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
Sleepless
Lycia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't think of anything at all
My thoughts drift but keep coming back to you
Face to the ground, eyes closed hard
I still care
I can't sleep, I just lay here awake
Sleep comes but quickly fades away
Sleepless again, eyes closed hard
I still care, I care, I care...
In Lycia's song Sleepless, the singer is struggling to escape thoughts of a certain person. The lyrics express the difficulty in trying to push away these thoughts, as despite the singer's attempts to "drift" their thoughts elsewhere, they keep returning to the subject of the song. The repetition of the phrase "I still care" reveals that the person on the singer's mind holds significant importance, despite causing the singer pain and insomnia.
This emotional turmoil is further expressed through the physical imagery in the lyrics. The singers' face is to the ground and eyes are closed hard, indicating a physical manifestation of the inner struggle. Additionally, the repeated mention of the morning sun suggests that the singer is waiting for some form of relief, but is forced to endure their sleepless state until then.
Overall, Sleepless is a song that portrays the overwhelming nature of heartache and the battle to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't think, think about anything
My mind is blank, unable to focus on any particular thought
I can't think of anything at all
My mind is devoid of ideas, completely empty
My thoughts drift but keep coming back to you
My mind wanders aimlessly, but always returns to thoughts of you
Face to the ground, eyes closed hard
I am physically and emotionally drained, unable to face the world
I still care
Despite my exhaustion, my feelings for you remain strong
I can't sleep, I just lay here awake
No matter how hard I try, I cannot find solace in sleep
Sleep comes but quickly fades away
Even when I do finally drift off, my rest is short-lived
I'll just lay here and wait for the morning sun
I resign myself to the fact that I won't sleep, and instead wait for the new day
Sleepless again, eyes closed hard
Once again, I am plagued by sleeplessness and emotional agony
I still care, I care, I care...
My love for you persists, it cannot be ignored or denied
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind