CLXX. Lycia | Estrella

LYCIA

Estrella

©Projekt. US, 1998.

‟The first time I heard Lycia, it was on a free sampler I received from Projekt, perhaps the premier darkwave/goth label of the 1990s, and perhaps the only label that was making a very serious attempt at following in the footsteps of esteemed British label 4AD. I don't remember what Lycia's song was, but I do remember that they sounded quite different than their labelmates, and that unlike other bands, they really didn't seem concerned about fashion or image, and the song sounded more like Aphex Twin than The Cure or This Mortal Coil. I thought their song was rather stunning and beautiful, but admittedly, I never did follow through.
Listening to the recently-reissued , the band's final album (and the first release in a Lycia reissue program), it's quite clear that Lycia was a different sort of band. The duo of Mark VanPortfleet and Tara VanFlower combined their strengths to make music that was haunting, beautiful and stunning, and in this goal, they were quite successful. Estrella found the band at a creative high, and the result was a record that lured the listener and took them into other realms of aural ecstacy. From the tribal "Tongues" to the Harold Budd-like "Clouds in the Southern Sky" and from the transcendent bliss of "Estrella" to the melancholy "The Kite," Lycia exploited the term "atmospheric" to the hilt--and the result was heavenly. Comparisons to The Cocteau Twins were and are inevitable, and while VanFlower's voice never quite reached to Liz Frasier's vocal heights--that's an impossible goal, anyway--her voice, in combination with VanPortfleet's stunning Robin Guthrie-inspired accompaniment, certainly justfied the comparison.
If you're not familiar with Lycia, Estrella is as excellent a starting point as you could find, because this record's beauty is a perfection that most bands could only dream of obtaining. Hopefully the forthcoming reissue series will illuminate this gorgeous darkwave band, and deservedly so.‟

Joseph Kyle

LXXXIII. Lycia | Ionia

LYCIA

Ionia

©Projekt. US, 1991.

‟This album is about human weakness and regrets. In the first track, a man see his will dragged down by a thing called "Ionia".
Even if Ionia is personified (Mike VanPorfleet is talking about her face and her grin) it doesn't suit the general mood of the album to think she is a woman. It rather reminds me a lot of Oscar wilde "I can resist everything except temptation", that Ionia must be a symbol of temptation. I'm really fond of Portfleet's vision of music and art, you can't find a single track of that man that isn't serious as hell. Poetic without being naive, depressed without being angry (which is extremely rare and almost makes his music unique), that album has all arguments of a masterpiece, despite of having been roughly produced (related to his equipment at that time). The second track without the vocals could have been on a silent hill soundtrack, and songs like "november, monsoon II" fit very well the mood of the music from "legacy of kain blood omen".
I strongly recommend this album for all the openminded music lovers out there, it's just a pity the work of that guy (moreover who has had to deal with diabetes all his career long) isn't more known. He is definitely to put among too many good artists who haven't really the popularity they deserve.‟

Dimitri Ostrovitch

 

XVI. Lycia | Cold

LYCIA

Cold

©Projekt. US, 1996.

‟Lycia is a cult darkwave act that has been around since 1988, providing several generations of fans with a sonic tapestry of somber reflection and hushed introspection. Consisting of Mike VanPortfleet (guitars, vocals, drum & synth programs), David Galas (bass, drum & synth programs, audio engineering) and Tara Vanflower (vocals), the trio have now released several albums with ‘Cold’ being their most fully realized and popular release. The cheery chaps at Silber Records are in the process of re-releasing the five Lycia studio albums, and ‘Cold’ is the third in the installment.

The inspiration to both the lyrics and overall sound of Cold was the band’s move from the desert landscape of Phoenix, Arizona, to the snow covered landscape of northern Ohio. The bleak, oppressive permafrost that greeted them seeped deep into their musical cerebral, leading to a sound that was more frigid, atmospheric, sparse and crystalline than on previous releases. The album commences with the 8minute epic, ‘Frozen’, a track with a droning yet captivatingly buoyant synth melody combined with razor sharp, thumping drums (straight out of the 80’s super-group pop rock manual). The band utilise these elements to engage the listener into a dark and entrancing lull which sounds like a hushed, pop-orientated My Dying Bride circa ‘Like Gods of the Sun’. VanPortfleet’s whispered and effect-heavy vocals add an emotionally fragile touch whilst the re-mastering work really shows its worth, thanks to the wide and open soundstage.

A similar formula of sharp percussion and atmospheric soundscapes continues forward into the follow-up track, ‘Bare’, although this time we are treated to the angelic vocals of Tara Vanflower. Effect-laden guitars and driven bass create a warm and inviting atmosphere, whilst the arrangement and combination of male/female vocals add the finishing touch to a rather epic and emotional piece. ‘Baltica’ continues Lycia’s vision of grandeur by creating a sweeping and ethereal soundscape to the interplay of giant oceanic currents. Swirls of guitar, synth and bass combine and synergise over a playful yet forceful landscape of percussion whilst Vanflower’s soothing angelic hums drape over the whole-thing to bring it to life. ‘Snowdrop’ is a slower-paced, otherworldly lullaby littered with swirling and disorientating guitars and synthwork which expand and blossom across your speakers. The result is a soundscape which comes across as a portal to a light-filled netherworld. On ‘December’, Lycia lull the listener into a false sense of security with a minute or so of calm and serene beauty before (unhurriedly) bursting-forward with deep and ominous melodies which are fused with pounding percussion and ghostly vocals, which them self sound like an instrumental layer.

The album contains vast, slowly drifting plains of sonic-debris which has had space-rockers and shoegazer’s expanding their minds, whilst the dark melodies and moody textures has made this a cult goth-rock album. The re-mastering work has added extra depth and dimension to the sound as the booming bass and crystal clear percussion demands the listener’s attention whilst the vocals are clear yet mixed in to the soundscape like another instrument. This release comes highly recommended to anyone who missed it first-time round. ‟

Silber Records