Lycia - Estrella

Originally released on May 5, 1998 via Projekt Records, Estrella marked Lycia’s sixth studio album—and a poignant milestone for the duo of Mike VanPortfleet and Tara VanFlower, following the darker tone of Cold (1996). Spanning nearly an hour, the album delves deep into darkwave and ethereal wave, weaving sparse drum machines, haunting synths, and minimal guitar into vast, immersive soundscapes. This expanded double LP edition—featuring new artwork and three bonus songs from Avantgarde Music—showcases VanPortfleet’s whispered, ghost-like vocals alongside VanFlower’s ethereal yet dangerous tones. Tracks like “El Diablo,” “Silver Sliver,” and the celestial title track “Estrella” exemplify the tension between light and shadow that defines the album’s somber beauty. Critics celebrate it as the band’s emotional zenith—“an album of great somber beauty,” “breathtaking”—and a high point in their ’90s output, with its atmospheric depth and lyrical interplay breathing life into its dark ambience.