Love Spirals Downwards, Live in Mexico City, February 1996

Love Spirals Downwards was the dream pop duo of singer Suzanne Perry and multi-instrumentalist/producer Ryan Lum, who released a series of acclaimed albums on the Projekt label throughout the ’90s. Evoking the classic 4AD sound (e.g., Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance) as well as shoegazers like Slowdive, Love Spirals Downwards is one of Projekt’s most successful artists.

The band was primarily a studio project, but they did play the occasional concert. In February 1996, Love Spirals Downwards performed at Mexico City’s Museo Universitario del Chopo, and a too-short clip from that concert is available on their YouTube channel.

The clip’s highlight is a performance of “Love’s Labours Lost” from 1992’s Idylls, and in particular, Perry’s voice, which is lovely even sans any studio gloss. Listening to her now, nearly 30 years later, makes one wish she was more active. (Her most recent musical appearance was on Falling You’s Shine back in 2017.) As this short clip shows, her ethereal voice is something special, and I, for one, would love to hear more of it.