Posted on: August 15, 2010 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Lycia should be considered one of the most important acts in goth rock, but has not yet gotten the publicity it deserves. With the re-release of “Estrella”, these wrongs can finally be corrected. Lycia starts out “Estrella” with “Clouds in the Southern Sky”, a very ethereal, instrumental track that meshes well with the backdrop for “El Diablo”. “El Diablo” showcases the haunting vocals of Tara Vanflower even as the instrumentation on the disc simultaneously strives for organic and inorganic perfection. Tara plays the role of the flag-girl during a dragrace (in all those crappy 50s teen movies) as this dynamic tension fuels greater and more impressive constructs. This album was originally released in 1997 and the general sound present during tracks like “Silver Silver” really reflects that. “Silver Silver”, as with a number of other tracks on “Estrella”, looks towards the dominant ethereal paradigm and really make a beautiful go at it. The incorporation of an atmosphere, bleak and dark as it may be during “The Kite” really shows the psychological dominance of Lycia throughout; much like tribal rhythms played on drums, a listener’s psyche is changed throughout. Lycia’s sound might be a little dated, but what the music on “Estrella” does has not changed in the near-decade since the album was first released.

Top Tracks: Silver Silver, El Diablo

Rating: 6.8/10

Lycia – Estrella / 2005 Silber Records / 11 Tracks / http://www.lyciummusic.com / http://www.silbermedia.com / Reviewed 12 June 2005″

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