Free & Easy by Lovespirals

From the back cover of the mid-century inspired cover art:

"Lovespirals are the very sound of life’s earthly joys and sorrows. Anji Bee’s voice shifts from little girl purity to breathy sensuality, then ascends gracefully to angelic heights, while Ryan Lum’s soulful electric guitar and groovy Rhodes piano weave tantalizing patterns of melodious harmony. Combining jazz, soul, and rock with modern electronica styles, “Free & Easy” lives up to it’s name in the genre-specific world of today’s music. In a time of rampant overproduction, Lovespirals bring organic sounds and old time song styling back into focus. No auto-tune was used in this recording, baby! Realizing the best of digital audio’s promise while preserving the heart and soul of their music is what Lovespirals do best; creating a smooth as silk hi-fidelity stereophonic sound. So sit back with a glass of wine and enjoy, as Ryan & Anji soothe your soul..."

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Lovespirals’ 2005 sophomore release, 'Free & Easy,' fuses the myriad musical interests of musician, Ryan Lum, and vocalist/lyricist, Anji Bee, into a satisfyingly smooth sound the retro album cover humorously refers to as "Superchill Electro-Acoustic Pop Songs."

Every track on 'Free & Easy' has its own unique feel; the title track and album opener, “Free and Easy”, is laid back Morcheeba-esque Downtempo flavored with old-school R&B stylings, including melodious Rhodes piano and wah guitar. “Hand in Hand” takes an earlier Jazz-Step single, slows it down to a relaxed Liquid Funk pace, then builds it up with heartbreakingly sweet vocal harmonies, a light, jazzy mix of acoustic and electric guitars, and a smattering of saxophone by special guest musician, Doron Orenstein. “Deep in my Soul,” the funkiest of the bunch, is an upbeat Deep House track featuring soulful vocals and gritty wah work, ending on a spiritual note with soaring Hammond organ chords. The album takes another unexpected turn with, “Habitual”, whose sparse arrangement and hushed tone recalls some of the late 60’s, early 70’s music that inspires the band. Album closer, “Sandcastles”, further amplifies this retro rock influence in the form of an extended guitar jam breakdown and dramatic Gospel-style closing.

Throughout this 43-minute collection of electro-acoustic Downtempo, Deep House, and jazzy-yet-rock-infused Chill Out, Lovespirals traverse many genres while maintaining a recognizably dreamy, sensual vibe courtesy of the smooth, soulful guitar and Rhodes piano of Ryan Lum, enhanced by the seductive vocals and romantic lyrics of Anji Bee.

'Free & Easy' has had many songs licensed to TV and cable including "Trouble" on E!'s Gastineau Girls, MTV's Cribs, and VH1 All Access, "Deep in My Soul" on Oprah, MTV's My Supersweet 16, VH1's My Coolest Years, and E!'s Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane, and the title track on A&E's Gene Simmons Family Jewels.

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Editor’s Pick, CNET: Music Download: “Smooth grooves conjure comparisons to Everything But the Girl. Combining jazzy torch-song vocal stylings with modern trip-hop sounds and rhythms, Lovespirals craft an infectious and exotic down-tempo sound that you might hear playing in an upscale New York club or Parisian underground lounge.”

Matt Rowe of MusicTap wrote: "Lovespirals’ evolutionary path has brought it down the road from gothic shoegazer pop to hypnotically provocative jazz that is, at once, sexy, sultry, and dreamy. Anji Bee possesses a voice of honey, and a natural element that adds colour and flame to songs, exploring realms of intensities in varying degrees. With Ryan Lum adding stylish guitar and keyboards to permeate the silky fabric of the new album, the lover of jazz in all of its incarnations will be quite entranced."

Ned Raggett of All Music Guide wrote: "Lovespirals here are much more in the creative vein of an act like the Thievery Corporation instead of the Cocteau Twins. Lum’s interest in DJing and techno can readily be heard throughout. Bee’s singing is a perfect counterpoint, a blend of classic mid-century jazz- pop flow and a bit of ’60s cool in a French or Brazilian sense — some low-key scatting here, some warm, playful crooning there."

John Evanstan of “Pop Stops” for The Star wrote: "The Southern California duo of Ryan Lum and Anji Bee bring to mind the cool, sensual jazz of Sade [with] their downbeat, sultry late-night sound. Lum plays a sedate electric guitar and gently jazzy Rhodes piano to back up Bee as she croons and seduces at the microphone. It’s a deliciously soothing combination."

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Lifelong Angelinos, Ryan and Anji Lum, have collaborated since 1999 on fiercely independent music that blends dream pop and electronica with jazz, blues, soul, or whatever else inspires them. Begun as Love Spirals Downwards on Projekt Records, the duo soon struck out on their own Chillcuts imprint releasing music, videos, and podcasts under both band names, as well as Anji Bee solo material.

lovespirals.com