Category Archives: Press

Interviews

Outsight Radio Hours Interview (2002)

Here’s a partial transcript of the interview Tom Schulte did with Anji recently on his Internet radio show, for those that aren’t able to stream audio. Outsight is a featured archival broadcast of the Music Sojourn site so go listen to it if you can!

Tom: Been enjoying ‘Windblown Kiss.” Been playing it for the audience here. Ya happy with it?

Anji: Yeah, yeah it turned out a lot differently than probably people might have expected, but… You know, we kinda started out one way… at first we were working on a trip hop song, and then we wrote, uh, the first song, “Oh So Long,” and we realized that we were kinda on to something a little different. We just kinda went with it. Made kind of a rock album. With jazz. 

Tom: Yeah, definitely, and, um, some sort of flamenco, soul, folk touches — it’s beyond retro, it’s almost vintage at times.

Continue reading Outsight Radio Hours Interview (2002) →
Press, Reviews

In Music We Trust Portland Show Review

A brief, but largely positive review of our performance at Portland’s Paris Theatre on August 23rd has appeared on the In Music We Trust site:

Next came the technical difficulties but delicious music of Lovespirals. While guitarist Ryan Lum and singer Anji Bee clearly seemed displeased with how their show was going, it did not stop them from presenting a lovely display of some obvious hard work. Closing out the set with a few jazz numbers, the audience weaved back and forth with Bee as she appeared as a nightclub chanteuse a little out of her element. Bee acknowledged this by remarking, “We don’t know how Mira does it. They’ve got like twelve shows left. This is only our third, and we’re like, ‘O, we want to go home.'” Nevertheless, Lovespirals presented their new material, which is absolutely marvelous, and sparked some interest.

You can read the full piece, which is mostly about the headlining band, Mira, at the In Music We Trust SHOW REVIEW: Mira, Lovespirals and Summerland page. Very happy to have them call this “the sexiest concert bill of 2002, btw.”

Anji Bee of Lovespirals performing at the Paris Theatre in Portland, OR
Ryan Lum of Lovespirals performing at the Paris Theatre in Portland OR
Reviews

KZSC Radio Reviews Lovespirals Show

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.”

Reviews

Sea of Tranquility Reviews Windblown Kiss

Michael Popke of seaoftranquilty.org reviewed Windblown Kiss:

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.


Press, Reviews

Critically Hip Posts Windblown Kiss Review

The Critically Hip site posted a nice review of the album:

“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. Whereas Suzanne Perry always sounded sweet and ethereal no matter what she was singing, Anji 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 Ryan Lum and Anji 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! I remember reviewing LSD’s album “Ever” back in 1996 or 1997 and I thought they were pretty cool as an ethereal goth band, but this duo has that one beat hands down.”

— Mary Ellen Gustafson

Interviews, News, Reviews

Recent Interview & Album Review

Anji was interviewed about Lovespirals by Shaun Hamilton for Chain D.L.K. online zine this week. Craig Gidney, owner of the Ethereality Yahoo! Group, posted an insightful Windblown Kiss review that reads, in part:

Ryan Lum’s Love Spirals Downwards has come a long way from its ethereal gothic roots.  Gone are Suzanne Perry’s wafting vocal glossolalia, the dark Cure-meets-Siouxsie basslines, and the Robin Guthrie guitar atmospherics.  They have been replaced by the smooth-as-silk vocals of Anji Bee; the mysterious Eastern-flavor by dashes of flamenco, lounge, jazz and Brazilian pop, and even –gasp- mainstream pop.  Of course, this transformation has been a long time coming.  Lum has always pushed the envelope in atmospheric music, assimilating electronica, drums and bass along side such core foundations as folk and shoegazer into the mix.  The last LSD album, Flux,  was a successful mix of Massive Attack-style songs and gentle breakbeats, not unlike those heard on the Six Degrees label.  This new incarnation, though, seems to model itself after the sophisticated pop of Everything But the Girl, once and for all ditching the Cocteau Twins blueprint that has dogged the band since its humble beginnings. 

–Craig L. Gidney

Interviews

Chain DLK Webzine Interviews Anji Bee

August 2002, Chain DLK Webzine, Shaun Hamilton

SHAUN: How did you two meet and start working on music together?

ANJI: We met a few times at different places in Los Angeles. We first started talking at a little Projekt Records party that both our bands were invited to. Then we got to know each other more through a series of appearances he made on KUCI, for both my radio show and other DJs’ shows. One afternoon he had me come over to his studio and he showed me a few new songs he was working on. One of those became the instrumental, ‘Beatitude,’ and the other eventually turned into ‘Love Survives.’

The first song he had me do vocals on was the club track, ‘Ecstatic,’ which just has a little ‘oooh ahhh’ sample. Our first song that came out on CD was a remix of “Bittersweet” for Claire Voyant, in late 1999, early 2000, I forget exactly. 1999-2000 was a very transitional time’ We weren’t totally sure where we were headed yet. Ryan was still very immersed in the DJ scene then, so the tunes we were working on were all 10-minute dance tracks — pretty unsuitable as album material. It wasn’t really until 2001 that things clicked into place for us, as far as the album goes.

SHAUN: Have you or Ryan had jazz training, and what are your musical backgrounds?

ANJI: No, neither of us has had any Jazz schooling. Our sax player, Doron, actually does have a degree in Jazz, though! Ryan’s been reading up on Jazz the last year or so. He used to joke that he’d become a Jazz guitarist after he played a year in the NBA, but now he’s already accomplished the former without getting much closer to the latter goal’ (Ha ha!) Both Ryan and I had a few lessons when we were young, but we’re mostly self-taught. He’s been playing guitar for most of his life. I think listening to a wide range of good music, and studying it to find out what makes it work, has been our best training.

SHAUN: Your work seems to revolve around the subject of love. What is your opinion on the state of love in today’s world?

ANJI: I believe that love is the most important thing in the world. Certainly nothing great can be accomplished without love as a motivating factor. Everyone is searching for love, in one way or another, and many are finding unsatisfactory substitutes in our modern world. I don’t think we can ever feel truly whole until we surrender to love ‘ not only love for another person, but for ourselves, and for the world around us, as well.

SHAUN: Any words of advice?

ANJI: Never doubt your ability to grow and improve as a human being. Don’t let negative people get you down. Pursue your dreams and live your life with joy!

Excerpt from the full interview hosted at the ChainDLK site.

Reviews

GothGirl Reviews Windblown Kiss

Thank you for the review, Julie!

The new Lovespirals CD, Windblown Kiss, takes on an ethereal jazz feel with the use of saxophone, slow drumbeats, and several different guitars. The vocals by Anji are lush and melodic, creating a soundscape of their own.  One thing I like about this CD is that it has a very diverse feel. Many of the songs feel like something you would hear in a small lounge club (and I mean that in a very good way.) Windblown Kiss is very soulful and warm sounding, yet quiet and mellow — which is great — and they kept this feel consistently all the way through the album. “Our Nights”, is probably the most upbeat track, with additional instruments coming in such as congas and shakers. “You Girl”, has a slightly more rock feel, with an additional twang to the acoustic guitars.  This song has the hardest feel, even though it’s still very mellow.  My favorite track, “Dejame”, is written all in Spanish. I think this was a great idea as Anji sings it so well, and with a great accent. (Not to worry, there is an English translation included if you don’t know Spanish, but fortunately I do, so as a reviewer it was a real treat to hear!) This song would be great for a slow dance. “Dejame” has a really Spanish flavor, adding a little culture and spice to the album. (You will also hear a little French and German used in the lyrics as well.) Overall, this CD is full of romantic, sweet and lush harmonies that all balance out. 

— Julie Johnson

Reviews

Phantom Toolbooth Reviews Blisscent 1

Jason Morehead of tollbooth.org reviews the Blisscent 1 compilation featuring new Lovespirals:

However, there are no such complaints with Lovespirals’ “He Calls Me.” Formerly know as Love Spirals Downwards, Lovespirals features a new vocalist and a slightly different direction. Gone are the drum and bliss textures of Flux, instead hinting back the group’s earlier releases, such as Ardor. Spanish-tinged acoustic guitar work and light drums provide the perfect setting for Anji’s beautiful vocals. Even more interestingly, the lyrics point at the song’s more spiritual origins: “His voice is like a song/I hear the melodies/So I learn them, write them down/So I can play them/ Let them understand you are in everything we do/Show them your glory”.


Press, Reviews

Chain DLK Reviews ‘Windblown Kiss’

A positive review of our debut full-length album has appeared in Chain DLK, ” your #1 source for electronic, industrial, ambient & dark experiments music.” It reads, in part:

With the new group, new influences have come through, with a strong jazz element. To think of it, this is like Billy Holiday with better vocals and more of a mood! “Oh So Long” starts off with a sensual horn section and Anji Bee’s masterful ethereal vocals, which go for mood and emotion, not a high pitch like a lot of ethereal vocalists. She reminds me alot of the girl from Portishead a bit, but softer. As good as Suzanne Perry was, Anji Bee has her matched. The rest of the album flows with a very controlled calm, very laid back and sensual. A welcome shift of direction, and should please fans of both jazz, ethereal, and emotional folk music. And if you’re looking for that CD for you and your lover to listen to under some candlelight, this is it!Very recommended.

 9/10 KlingKlangBedlam

Read the full review here.

Reviews

Jazz Review.com, Featured Artist July 2002

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Windblown Kiss (2002)

Lee Prosser reviews Windblown Kiss for Jazz Review, July 2002

Ryan Lum and Anji Bee are Lovespirals. 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. The 10 selections include “Oh So Long,” “Dejame,” “Windblown Kiss,” “Our Nights,” and “I Can’t See You,” among others.

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, filled with sensitivity and beautiful soft jazz sounds.

Lovespirals is topnotch.

See the original review at jazzreview.com