Lovespirals first Future Past single, “Shine” has won the Garageband Reviewer’s Pick Award for Best Female Vocals in the Alternative Pop genre for this week. This is an ongoing contest judged by site users, primarily musicians who are also participating in the contest held by this unique i-Like owned music site. Songs are judged in an anonymous fashion, with the reviewer having no information about the track other than the soundfile itself until after they have rated it and posted their review comments.
Quite a haunting song. Nice mood with the Rhodes, and the female singer has a sexy voice which works really well when layered. Reminds me of the French band Air. Good sound, well done.
Kieran Moore
Visit Lovespirals page on Garageband to read all the reviews thus far, as well as to stream or download “Shine” for free. You can also check out more Lovespirals songs, including the multiple-award-winning “Love Survives,” which won Track of the Day and Track of Week twice each, and currently holds #16 Best Female Vocals of All Time in the Electronica Genre.
Shine Wins Garageband Award for Best Female Vocals in Alternative Pop Category
You can now buy Lovespirals’ brand new album, Future Past, exclusively from the Lovespirals webstore! This gorgeous 6-panel eco-friendly digipak includes all of Anji Bee’s song lyrics plus beautiful photography by Susan Jennings and original artwork/design by ithinkitsnice. The CD itself was replicated using real-time glass mastering and vintage CD manufacturing equipment for audiophile-class sound, care of Groove House Records. Anji (and Ryan) will personally autograph your copy if you request it, PLUS you’ll receive an immediate digital download of the album when you purchase the CD directly from Lovespirals. In keeping with this green release, the band are packaging orders in non-bleached mailers made of 90% recycled content (50% post-consumer). You can read more about the Future Past eco-friendly packaging in an earlier blog post. Future Past will also be distributed via Projekt Records, CD Baby, Amazon, iTunes, eMusic, Rhapsody and all the usual online music sources, but the band wanted to make the album available to fans as soon as possible. As an independent band, it is difficult to schedule simultaneous release on all platforms, so those will be trickling in over the next few months. Please join the Lovespirals mailing list to keep up with the latest news and events.
Future Past by Lovespirals released by Chillcuts Digital Media
Lovespirals are in the final stages of producing their 4th full-length album, tentatively titled, Future Past. The 11 songs comprising this new collection include some of the band’s most ambitious work to date. Band founder, Ryan Lum, has achieved what he feels is truly a big-studio sound in his private home studio. His attention to detail in sound design is born of a true love of the craft, and he’s been perfecting these skills since his first indie release, Idylls, back in 1992. Lum has updated his musical equipment and recording system quite extensively since Lovespirals’ 2007 album, Long Way From Home. This might be most noticeable to the listener in the range of guitar and keyboard sounds used on this album. In addition to the Rhodes piano and Hammond organ featured in the past, Lum has enhanced his vintage keyboard palette with analogue synth and string machine sounds. And guitar tones too have been pushed into new future retro sonics, utilizing both vintage and modern boutique guitars, tube amplifiers, and effects pedals.
Ryan Lum strums acoustic guitar in Chillcuts Studio
Band vocalist, Anji Bee, who began collaborating with Lum in the early 2000’s, has also worked hard to improve upon her sound and performances. Armed with a new microphone, cabling, and preamp, she has pushed her voice to new heights, exploring diverse vocal territory. From deep, sultry rhythm and blues soulfulness to bright, ethereal breathiness — and all points in-between — from a single voice to a 3-part harmony; Bee is the vocal equivalent of a one-man band. And lyrically, Bee has dug deep to unearth some of her most revealing and intimate lyrics yet. Though her song topics have always touched upon more than personal relationships, the abundance of such fare in the past has led critics to label Lovespirals as purveyors of “love songs.” Bee feels confident that will not be the case this time. Interestingly, the two songs most obviously tied to romance are not ballads, but upbeat numbers; “Feel So Good” is soulful funk with a distinctly retro feel, while “Love” is an atmospheric drum ‘n’ bass song, reminiscent of the duo’s earliest work together.
Anji & Ryan of Lovespirals listening to a fresh take
Not that this new album is wholly composed of electronica vibes; on the contrary. Lovespirals have achieved a fine balance between their various influences, including moody classic-rock ala Pink Floyd or Fleetwood Mac; groovy late-period Motown soul & funk; bittersweet electropop in the vein of Air or Zero 7 — with a sprinkling of sensual slow-burning blues, and a dash of the soaring ethereality that the band has long been known for. Somehow Lum and Bee are able to take such disparate elements and combine them into an easily identifiable sound that can only be described as “Lovespirals.” Though it’s hard to label their music for today’s highly genre-defined culture, Lovespirals are not concerned. The joy of independent music is that it is not bogged down by marketing research and sales strategies; it exists because of the creator’s love of music. And Future Past is certainly a labor of love for Lovespirals.
Anji Bee in Chillcuts Studio working Lovespirals’ new album
Ryan Lum in Chillcuts Studio working Lovespirals’ new album
Please add yourself to the Lovespirals newslist to stay informed of release date, news, events, and specials.
Jazzy chillout artist, The Grooveblaster, is working on a new album and is once again collaborating with me on a sensual electro-lounge tune. I thought I’d share a video snippet of me working on the vocals here in the Chillcast studio. The song is tentatively titled, “Put Some Music On.” Release date is unknown at this time, but you can be sure you’ll hear it on The Chillcast just as soon as it is available!
While you’re waiting, be sure to pick up our summer-themed single from last year, “Summer Days,” if you haven’t already. That track plus Grooveblaster’s remix of my big Lovespirals‘ single, “This Truth,” and another original song called, “Whole Wide World,” are all available on the 2008 album Cities, Streets & Bebop Nights on iTunes.
Hot new UK dance music label, Loverush Digital, is about to drop a “Damien.S VS Lovespirals” branded set of remixes of our single, “This Truth,” TOMMORROW February 9th. UK radio and club DJs, however, have already been spinning advanced copies the past few weeks. To my delight, the EP has been blazing up the DMC charts!
John McCormick (Deep 6, Fury Murrys, The Hive, Yates) 10/10 This has created one of the biggest buzzes on the floors I’ve seen in ages. Its an enormous winner and packs the floors everytime without fail. Superb mix package. Top stuff all round!
DJ Crispian Aldis (Elemental, Havanah, Paradise) 10/10 This is good and is causing quite a stir in my sets. Loads of fab mixes to choose from. Top track, top label. I can see big things for Loverush in 2009.
Beaker (Berties, Bunters, Divas, Red Square) 9/10 I love the feel to this track, she has such a haunting voice. You can’t help but hear it. It’s such a smooth chill out dance track that works really well.
John J (Club DNA, Liquid Lounge, Wigan Pier) 9/10 LOVIN THIS! Quality vocal trancer with a wicked package of mixers. Fave is Juno Synclair vs Craig Bailey Remix.
The Grooveblaster‘s new album, Cities, Streets & Bebop Nights, is the featured album on the ultra cool Below Zero radio show and blog this week. As you probably know, I contributed vocals and lyrics to 3 tracks on this album (including a remix of my band, Lovespirals), alongside great collaborations with Yasi Baby! of Pacha Massive, Laura Harley, and Daca Kopanja. This top rated radio show airs Sunday nights in San Francisco on Energy FM 92.7 from 8 pm to Midnight (PST) and in Paris on Tonic FM Mondays 12 – 1 am (PST) and Fridays 11 – 12 pm (PST). You can also listen online via NetMusiq Tuesdays 10 am (PST) or anytime via Live365.
By the way, you still have a few days to enter the big end-of-2008 Chillcast 8-CD “Grab Bag” Contest which includes a promo copy of the great Minus1 compilation CD put together by Below Zero DJ’s Mason Rothert, Jason Teplitsky, and Sinukus.
Rad! The latest episode of the 64mm vidcast includes “Love Me Leave Me,” my 2004 collaboration with Bitstream Dream. The funny thing is, I finally saw Paranoid Park this weekend, which is a film by one of my fave directors, Gus Van Sant, shot at Burnside Skatepark in Portland, OR. Anyways, stoked to be part of this fun skating vid. Hope you enjoy it, too!
The first review of the upcoming Chandeen album, Teenage Poetry was recently posted on the band’s MySpace page:
Teenage Poetry is a long awaited jewel, a breathing, timeless work that rewards the patient listener with a moving, tear-inducing “hidden track” featuring Anji Bee of Love Spirals Downwards. It is lovely that such music is still produced today!” – Ecki Stieg
Some readers are probably scratching their heads wondering who this Love Spirals Downwards is, so I’ll fill you in; that was the original name of Lovespirals way back in 1991 with former vocalist, Suzanne Perry, (who would surely balk at my name being linked to the pre-2000 history of the band). In fact, only 1 song with me has been released as “Love Spirals Downwards” and that was a remix we did for Claire Voyant in 2000, so my vocals weren’t even involved – just my mad mixing skills. 😀
In any case, a very positive review, and one which makes me anxious to hear the rest of the album for myself. Teenage Poetry is due out March 28, 2008 on Chandeen’s own Kalinkaland label.
Remix Lovespirals‘ podsafe single, “This Truth,” from their latest album, Long Way From Home, for the PeaceLoveProduction Remix Contest! The finalist will win an iPod Touch, a year’s subscription to the PLP Producer’s Vault, and all 3 Lovespirals’ CDs – personally autographed by Anji Bee and Ryan Lum – plus inclusion on a Lovespirals remix digital EP and CD. The runner-up will win the 3 CDs plus inclusion on the remix EP and CD. Additionally, the top 5 remixes will be offered as podsafe singles on the Podsafe Music Network. The contest began 2/8/2008 and runs until 4/1/2008. Good luck!
Listen to Anji’s audio promo: [audio:http://chillcuts.com/promos/Lovespirals_Remix_Contest_Promo.mp3]
I contributed vocals and lyrics to what will be a special “hidden” track on the upcoming new album by German band, Chandeen. Entitled Teenage Poetry, the 12 song disc is due out March 2008 on Chandeen’s own Kalinkaland label. As a free album preview for fans, the band are uploading one song per week (or so) to their MySpace page. This will be the first new Chandeen album in 5 years.
Hot new UK dance music label, 
I contributed vocals and lyrics to what will be a special “hidden” track on the upcoming new album by German band,