Flux
Love Spirals Downwards wouldn't sound out of place in a dance club; languorous synthesizer chords and spookily sweet melodies are complemented by electronic beats at a tempo just fast enough to dance to. OnFlux, this is overtly demonstrated by tracks like "Nova," where the repeating tones that open the piece become syncopated with the main beat. The female vocals throughout the album are all appropriately ethereal, but solid enough that they never sound superfluous, especially on "City Moon" (featuring long time vocal collaborator, Suzanne Perry) and "Psyche." The closing song, "Sunset Bell," is the longest on the CD, clocking in at nearly eight minutes, but composer Ryan Lum keeps things interesting by starting simply and becoming progressively more complicated. This style of music is all too often bland, but Love Spirals Downwards opt for a more refreshing, and rewarding, approach.  --Genevieve Williams