The group was founded in May 1988 by Mike Van Portfleet, in the summer of that year Will Welch joined the project. In November, Welch was replaced by John Fair. In 1989, "Wake" was recorded, defining their droning ethereal guitar sound.
John Fair left Lycia in 1990, and Will Welch returned. In the same year Lycia signed to Projekt Records and released "Ionia" in late 1991 after aborting the original first release, titled "Byzantine". They became one of the cornerstones of the Projekt label for over a decade, and one of the most influential bands in the American darkwave scene in the 1990s. They forged a relentlessly dark and driving sound with a wall of shimmery guitars and keyboards, pounding drums, overlaid by Van Portfleet's unmistakable whispered vocals.
1992 saw the release of "A Day in the Stark Corner" and Lycia began its first live appearances. In 1993 David Galas became a permanent member, and their sound evolved with a more mature and polished depth.
In 1994 Tara Vanflower, being a huge fan of the band, decided to meet Mike, and joined as backing vocalist contributing vocals on a couple of songs that were supposed to be for compilation appearances, but ended up on "The Burning Circle and Then Dust" (1995). Tara Vanflower and Mike VanPortfleet married two years later.
The band's sound became comparatively less dark, especially on their final two albums, "Tripping Back Into the Broken Days" and "Empty Space", mostly due to Vanflower's influence. This shift away from their original sound alienated some long-time fans and eventually Lycia broke up in 2003, with Van Portfleet pursuing a solo career.
Lycia reformed in August of 2006 with Mike Vanportfleet, Tara VanFlower and David Galas. "We’ve been slowly working on new material. This time, what we are doing is each of us are bringing in our own songs and then expanding from the initial ideas".
On December 2012, Lycia announced a new release, "Quiet Moments", through their Facebook page. It was released in August 2013.
Discography:
1989 - Wake
1991 - Ionia
1993 - A Day in the Stark Corner
1995 - Live
1995 - The Burning Circle and Then Dust
1997 - Cold
1998 - Estrella
2000 - The Time Has Come and Gone (originally released as under the name Estraya)
2001 - Compilation Appearances, Vol. 1
2001 - Compilation Appearances, Vol. 2
2002 - Tripping Back into the Broken Days
2004 - Empty Spaces
2010 - Fifth Sun (EP)
2013 - Quiet Moments
2015 - A Line That Connects
2018 - In Flickers
Side projects
Bleak - Vane (1994) really just Lycia recording under a different name and exploring a "harsher" sound.
Estraya - The Time Has Come and Gone (2000) accoustic side project with Van Portfleet and Vanflower
Estrella
Lycia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Peach lips rose hips
Wrapped around
You sunlight skintight
Heaven bound
Stars fly
Birds sigh winds cry
Beneath the ground
Angel grin blessed within
Lost and found
Climb into the skin cocoon
Above our limbs...the harvest moon
Into the night...we fight, consumed
With shouts of fire and hearts in bloom
You
Dizzy kiss our bodies twist
Void of sound
You
In my arms away from harm
Above the clouds
With cotton candy lips like dew
Your pretty face and eyes of blue
Inside your heart is heaven true
Forever and always am I with you
Dome
Let me sink into the sky
Dome
The lyrics of Lycia's song "Estrella" paint a surreal picture of the intense love between two individuals. The first stanza seems to describe physical attributes of the beloved - the "peach lips" and "rose hips" - and their influence on the singer, "wrapped around" and "skintight." The imagery of stars, birds, and wind suggests a vastness beyond the individuals, a nature element that they share. The line "angel grin blessed within" indicates that the beloved is not just a physical presence but a spiritual one as well. The line "climb into the skin cocoon" brings about an eerie, almost alien image, followed by the romantic flourish of the "harvest moon."
The second verse brings about a more intense passion, with the "dizzy kiss" and "bodies twist." The singer envelops their loved one and protects them from harm, "above the clouds." The image of "cotton candy lips like dew" is a playful one, but the lyrics quickly delve into something deeper, the beloved's "heart is heaven true." The final line summarizes the entire lyric, "Forever and always am I with you," indicating that the bond between the two is eternal and all-consuming. The final line in the song, "Let me sink into the sky, Dome," suggests an ultimate unification with the universe, almost like ascension.
Line by Line Meaning
You
Referring to the person being addressed.
Peach lips rose hips
Describing the physical features of the person being addressed.
Wrapped around
Being embraced by the person being addressed.
You sunlight skintight
Describing the person being addressed as being exposed to the sun and wearing tight clothing.
Heaven bound
The person being addressed is heading towards heaven or is in a state of happiness.
Stars fly
The stars are moving rapidly or shining brightly.
Birds sigh winds cry
The birds are making a sad sound while the winds are blowing hard with a melancholic tone.
Beneath the ground
Referring to the underworld or a place where things are buried.
My love
An endearing term for the person being addressed.
Angel grin blessed within
Describing the person being addressed as having a peaceful and spiritual demeanor.
Lost and found
Referring to the journey of finding oneself.
Climb into the skin cocoon
Metaphorically, to become comfortable with oneself and be reborn.
Above our limbs...the harvest moon
Referring to the moon above while being intimate with the person being addressed.
Into the night...we fight, consumed
Metaphorically, to immerse oneself in the struggle of life while being with the person being addressed.
With shouts of fire and hearts in bloom
Metaphorically, to express enthusiasm and to be in love with the person being addressed.
You
Referring again to the person being addressed.
Dizzy kiss our bodies twist
Being physically intimate with the person being addressed and experiencing intense emotions.
Void of sound
Being in a state of profound silence.
You
Referring once again to the person being addressed.
In my arms away from harm
Being protected and feeling safe while being embraced by the person being addressed.
Above the clouds
Referring to being in a state of euphoria.
With cotton candy lips like dew
Describing the physical attributes of the person being addressed as being sweet and enticing.
Your pretty face and eyes of blue
Describing the physical attributes of the person being addressed in a complimentary way.
Inside your heart is heaven true
Metaphorically, the person being addressed is a kind and spiritual soul.
Forever and always am I with you
A declaration of love and commitment to the person being addressed.
Dome
A word that signifies an enclosed space or a place of refuge.
Let me sink into the sky
Metaphorically, to feel free and embrace the universe.
Dome
Referring once again to the enclosed space or place of refuge.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind