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
Snowdrop
Lycia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the garden with Venus
In my eyes they kiss
Oh, to be involved in this
All the aching signs we miss
To live in purple scarlet bliss
And swim with jeweled golden fish
The lyrics in Lycia's "Snowdrop" seem to describe a dream-like state. The opening line, "I am seeing Christmas," initially sets the scene of the song, but the following lines indicate that the singer is not solely focused on Christmas - they are also in a garden with Venus, the Roman goddess of beauty, love, and fertility. The following line, "In my eyes they kiss," suggests that the singer is witnessing some sort of intimate moment between Christmas and Venus. The final line, "Oh, to be involved in this," expresses a longing to be a part of this magical scene.
The next few lines describe the beauty and bliss that the singer wishes to live in. "All the aching signs we miss" may refer to overlooked or unnoticed signs of beauty in everyday life. "To live in purple scarlet bliss" and "Swim with jeweled golden fish" continue the theme of enchantment and otherworldliness. The final line, "And breathe the autumn air so crisp," brings the listener back to the real world with a reminder of the beauty that already exists in the natural world.
Overall, "Snowdrop" may be interpreted as a yearning for something magical and beautiful, whether that be a holiday dreamland or a paradise garden with a goddess.
Line by Line Meaning
I am seeing Christmas
I am feeling the joy and warmth of Christmas time
In the garden with Venus
I am surrounded by beauty and love like the Roman goddess of love, Venus, in a peaceful garden
In my eyes they kiss
The beauty and love around me is overwhelming, my eyes reflect the affection
Oh, to be involved in this
I wish to be fully immersed in this magical experience
All the aching signs we miss
We often overlook the small and subtle signs of beauty and joy that are around us
To live in purple scarlet bliss
To live in a state of perfect happiness and contentment, surrounded by vivid and vibrant colors
And swim with jeweled golden fish
To experience the beauty of nature in its purest form, surrounded by shining golden fish
And breathe the autumn air so crisp
To feel the refreshing and rejuvenating chill of the autumn air, filling my lungs with life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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