Man oh man there were a lot of remixes to listen to this weekend! First we whittled the 4 pages worth of entries to just 32 tracks, then down to 22 tracks, and finally to 8 tracks. Now we need to hone in on just one Grand Prize Winner and 2 Runner-Ups. We feel like American Idol judges! Ryan says he’s Simon and I’m Paula, but I think I’m a bit more like Randy… 🙂
Anyway, I’m planning to unveil the final announcement by Friday, which will hopefully include our having all pertinent mixes uploaded to our SoundClick page for everyone to check out!
Interview by Isobel Geo for Fiber Online, Oct 26, 2003
ISOBEL: What changed in the Lovespirals sounds with your entrance in 1999?
ANJI: The sound was already evolving in 1998, moving towards something more jazzy and funky than previously. Ryan was working with Doron Orenstein, a trained jazz saxophonist, when I joined. Adding my jazzy and soulful vocals helped to further that evolution. As we continued to work together, my song writing style brought a more poppy edge to the music. The biggest change I brought to the band was that I encouraged a collaborative song writing technique, which had been lacking in the band up to that time.
ISOBEL: The last album was Windblown Kiss released last year, so what’s the new Lovespirals’ plans for albums, tours, or remixes?
ANJI: We’ve been writing and recording new songs ever since we finished touring for Windblown Kiss, and are about half way done with an album now. Soon we need to start preparing a new live set that includes all of these new songs. Right now we are getting together files for a remix competition using our new song “Walk Away” that PeaceLoveProductions will be putting on. We are currently seeking a label to release our next album, as well as looking into possibly doing them ourselves.
I’m starting to miss playing live again, it’s been so long. I can’t help thinking about how much more fun it would be, though, if we had more musicians to fill out the sound. A bassist would be a huge improvement, at least. It could be cool to have a keyboardist, too. Or maybe somebody who could play both, depending on the song. Like John Paul Jones, that would be nice.
In a time when albums seems to be a dying art form, and music appears to have been overtaken by inexperienced youth, this album truly stands out. It is so refreshing to hear a mature perspective on life! I loved this album when it came out 3 years ago, and it has really stood the test of time. It is unassuming, quiet, but so elegant and satisfying… just hip enough, without being cliche — and therefore open to premature aging. There are so many good tracks, and not really any bad tracks; a rarity, it seems. I would have been damned proud to have created this album, that’s for sure.
Anji Bee was interviewed by Sterben von Todsleben for Reflektionen, February 2003
STERBEN: The gothic subculture seemed to be quite fond of Love Spirals Downwards; have you noticed much backlash from them with your first Lovespirals release? Does it matter what the gothic subculture thinks?
ANJI: Surprising little, actually. Before the album came out, there were a few people on our message board making a tiny squabble, but at least one of those has turned into a hard core fan since seeing us play live and buying the album. And the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, even from Gothic sources. We didn’t really expect the kind of support we’ve received, but are happy to have it. What’s more exciting, however, is when fans of Gothic music express interest in our decidedly not-Gothic songs, many of which are available as mp3s at various sites on the Internet. Ultimately, though, we would prefer to secure a new audience for ourselves, rather than appealing to old fans of Love Spirals Downwards or Projekt Records.
Photos from Lovespirals Leon, Mexico show are now available on
the nightlife information site antropolitan.com. The 3 page photo album includes concert pics, backstage shots, and crew and fan photos.
Projekt has paired up with Hot Topic for a special Holiday compilation CD. Comprised of the best tracks from the popular Excelsis series of releases, A Dark Noel includes songs by both Lovespirals and Love Spirals Downwards, plus many other Projekt favorites. This CD is sold at the budget price of $3.98 from Hot Topic stores nationwide.
Radio Reflektionen is currently hosting a streaming online radio
program assembled by Anji, called “From Dusk to
Dawn”. Featuring 4 hours of 56kbps mp3s, the show
encompasses many of Anji and Lovespirals’ musical inspirations
as well as their own music, and music by friends, peers, and
labelmates. This program will be on continuous loop for
approximately one month.
Well, we can’t import my old address book into my new email program, so I have to start it all fresh… So, anyone reading this, please be sure to pop by CONTACTS to add yourself to the list today, and I’ll make sure to add you personally to the news list! Thanks!
DJ Victoria Star of Dark Circles on KZSC Radio reviews Lovespirals’ August 21, 2002 show @ The Pound, San Francisco, CA:
San Francisco Projekt fans were given a spectacular treat last night when artists Mira and Lovespirals joined together for an evening of musical bliss at The Pound. Once again changing musical directions, Anji Bee and Ryan Lum presented their lush new sound as a taunting and swanky invitation to sing along. Taking the stage with a smile that never left her face, Anji’s vocal mastery was particularly poignant on new tracks “Oh So Long” and “Swollen Sea.”
Like its title, Windblown Kiss — the debut CD from the California duo Lovespirals — wafts from your speakers and caresses your ears with ethereal melodies, sexy voices and a timeless concoction of flamenco, bebop, soul, jazz, folk and rock.
The brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Ryan Lum, the driving force behind the now-defunct ethereal folk band Love Spirals Downward, Lovespirals takes flight with the voice of singer/ songwriter Anji Bee. Her delicately sensual and sometimes breathy vocals combine with Doron Orenstein’s saxophone on opener “Oh So Long,” which sets the tone for slowly smoldering romance. Other tracks feature acoustic guitarist Sean Bowley on lead vocals, who creates a much different soundcape than Bee with his Gordon Lightfoot-meets-Bono voice. In fact, the two songs he sings often make Lovespirals sound like another band entirely.
Lovespirals is not a progressive rock band, but Lum’s proficiency on instruments ranging from six- and 12-string guitars to congas and hammered dulcimer is greater than that of many of his counterparts in so-called “progressive” bands. Windblown Kiss takes some time to sink in, its subtle genius initially getting lost in the ambience. It’s best to play this one alone at night, windows open, with candles flickering, and let your spirit drift aimlessly into the darkness.
