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
Hope Is Here
Lycia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothing but the wind and rain (ha, ha)
But through this haze I hear her cry (ha, ha)
She's coming back to be with me ...tonight
Hope is here, she's close, she's near
Hope is here, she's close, she's near ...and she's embracing me
She's here, she's close, she's near
Quietly she stares at me (ha, ha)
She calls me over to her side (ha, ha)
Softly she caresses me (ha, ha)
I sit there like a timid child ...and smile
She will never ever leave ...never
The lyrics of Lycia's song "Hope is Here" describe the feeling of hope that comes amidst dark and difficult times. The first verse sets the scene of a cold and dreary environment, with nothing but the wind and rain. But despite this, the singer hears the cry of someone who is coming back to be with them. This person represents hope, and the repetition of "hope is here, she's close, she's near" indicates the comfort and reassurance that this brings.
The second verse describes this person more directly: "quietly she stares at me" and "softly she caresses me". This could be interpreted as a spiritual or emotional presence, rather than a physical person. The line "I sit there like a timid child and smile" suggests a sense of vulnerability and surrender to this comforting presence. The final line, "she will never ever leave...never" reinforces the idea that hope will always be there, even in the darkest of times.
Overall, the song's message is one of comfort and reassurance, that even in the coldest and most difficult times, hope is never too far away.
Line by Line Meaning
Outside it's so cold and grey (ha, ha)
The weather outside is miserable and bleak.
Nothing but the wind and rain (ha, ha)
The only sounds to be heard are that of the wind and rain.
But through this haze I hear her cry (ha, ha)
Despite the dreary weather, the singer hears a distant voice calling out.
She's coming back to be with me ...tonight
The singer knows that the person calling out will arrive soon.
Hope is here, she's close, she's near
The presence of the person they were waiting for brings hope and joy to the singer.
Hope is here, she's close, she's near ...and she's embracing me
The person has finally arrived to comfort and embrace the singer.
She's here, she's close, she's near
The person is physically present and within reach of the singer.
Quietly she stares at me (ha, ha)
The person gazes silently at the singer.
She calls me over to her side (ha, ha)
The person beckons the singer closer.
Softly she caresses me (ha, ha)
The person lovingly touches the singer.
I sit there like a timid child ...and smile
The singer feels vulnerable and small in the presence of the person who comforts them, but their joy is evident.
She will never ever leave ...never
The singer is reassured that the person will always be there for them.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind