All posts by anjibee

artist of the week, review

Review of Hungry Lucy on Mp3.com

Originally posted to RadioSpy, a subsidiary of GameSpy.com

Part of the goth-electronica movement, Hungry Lucy blends the milder elements of darkwave and trip-hop to create a pleasing pop sound with spooky undertones. In the vein of Switchblade Symphony and Claire Voyant, the band’s songs are carried by strong female vocals atop a bed of melancholic electronics and slow-to-mid-paced shuffle beats.

Hungry Lucy vocalist, Christa Belle, has a sultry but somewhat restrained style that really shines when well-produced (as in the smoky number “Journey”) but falters a bit when left more exposed (as with the Darkroom collaboration “Unhuman”). Her voice has a distinctly youthful quality, and the numerous glamour shots provided at the band’s site reinforce this impression. Could baby-faced sex pot Christa be goth’s answer to Christina Aguilera?

Hungry Lucy is currently offering a sampler CD via MP3.com’s Digital Automatic Music, or DAM, system. The songs are from a full-length album underway, to be titled Apparitions. Two of the EP’s four tracks are available as free downloads: “Bound in Blood,” an evil-tinged Industrial slow rocker, and “Journey,” a dreamy piano-driven number with heavenly vocals. The remaining tracks — “Watcher,” a more minimal but surprisingly catchy song, and “Cover Me,” a Peter Gabriel-esque track with a different vocal feel than the others — are offered as streaming files.

Also on the MP3.com site are two songs not featured on the DAM CD. Of the two, “Unhuman” is the least goth, offering up a jarringly funky side instead. The other, “Alfred,” is a sweet little duet between Christa and bandmate War-N Harrison (also a member of the electro-industrial outfit Fishtank No. 9), about an otherworldly love-interest. If any of these tracks make you hungry for more, the band’s independent Web site provides links to pages on MP3.com competitors Riffage and Vitaminic, where visitors can gain access to two additional free downloadable tracks, “Watcher,” which is only offered as a streaming file through MP3.com, and “Stretch,” which further diversifies Lucy’s electronic sound by adding folky acoustic guitar strumming and record scratching.

While not overly energetic, Hungry Lucy still makes music that’s much perkier, instrumentally, than your traditional gothic fare, though the band’s songs lyrics do deal primarily with death, ghosts, blood and the shadier side of life. Were it not for such lyrical subject matter, the “goth” label might not even come to mind; the music itself isn’t as suggestively dark as all that, nor are Christa’s rather innocent-sounding vocals. There seems to be a trend in darkwave circles toward a certain kind of female voice, one which hearkens back to the more ethereal styles defined by singers such as Suzanne Perry (Love Spirals Downwards), Lynn Canfield (The Moon Seven Times) and Juliana Townes (Area). With Christa singing lead, Hungry Lucy is at the forefront of this revival.

The band seems to be updating its site often while working on its debut CD, so it’s entirely likely that new songs may be available for download soon. Hungry Lucy should find wide appeal within the goth, electronica and alternative pop scenes thanks to the genre-agnostic format of the online music marketplace. Heck, with a face like Christa’s, the band could even open up a new area in the teen sensation market if it finds the right management. After all, if darksters Marilyn Manson and Trent Reznor can be accepted as sex symbols, what’s to prevent a cute little goth girl from rising to similar stature?

Anji Bee | June 6, 2000

Anji Bee is a freelance writer and musician living in Los Angeles.

lyrics

“Placebo” Lyrics

1 Comment

“Placebo (Diode Remix)” Aslans’ VS Anji Bee Mp3.com Coffeehouse Cuts (2000)

Beneath the gorgeous void of you
All of you crushing me from above
Sleep for an eternity
Dream but a moment
Incubate an ache always
Always

You’re my placebo
You’re my placebo
Placebo

Beneath the gorgeous void of you
All of you crushing me from above
Sleep for an eternity
Dream but a moment
Incubate an ache always
Always. Always.

You’re my placebo
You’re my placebo
Placebo

Desire, a soft ghost
A symphony in skin
Delirious with elaborate time
Delirious with elaborate time

Placebo
Placebo
Placebo

You’re my placebo
Placebo

— by Anji Bee (BMI)

Note: I’m posting the remixed version of these lyrics because this is the one you are most likely to find if you search online. The remix is really not very different from the original, anyway. One more note, these lyrics were first created as a refrigerator poem and the spoken word part (“Desire, a soft ghost”) was taken from a poem by Brianna Cross.

artist of the week, review

Review of Aslan’s “Son” DAM CD (mp3.com)

“Aslan’s sun is rising, thanks to Internet support from the drum n bass community” 

Many people fear that free music on the web isn’t worth much more than that. Often times I agree, but every now and again I’m proven wrong by someone truly exceptional making their way via the medium of the internet. Aslan’s is one such artist. 

I first came into contact with Aslan’s through posts to a news group run by Chicago-based forwardbound.com, a site dedicated to the bands and labels of atmospheric drum n bass. Taran, of Aslan’s, regularly posts links to his newest tracks, usually hosted by ironcladmindfloss.com (a site that he and friends have created as an artistic outlet for musicians, poets and fine artist alike.) He began putting his songs on the more infamous mp3.com just a few months ago, as a more reliable way to make his music available, and has been rather pleased with the results. 

Already, the mp3.com site has logged over 250 downloads/streamed plays of mp3’d tracks from his upcoming album (available on their own DAM system by the time of print), something Taran feels he has Forward Bound to thank for. Fellow producers and DJs from the Forward Bound list have been very supportive of his work, lending criticism and critical contact information to the project. Several companies and individuals have expressed interest in releasing vinyl or pressing dub plates of Aslan’s songs, which is something Taran is quite excited about. 

Having just begun his dnb production career a scant 2 years ago, he couldn’t be more happy to have caught the attention of a sometimes fickle audience. But, more than “the list,” Taran has nothing but good, solid music to point to for his success. I would classify his music as straddling the line between Warp, which caters to the avant garde Intelligent Dance Music set, and the primarily atmospheric Drum n Bass focused Good Looking Records’ sounds — including some of the best aspects of each. With intelligent drum programming and atmospheric toppings, Aslan’s is a treat for both the mind and soul. 

“Falling Vast,” one of the most recent songs added, was the first to capture my imagination. With it’s catchy bassline and samba-esque percussion, I soon found myself grooving to the beat and nodding my head in time. Quickly stealing my attention, however, was “Placebo,” with it’s moody keys loop and punchy rhythm. 

More moody, even, is “Eldila,” which reminds me somewhat of electronic innovator, Plaid. A lovely, wispy melody (a harp, perhaps?) is juxtaposed over a mechanical brushed-sounding drum beat, a flute melody, occasional samples of waves, bird calls, and — of all things — old time western pistol fire, plus a strange sub-basey clicking sound that’s the oddest touch of all. This song is truly magical in it’s ability to whisk one away to a dream like state, where all such disperse elements spin a cohesive story. 

“Eustace,” which apparently brought Aslan’s to the attention of the powers-that-be at mp3.com who choose the featured artists, is a slightly heavier number, with a nice ambient breakdown halfway through and foot-tapping percussion throughout. The last of the free tracks offered is “Mother Monarch,” one of the slower songs, with an odd groove and quirky sounds, one of which sounds suspiciously like a dog bark. 

The final 3 tracks of the album are also definitely worth collecting, if you’ve enjoyed the other 5 tracks Aslan’s has generously offered on mp3.com. (but you may want to check out the ironcladmindfloss site for additional tracks, if you know what i mean…) “Pan2” is a funky downbeat song with oodles of ambience that you won’t want to miss. “The Yard” has the trippiest beats and silliest melodies of the bunch, placing Aslan’s more firmly on the side of IDM than dnb. “Dragon Spirits,” may be the weakest song, but still plenty enjoyable as well. 

“Son” is a strong first effort for this young talent from Indiana, and I believe it will make a nice launching pad for Aslan’s future in dnb and IDM. Be sure to check out these tracks while they are still available to you through the graces of artist-based technology on the internet. 

[Originally posted to RadioSpy, a subsidiary site of GameSpy.com]

artist of the week, review

Review of Shape Shifter UK on Riffage

Shape Shifter UK on riffage.com

I was recently turned on to riffage.com, the latest downloadable mp3 site on the web, through a bandmate. Fearing “riffage” was an allusion to 80’s Heavy Metal, I was a bit hesitant to check it out. My doubts were soon to put to rest, however, as I saw that Riffage had a contemporary look and feel, with colorful techno-styled graphics (think orange and purple), lots of embedded Flash files, front page feature stories, and constantly updating content. 

There were a plethora of navigational choices from the entryway, making my first contact with the site almost daunting, but I decided to begin with what seemed the obvious choice; “Get Music Now!” This was where I ran into the Featured Artist Section, which highlighted Shape Shifter UK as the Electronic/Techno artist for the period. As he also had 4 tracks included on their Electronic Top 40, he seemed a promising artist.

I quickly downloaded the 7 free mp3s listed, with little or no trouble. However, I kept receiving error messages when I attempted to purchase any of the other 4 tracks. Thinking that the mp3s might also appear on the band’s official home page, I checked out the Band Info Section and clicked on a link which turned out to be an mp3.com page. There I located a free download of one of the purchasable Riffage tracks, plus 3 other free tracks which weren’t listed at Riffage. Now armed with 10 free mp3s, I had a healthy 58 minute playlist –including 6 of the 10 tracks which appear on the Shape Shifter UK cd entitled “Fears and Emotions” (currently available only as a DAM cd on mp3.com).

In Paul Sumner-Williams own words, Shape Shifter UK “cover{s} the spectrum of the underground dance scene {with} a blend of Techno, House, Breaks, Drum n Bass and Ambient.” I would have to agree with this statement, but further clarify that the type of House music Sumner-Williams writes is generally of the Trance variety, unfortunately my least favorite type. Shape Shifter’s songs are never overly long, clocking in at roughly 6 minutes on average, and the compositions seem more listening oriented, than club focused. Still, I could easily imagine hearing some of the more banging Techno tunes — “Fires of Hell” and “Wobbly Ground,” in particular — or even the Progressive track, “Illusion,” at a rave.

I found his Breaks and Jungle-influenced songs to be pretty enjoyable on the whole, having a fairly ambient bend and laid-back tempo to them. There are traces of Techno stylings which makes me hesitate to call them Drum n Bass, as he does. I’d almost call them Intelligent Jungle, because of the bleepy sounds he favors, but the programming isn’t as intense as say, Photek. A few tracks are almost neatly split between a Progressive and Breaks/Jungle feel, particularly “The Snake Charmer” and “Believe in Me.” This discussion points to Sumner-Williams’ statement that he’s “trying to break the mold of commercial dance music” by blending the various genres together, and in so far as that goes, he is quite successful.

My favorite tracks would have to be “Introduction to the Future,” which is an appropriately spacey number with nice pads, a catchy bleepy synth lead and deep piano line, and “Distant Voices,” which features an eastern-inspired female vocal loop and a sample of thunder claps over a slow sweeping analog lead and thumpy bassline. “Making Sense of it All” is also a catchy tune, with spastic breaks and a rolling bassline. “The Haunting” has some nice percussive elements as well, but I wasn’t as excited about the synth lines or sounds.

I should also mention that I was impressed by the sound quality of the mp3 files themselves, being very clean and of a good volume level. 

Over all, I’m happy to have discovered both Shape Shifter and Riffage, and look forward to monitoring the progress of both as this new age of technology advances and brings us in closer contact with artists via the web.

 

[Originally posted by RadioSpy, a subsidiary of GameSpy.com]

artist of the week

Review of Temporal by Love Spirals Downwards

I penned this review of the latest LSD release on Projekt Records for my KUCI website, but wanted to share it here, too. Especially since I designed the album art!

LSD begin the new millenium with the release of Temporal, a collection of songs spanning the 7 year history of the band. From their hauntingly beautiful acoustic beginnings to their present drum’n’bass & electronica sound, this compilation covers the entirety of Love Spirals’ career with 13 tracks culled from their master tapes. Arranged in groups of three songs from the four major periods of recording, Temporal begins at the end, with a set of remixes from the last studio album, Flux, done by Ryan last summer. 

“Alicia” is a flamenco spiced bossa nova drum’n’bass tune with lovely acoustic guitar licks provided by Rodney Rodriguez of The Von Trapps. With the remix, the vocals are downplayed, and the rhythm made stronger. Lots of ethereal pads have been added, to subsitute for the old analogy keyboards of the original. “Misunderstood” has been almost entirely revamped with exciting breakbeats and lots of fabulous moody saxophone played by Doron Orenstein of Toof. This remix is my favorite track of the album for sure.

Also included on the album are several songs from various compilations or eps, such as the heartbreaking instrumental, “Amarillo.” Ryan is a master at extracting the maximum amount of emotion with a minimal guitar melody, and this composition of acoustic, electric and ebowed guitar is a masterpiece. No vocals are needed to get his melancholic message across to the listener. “Asleep” is a near-instrumental from the period between Ever and Flux which appeared on a small-run compilation by Precipice Recordings. This early attempt at d’n’b production definitely shows the influence of Good Looking Records artists on the band’s music. For vocals, Ryan ran a sample of Suzanne backwards, lending a very strange effect to a simple, fairly upbeat track. Of course, there’s always an undertone of sadness in all LSD songs, and “Asleep” is no exception.

There’s also a live track from one of the rare performances given by the band. Simply acoustic guitar and vocals (plus plenty of reverb), this song gives you a fair idea of the magic of those early days for LSD. Taken from a group of recorded performances recently uncovered by Ryan, this is just a taste of the rumored “live album” he plans to release at some point in the future.

To fill out the ensemble, there’s a nice array of tunes culled from each release, presumably Ryan’s favorites, since he put the release together himself. All in all, Temporal is 66 bliss-filled minutes lovingly selected as a body of work as unique as the journey of Love Spirals Downwards music from then to now has been.

For those who have never heard Love Spirals Downwards before and want some band comparisons, let me offer the following: Everything But the Girl, Perfume Tree, Massive Attack, Halou, Siddal, Cocteau Twins and Slowdive.

all-purpose nuclear bedtime story, interview

Miranda July Interview with Anji Bee on KUCI

The All-Purpose Nuclear Bedtime Story Phone-In

Some people will get it and others won’t, but either way, everyone should take notice of the fascinating character called Miranda July. One is never quite sure when she is inventing a personality or pulling it up from personal experiences, and where the line is drawn or blurred between artist and art, with her. Artist is the correct term to use for Miranda, as she certainly isn’t a rock star — even though both full-length release CDs and a 7 inch single of hers have been released by Kill Rock Stars. Miranda has recently been a featured guest vocalist for two K Record bands as well; Dub Narcotic Sound System ( for a duet on the title track, no less) and ICU (soon to be released, I’m told.) Besides her blossoming recording career, she heads a small company called Big Miss Moviola, which has been producing and distributing underground movies made by women for a number of years. In addition, she develops complex audio-visual performances utilizing slide projections, lights, props, music and electronics to bring her dramatic scenarios to life for audiences across America. Miranda was also involved briefly with a K-related group called The Cha-Cha Cabaret, a “punk ladies variety show” of radical femmes bringing old-time glamour to the punk forum. All this activity has brought Miranda to the attention of various groups of people, as diverse in nature as she is herself. And now, let us allow Miranda to get out of the car and walk and walk and walk…

Continue reading Miranda July Interview with Anji Bee on KUCI →
all-purpose nuclear bedtime story, interview

Love Spirals Downwards Interview on KUCI 88.9 FM

The All-Purpose Nuclear Bedtime Story In-Studio

Love Spirals Downwards are known as the darlings of Projekt Records. And with just cause; they are the best selling band, with the hottest moving new release of Projekt for 1998, “Flux.” This latest of 4 popular full-length albums marks a turning point in the band’s ever-fluxing sound. Whereas the last album, “Ever,” showcased several electronic-based songs in the mix, “Flux” concentrates almost completely on the electronica side of band mastermind, Ryan Lum’s musical influences. There has been some slight controversy over LSD’s “sound change” and band member relationships, but all of that seems ludicrous to the mellow, well-adjusted Lum. He’s always created the music for Love Spirals Downwards using whatever inspiration happened to hit him, be it a fine dining experience, an exotic vacation, a shamanic vision, or just simply a new piece of gear to fiddle around with. Although a philosopher at heart, searching for his own personal truth in life, Ryan isn’t a terribly serious artist with an attitude or an agenda. He just likes to make music for the fun of it.


Anji: So this time around, we’re going to talk about the band, your new album, musical influences, and then just generally shoot the bull. 
Justin: And we’re not going to mention fire tonight. 
Ryan: Yeah. We won’t mention fire or stripping. 
Anji: Or Goth clubs? 
Ryan: Oh, anything, as long as there’s no fire or stripping. (Laughs) Last time, that’s all we talked about. 
Anji: Yeah, that Coven 13 show seemed to make a really big impression on you. 
Ryan: The one with the fire and the stripping? Or our show there? 

Continue reading Love Spirals Downwards Interview on KUCI 88.9 FM →
all-purpose nuclear bedtime story, radio

Jarboe Interview by Anji and Justin on KUCI 88.9 FM

 Most people who have heard of Jarboe know her as the hypnotically captivating side kick to Michael Gira, of the Swans and World of Skin. Indeed, for many years she seemed content to act as such. Now she is finally truly on her own, musically and spiritually. With the release of her fifth solo album, Anhedoniac, Jarboe is making a statement about the finality of her severance with both Swans, and Gira himself. With her upcoming sixth album, she intends to make a statement about her own self-empowerment and self-healing. To this end, she is also launching her own web site, apart from the Swans web site, where she can better imprint her own personal style and tastes. Jarboe is staying busy, constantly making new contacts in the music and art world, and filling up what would seem to be a hectic schedule planner of exciting events for the next year. Jarboe has come into her own. She has the power and she’s learning how to use it. Following is a transcription of an enlightening interview that my co-host, DJ Justin Jay, and I conducted with her live on the air via telephone, for our radio show the “all-purpose nuclear bedtime story,” on KUCI 88.9 fm, in Irvine, California.

Justin: How long ago did Anhedoniac actually come out?

Jarboe: Well it was supposed to come out on the 23rd of May, but it just came out in August because I had a lot of trouble getting it printed — getting the CD booklet printed, because there are some rather graphic photographs. I went to several different printers after they started the work. It wasn’t the people that I talked with at the company that had a problem with it, it was the people that were actually going to be working with it; binding it or actually working with the images. The first couple of people were Christians, quote unquote, and they took offense and so just pressured the printing company to have us take the job elsewhere. And then the last problem I had; the woman was a feminist, and she thought the images were degrading to women because I am shown in a state of being scarred and mutilated. She thought I was advocating battered women — which is ridiculous because I am one tough cookie and not prone to that kind of thing (chuckles). So it finally came out in August, much to my relief! I had to e-mail all these people that had pre-ordered it and explain the updates. It was a pretty interesting experience. Only recently with this beating that happened, of the man that was gay; that’s kind of an example of the kind of thing rearing its head. I live in a vacuum. I forget that there are reactionary people out there that are rather dangerous, and that they want things to be their way or they become very threatened. So, the artwork with this project, and the lyrics too; they found offense to printing those.

Continue reading Jarboe Interview by Anji and Justin on KUCI 88.9 FM →
artist of the week

Review of ‘Flux’ by Love Spirals Downwards

I wrote this review for the program guide for KUCI 88.9 fm

With Flux, Ryan Lum has fully committed himself to the electronic groove based sound first hinted at on his last album, Ever. This newest album should finally blast away the misconception that Love Spirals Downwards is a “goth band.” If you ask Ryan, he’ll firmly insist that they never were gothic to begin with, as he himself is certainly not goth, and neither is his long time vocalist, Suzanne Perry. While he admits having been to Helter Skelter a time or two, Ryan has been deeply involved with the underground rave scene since 1989.

Flux gives full play to Ryan’s increasing attraction to the melodic side of drum and bass music, with seven of nine tracks using that unique polyrhythmic technique for the basis of the songs. Over this electronic bed of beats, samples and synth, he lays his signature guitar melodies and lush washes, using both electric and acoustic guitars. Unlike most drum and bass projects, vocals are used extensively on Flux, creating more of a listening album feel that a dance club vibe. Ryan utilizes more sampling of vocals now than on past albums, which were more rock based.

Also of note is the fact that Ryan used several vocalists for Flux. Not only did he work with Suzanne, but also her sister, Kristen, for two songs, as well as using a sample of Jennifer Ryan Fuller taken from Ardor, for one track. All the vocals are very dreamy, light, ultimately feminine and classically Projekt in sound. I believe it’s the vocal sound Ryan prefers which still keeps him in favor with the gothic/Projekt/4AD contingency that follows LSD, perhaps even more so than his beautifully poignant guitar playing. This combination brings to mind Cocteau Twins, particularly the Otherness EP. More closely related in sound would be Massive Attack, with Elizabeth Frazier (of Cocteau Twins) providing vocals, on the new album Mezzanine. Both acts produce a similar blend of pop rock and electronic dance music in a listening album format.

Through college radio air play and Projekt’s increasing promotional devices (such as listening booths in major chain stores) word is leaking out to the general public. LSD possesses a potentially wide appeal that has remained mostly untapped until this point. Their blend of ethereal pop and danceable grooves is truly the most contemporary thing going on at Projekt records and something that I think many people are ready for.

For myself, I find Flux to be a perfect balance of sing-along songs and zone-out background whether I’m on the computer, doing housework, hanging with friends or driving around. The tempo is steady, the melodies heartbreaking, the vocals soothing, and it all flows together in the seamless, trance inducing, spirit-lifting vein of LSD’s past albums. Ryan has a way of creating happy-sad music that simultaneously makes me feel exalted and contemplative. Fans often speak of the spirituality of LSD’s music, and Ryan agrees that his music is largely a spiritual expression. With Flux, the songs speak both to your spirit and your mind, your heart and your body.

all-purpose nuclear bedtime story, interview

Faith and Disease Interview By Anji and Justin On KUCI 88.9 FM

The All-Purpose Nuclear Bedtime Story Call-In

Faith & Disease are an ethereal band that hail from the city best known for breeding the “grunge” scene… Seattle, Washington.  While having very little, if anything, in common with that brand of rock, neither do they really fit in with the Gothic scene. With their fourth full-length album, “Insularia,” the band have solidified and perfected their beautifully melodious style of ethereal pop rock. Fans of “slow core” (i.e.. the band Low) should take note, as well as fans of 4AD and Projekt Records.  Gorgeous female vocals, lush electric and acoustic guitar, moody keyboard, exotic percussion and the occasional flute or violin are what comprise the instrumentation for songs written by Eric Cooley and Dara Rosenwater, assisted by Steven Knouse and Joshua Furman — along with a host of special guest musicians, including Chris and Carla of the Walkabouts. Though Faith & Disease have been an active force in their hometown, and within the American Goth scene for some time, they are just now broadening their fan base through college radio airplay. The band tour regularly, which may be considered a rarity among dark-tinged acts. Justin and I were lucky enough to catch them live at a show in Portland, Oregon, and were quite impressed by their performance. This interview, however, was conducted live over the air, via telephone.

Justin: Wow! Your voices sound remarkably like they do on that station ID we recorded with you.
Eric: Well, we’re the same people that did that!
Justin: You’re kidding!?
Eric: My voice hasn’t matured that much in three months.
Justin: You’re not in a men’s room right now, are you? (Referring to the station ID recorded in the Men’s Room of Satyricon in Portland, Oregon.)
Dara: No. No, we’re actually at headquarters, at Ivy Records.
Eric: We’re at the Ivy Compound, in Seattle.
Justin: The Ivy Tower?
Eric: Actually, it’s pretty close to that; we’re on the Tenth Floor of the Ivy Office, and there’s only 10 floors here, so it’s a little tower.
Anji: Wow, you’re in the Penthouse Suite.
Dara: From here you can see the — which harbor is it? I don’t know, but it’s an amazing view!
Eric: Yeah, it’s a big body of water.
Anji: Ooh, ahh — waterfront property.
Eric: And we can see David Gobel, who funds Ivy Records, in the other room — and it is kind of a penthouse, because he has a robe on and a couple of women in bikinis next to him.
Anji: In-door Jacuzzi?
Dara: He’s in the room with the gold door. Ha ha ha.
Eric: No, actually he has a white Microsoft tee-shirt and sweat pants on.
Anji: We’re both wearing green T-shirts.
Eric: I’m actually wearing a green shirt, too.
Dara: I’m not. I’m wearing black (distraught).
Anji: Oh, you’re not in the club! The Spring Equinox Club.
Eric: I feel so… assimilated.

Continue reading Faith and Disease Interview By Anji and Justin On KUCI 88.9 FM →