The legendary ethereal band Lycia returns with “Quiet Moments”, their first full length CD in over ten years. It is comforting to see the return of a band so close to my heart. Despite having been inactive so long, they seemed to pick up right where they left off, while pushing firmly into even quieter ambient territory.
“Quiet Moments” comes at an interesting time, when a lot of music has been appearing that is, very obviously, highly influenced by the sound Lycia represented so strongly in the 1990’s. Lycia utterly defined ethereal music, “Cold” being the perfect album for listening to during dark, gentle thunderstorms. Their music is both haunting and introspective, the perfect hymns for sad, longing ghosts. “Quiet Moments” continues in this vein, but moves into even more gentle territory with some tracks that are strictly ambient in nature. This album feels even more introspective than their past work, which is a formidable accomplishment. The ambient pieces are organic and natural.
“Quiet Moments” is a return to form that makes the wait worthwhile. Hopefully it represents Lycia’s return and we can expect more to come. For existing Lycia fans, “Quiet Moments” is a monumental release, one of their best. I would not be surprised to learn this came out somewhere between “A Day In The Stark Corner” and “Cold”, which represent Lycia’s high point. For new fans interested in dark, ethereal music: Lycia is the best there is, and “Quiet Moments” represents this quintessentially.
