Echoes March CD of the Month: ‘Metanoia’ by Falling You. Brush up on your Greek mythology when we journey from the ancient to the future with Falling You’s deliriously beautiful and poignant remaking of ancient, archetypal myths as searing dream pop.

Of the track that Ryan and Anji Lum contributed lyrics, vocals, instruments, and production to, Diliberto said:

The album ends with the third epic track, “Philomena,” named for the Christian martyr. It’s a tale which illustrates that Catholics could match Greek and Roman mythological legends in fantastical tales. Vocalist Anji Lum turns it into a fable of strength over adversity with Ryan Lum dropping-in ambient guitar textures and reverberant, blues-laced accents. It’s a track that ends the album as strong as it began.

The Lums also contributed mixing and production to the vocals of Dru Allen on “Alcyone,” of which he said:

“Alcyone” taps Zorko’s love of the Cocteau Twins, with an insistent drum grove and flanged guitar strums. But he reaches for a different dynamic, going free as Dru Allen’s vocals are cast in deep delay and reverb for the chorus, and scattered like raging waves in the song’s climax. She wraps her imperious voice around the story of Alcyone and Ceyx, who angered Zeus, who then killed Ceyx. Alcyone commits suicide, but the gods turn her and Ceyx into birds to live on in love. The way Zorko and his singers turn these mythological tales into thoroughly contemporary songs is a wonder.

Be sure to read the full article on Echoes, which also includes an embed of “Philomena” for readers to hear. Thank you to John Diliberto for the feature and to John Zorko for the opportunity to collaborate. 

You can pick up a copy of Metanoia by Falling You on CD now on Bandcamp, or just grab a digital download.

Echoes previously created a Falling You special feature including an interview with creator John Zorko and vocalist, Danielle Colbeck –alongside Anji in the Lovespirals studio– in support of the prior album, Shine.  “World On Fire” featuring lyrics and vocals by Anji, has been played on Echoes programs 2404A, 1742C, 1732C, 1731D, 1731A, 1725B, and 1723B. 

Following the muted exhaustion of “Gray,” Secrets feels less like catharsis than awareness — an acknowledgment of what was left unsaid, and the cost of carrying it alone.

Lovespirals continue sharing secrets with a dreamy visualizer video utilizing not only the image used on the cover art, but additional shots taken by Ryan in that same session. Anji edited the video, adding in some additional footage she shot, as well as her lyrics.

“Secrets” is available now on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music and other streaming platforms under the original band name, Love Spirals Downwards, as well as on Bandcamp under both LSD and Lovespirals.

Founded by legendary UK tastemaker Gilles Peterson, Worldwide FM is an independent global radio platform dedicated to championing underground music, culture, and emerging voices from around the world. The station continues Peterson’s long-standing commitment—carried through his work at BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 6 Music—to spotlight boundary-pushing artists and connect global music communities.

The feature came via the Worldwide FM Future Bubblers program, which was designed to discover and nurture new artists. This special takeover highlighted Bedtime Stories, described as a “sonic practice studio” exploring experimental sound, civic space, and oral heritage. The episode was curated by okcandice—an artist-curator, writer, and musician who describes themselves as a “sonic seamstress.”

Ryan and I are honored to be a part of this stellar mix. Be sure to check out the archived show on MixCloud.

You can subscribe to Chillin’ with Lovespirals on just about any podcast app like Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Deezer, and JioSaavn. Or just listen to Chillin’ with Lovespirals: 102 in the player below.

SHOW LINKS:

• Buy a digital download of Gray on Bandcamp
• Watch Lovespirals “Gray” music video on YouTube
• Follow Lovespirals on Instagram

Sonically and thematically, “Gray” connects to “Noumenon” and “Nothing Even Matters Anymore,” continuing the band’s exploration of emotional dislocation and restraint, while also drawing from the downtempo pull of “Glittering.” Together, these songs trace the duo’s embrace of chillout and dream pop aesthetics—modern yet timeless—affirming their ability to evolve while remaining unmistakably themselves.

The “Gray” music video –created by Anji utilizing archival personal footage– debuted on January 21st, following the single’s digital release on January 16th. It serves as a haunting visual companion to the track’s exploration of memory and emotional stasis. Watch it on YouTube:

Download “Gray” in your choice of digital audio format on Bandcamp or stream via Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, or your fave digital music platform.

New Age Music Reviews said of the track:

“Philomena,” also known as Saint Philomena or Philomena of Rome…wraps up this incredibly engaging and spacious musical offering with ambient synths, gorgeous piano notes, and magical vocals. Anji Lum takes her place amongst the many incredible women performers, vocalizing to the music like an angel sent from heaven. It is one minute short of another 10-minute musical journey of diverse sounds and textures to capture your imagination. Simply beautiful, like all the tracks you will hear prior to this closer.

The album’s final track, ‘Philomena’ effectively completes the triptych, pulsing along gently and dreamily before slowly tapering away to nothingness. It’s a fitting conclusion to an album which at times is so vaporous and vague, it’s barely there – which is precisely the design.

For listeners drawn to ambient, ethereal, and emotionally resonant music, Metanoia is not simply recommended; it is essential. This is an album that does not end when the final track fades, but continues to resonate quietly, like a change that has already begun to take root.

Listen to “Philomena” by Falling You featuring Anji Lum:

Read an interview with John Zorko of Falling You by The Partae focusing on the meaning and making of Metanoia.

Listen to the archived set on MixCloud.

John reached out to Anji Lum in 2023 to contribute lyrics and vocals to a track for the project. As Anji explained in Chillin’ with Lovespirals Episode 101,  she initially struggled with how to approach the material before ultimately embracing the story of Philomena. The story of a woman transformed into a caged nightingale, using birdsong to achieve personal liberation and vindication, seemed fitting for the album’s theme. Her blend of original lyrics—sung in a soothing lower register—with spoken passages drawn from Sir Samuel Garth’s 1717 English translation of Ovid– bridges the modern and the archaic.

That fusion is further expanded through Ryan Lum’s contemporary production work, which introduces an anachronistic edge via subtle formant shifts and textural manipulation. In addition to recording and producing Anji’s vocals for “Philomena,” Ryan also contributed a bluesy electric guitar lead, and added additional percussion—marking his first true hands-on collaboration with the evolving Falling You collective.

The album also features vocals from Mercury Antenna’s Dru Allen on the track “Alcyone,” with Anji and Ryan handling the mixing and production of her performance as well. In addition to Allen, the project includes contributions from several other vocalists, including Sword Tongue’s Jennifer Wilde—who previously worked with Love Spirals Downwards on Ardor (1994)— who was connected to Zorko via Anji for this project.

This new release continues Anji’s history with Falling You, following her earlier vocal and lyrical contributions to Adore (2011) and Shine (2017). Metanoia is available now on Bandcamp and across major streaming platforms.

You can subscribe to Chillin’ with Lovespirals on just about any podcast app like Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Deezer, and JioSaavn. Or just listen to Chillin’ with Lovespirals: 101 in the player below.

BTW, you can find Lovespirals’ “Happy Holidays” from 2012 for purchase in either physical or digital formats on Projekt Records’ Bandcamp account, and “Aspenglow” is on Lovespirals’ Bandcamp page.

“Drift Begins” is available now on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music and other streaming platforms under the original band name, Love Spirals Downwards, as well as on Bandcamp under both LSD and Lovespirals.

You can also watch a lyrics visualizer video on YouTube featuring photography by Ryan and editing by Anji.