Love Spirals Downwards

Love Spirals Downwards

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1991 in California, United States
Founder	Ryan Lum
Headquarters	California , United States
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Music albums, singles, compilations
Website	www.lovespiralsdownwards.com

Love Spirals Downwards is an American band from California known for combining elements of ethereal wave, dream pop, drum and bass, and electronica.

History

Established in the late 1980s by multi-instrumentalist Ryan Lum, Love Spirals Downwards initially featured several vocalists, including Kristen Perry, who co-authored a demo version of "Kykeon." While Lum was engaged in philosophy studies and Perry pursued a master's degree in psychology, Suzanne Perry—Kristen’s sister and Lum’s then-partner—became the lead vocalist after hearing the early tracks. Their partnership was firmly established in January 1991 with the creation of the song "Forgo."

During the summer of 1991, they submitted a demo containing "Forgo," "Mediterranea," and "Dead Language" to record labels such as 4AD, Creation Records, and Projekt Records. The band’s name derived from a phrase used on a radio program but was modified from "Upwards" to "Downwards" to better reflect their musical style and to avoid associations with Louisiana State University.

Over an eight-year period with Projekt Records, Love Spirals Downwards released four full-length albums, a career-spanning compilation, and a CD single, collectively selling more than 40,000 copies. Their work also featured on over twenty compilation albums, including notable appearances on the German label Hyperium Records’ Heavenly Voices series.

Kristen Perry rejoined the band for two tracks on their 1998 album Flux, with her composition "Psyche" later included on the Season 5 DVD of Dawson's Creek. Jennifer Wilde provided vocals and lyrics for two songs on the 1994 album Ardor, and her vocal contributions were reused on Flux. Wilde went on to establish Liquid State in 2006 and currently performs with Sword Tongue.

Although the group never formally dissolved, Ryan Lum began releasing music under the name Lovespirals in 1999 alongside new vocalist Anji Bee. Projekt released Temporal, a retrospective CD featuring remixes from Flux, in 2000.

After Lovespirals’ debut album Windblown Kiss came out in 2002, Suzanne Perry formed Melodyguild with former members of The Von Trapps. Melodyguild performed sporadically between 2002 and 2004 with various lineups. In 2004, they contributed a cover track to Projekt’s Holiday Single 2 CD. Their original song “Panamint” was included on the Projekt 2007.1 compilation, followed by the release of the Aitu EP in June 2008 through Projekt Records. In 2021, Projekt digitally reissued Aitu under Melodyguild’s name; some platforms list it as “Suzanne Perry’s Melodyguild: Aitu” associated with Love Spirals Downwards.

Studio albums

• Idylls (1992, Projekt Records)
• Ardor (1994, Projekt Records)
• Ever (1996, Projekt Records)
• Flux (1998, Projekt Records)

Singles

• Noumenon (2024, Chillcuts)
• Not Myself (2024, Chillcuts)
• Used To Be (2024, Chillcuts)
• The Call (VIP Mix) (2025, Chillcuts)
• Will It Ever Be The Same (VIP Mix) (2025, Chillcuts)
• Boss Mode (2025, Chillcuts)
• Okay (2025, Chillcuts)
• Glittering (2025, Chillcuts)
• Nothing Even Matters Anymore (2025, Chillcuts)

Compilation albums

• Temporal (2000, Projekt Records)
• Live (2014, Chillcuts)

Compilation appearances

• From Across This Gray Land No.3 (1992, Projekt Records)
• Hy! From Hypnotic to Hypersonic (1992, Hyperium Records)
• 50 Years of Sunshine (1993, Silent Records)
• Heavenly Voices (1993, Hyperium Records)
• Beneath The Icy Floe – A Projekt Sampler (1994, Projekt Records)
• Beneath the Icy Floe Vol. 2 (1994, Projekt Records)
• Zauber of Music Volume II (1994, Hyperium / Projekt Records)
• Of These Reminders (1995, Projekt Records)
• Beneath the Icy Floe Vol. 3 (1995, Projekt Records)
• Romantic Sound Sampler Vol. 2 (1995, Zillo / ECM Records)
• I Hear Ya! Spring 1995 (1995, Caroline Records)
• Excelsis (v.1): A Dark Noel (1995, Projekt Records)
• Wave Romantics: Dark Ballads & Underground Rock Classics (1996, Facedown / Edel)
• Beneath the Icy Floe Vol. 4 (1996, Projekt Records)
• Beneath the Icy Floe Vol. 5 (1997, Projekt Records)
• Splashed With Many a Speck (1997, Dewdrops Records)
• Life Is Too Short for Boring Music Vol. 11 (1997, EFM Records)
• Indie Gestion: AP 12 (1997, Alternative Press)
• The Projekt Sampler/Beneath the Icy Floe Vol. 6 (1998, Projekt Records)
• Carpe Noctem 1 (1998, Bleeding Edge Media)
• Romantic Sounds I & Dark Progressive Sounds (1998, Zillo)
• Loraine: A KUCI 88.9FM Benefit Compilation (1998, Peach Records)
• Precipice Recordings Volume 1 (1998, Precipice Records)
• Diva X Machina 3 (2000, COP International)
• Heartbeats (2000, Mascara/In-Zoom)
• Projekt 100: The Early Years, 1985 to 1995 (2000, Projekt Records)
• Darkwave: Music of the Shadows v2 (2000, K-Tel)
• Within This Infinite Ocean... (2001, Projekt/Borders Books)
• Excelsis Box Set (2001, Projekt Records)
• A Dark Noel: The Very Best of Excelsis (2002, Projekt / Hot Topic)
• Projekt: The New Face of Goth (2003, Projekt / Hot Topic)
• Samadhi Experience – Part 1 (2005, Samadhi Musik)
• Projekt 200 (2007, Projekt Records)
• Cherry Stars Collide: Dream Pop, Shoegaze & Ethereal Rock 1986-1995 (2023, Cherry Red Records)
• All Night Long in London (DJ Mix) by Avalon Emerson (2023)
• Infinite Sonore by Princess P. (2025, Mental Groove Records)

External links

• Official website of Love Spirals Downwards
• Love Spirals Downwards' Bandcamp page
• Love Spirals Downwards featured on Projekt Records archive
• Discogs profile for Love Spirals Downwards