Love Spirals Downwards’ groundbreaking fourth studio album, ‘Flux,’ has been reimagined and expanded in a deluxe edition, meticulously compiled by bandleader Ryan Lum. Originally released in 1998, ‘Flux’ surprised fans and critics alike with its unexpected exploration of drum ‘n’ bass and downtempo electronica genres. Over the past 25 years, the album has stood the test of time, remaining the band’s most popular release on Spotify and Apple Music. The ethereal opening track, “City Moon,” featuring vocalist Suzanne Perry continues to hold the top spot, with all nine original tracks gracing the band’s Top 20 on both streaming platforms.

The inspiration for ‘Flux’ struck Lum after he encountered the ‘Logical Progression’ compilation on Good Looking Records. In an interview with Fix in 1998, Lum explained, “A few months after our third album, ‘Ever,’ I started hearing LTJ Bukem [and labelmates] PFM, Seba and Lo-Tek. It blew my mind in the sense that it was beautiful and ethereal and pretty as anything I’ve ever listened to — like the Cocteau Twins, and yet it was definitely electronic music. It’s the perfect fusion of beauty and bliss and electronica. That was an inspiration.” Lum further expanded on the subject in a 1999 interview with Outburn, stating, “I finally found a style that would work well with the music that we do… something where we could be spacey, ethereal, and beautiful as we have on our previous records.”

The production of ‘Flux’ marked a significant shift in Lum’s creative process. In a 1998 Keyboard interview Lum revealed his passion for acquiring new gear, emphasizing its impact on the album-making process. Notably, ‘Flux’ became the first Love Spirals Downwards album created on a computer, departing from the 8-track analog machine of prior albums. Lum detailed his extensive setup, which included Steinberg ReCycle, a Roland TR-606 for beats, a Roland Juno-106 for bass lines and string pads, a Korg Prophecy for arpeggiated leads and washes, as well as a Sony MDMX-4 to sync vocals to his MIDI sequences. Lum also emphasized the role of the Lexicon PCM 70 reverb, stating, “It’s a very thick, gorgeous reverb. The album wouldn’t have been as lush without that thing.”

Reflecting on the album with Outburn, Lum shared, “‘Flux’ is the first [album] where it’s like, ‘I finally did it right.’ So I’m really happy with ‘Flux’… I’m sure it will always be my favorite [Love Spirals Downwards] record.”