Noisebug. The show closes with a clip from the opening track of Future Past, “Home.”

[audio:http://m.podshow.com/media/3839/episodes/192872/chillinwithlovespirals-192872-10-20-2009.mp3]
Download Chillin’ with Lovespirals #70 (mp3)

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Some photos from the past week:

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New video from our YouTube account:

Steve Roach plays his didgeridoo at the Immersion Festival in Pomona, CA

News, Social Media, Video

Have You Heard? (Xtranormal Vid)

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Have you seen the Xtranormal site yet? It allows you to select from various characters and backgrounds — including your choice of gender and language — then animate them using various actions and expressions. Type in what you want them to say and how you want them to say it — even choose which camera angle — and the site turns your script into an animated video. It is way too fun! I had heard of it somewhere, but once I saw it in action – via a video by Ryan Coseboom of Stripmall Architecture, I knew I had to try it out. I hope you get a good chuckle out of it and hey, feel free to repost! Without further ado, may we present the comic ad for our upcoming new CD, Future Past, entitled, “Have You Heard?”

“Is Lovespirals that old Goth band?” “No. They are so not Goth.”

News, Video

Lovespirals In-Studio #6: CD Mastering

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Ambient music legend/mastering engineer Robert Rich explains the basics of mastering Lovespirals’ new album, Future Past, at his Soundscape Studio in Mountain View California. Ryan and Anji listen on as Robert demonstrates how he uses Apple’s Logic Studio, Izotope mastering software, and audio dithering to give each track its best possible sound. Robert also mastered Lovespirals’ 2002 release Windblown Kiss and 2007’s Long Way From Home. But the band was pleased to hear Robert say that the mixes “nailed it” this time, leaving him just enough room to creatively add a magic sparkle to the album. The result is the best sounding Lovespirals album by far; achieving a true big studio sound from their much more modestly equipped home studio.


Robert Rich explains his mastering process to Lovespirals

News, Video

Anji of Lovespirals In-Studio Video #5

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The band return with yet another in-studio video! This time Ryan and Anji are in a vocal session for the chorus of new song, “One Of Those Days,” from their upcoming 4th album, Future Past. Anji is a little stuck on how best to do the harmony in the first chorus, trying to choose between two melody lines. This video gives you a different view into the new Lovespirals studio, including glimpses of Ryan’s amps and speakers and some of his guitar collection. Yes, some. Look forward to the next video, where Ryan points out that a 3-part harmony is not a good idea for this Dorian mode song…

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Anji and Ryan in a vocal session for “One Of Those Days”