• Limited edition of 500

Sam wrote: “A Line That Connects is a brand new album from darkwave pioneers Lycia following 2013’s Quiet Moments, which has been the best selling release of the last two years at the Projekt webstore. I was excited to learn that Handmade Birds has a new Lycia release, I listened to an advance copy of and can report that it follows QM in the style of the classic 90’s Lycia sound, with a few harder-edged tracks, and some guest (male) vocals. Another great Lycia album, I’m glad they’re back.”

The album features the classic mid 90s Lycia lineup of Mike VanPortfleet, David Galas, and Tara Vanflower. Guest vocals from Sera Timms (Black Mare, Ides of Gemini). Mastered by James Plotkin.

PITCHFORK: “For over two decades, Arizona’s Lycia have been pioneers of “darkwave,” a reverb-drenched, gothic take on dreampop. This is the Cocteau Twins, if they looked so far inward that they began to focus on the darker, downer-ridden side. Along with lovesliescrushing, who freed shoegaze from pop conventions, they became one of the noteworthy and boundary-pushing acts on the goth music label Projekt.[A Line That Connects, their second release for Handmade Birds] is consistent with their past efforts, while remaining an intriguing headphone journey.”

POP MATTERS: “Lycia’s influence, and the respect it’s afforded, has been far more profound than any record sales figures would suggest. While VanPortfleet might have felt his band was under-appreciated, you only need look to the resurrection of deathrock, the rise of witchy and hauntological electronica, shoegazing metal, eerily psychedelic Americana, or the rejuvenation of dark ambient music to see that Lycia’s legacy inspired a raft of musicians across a broad range of musical genres.”

BRAINWASHED: “One thing that clearly has not changed is the overall bleak and dour mood to VanPortfleet’s music, which manages to be lugubrious without being plodding or overly ponderous. It is slow and depressing, but never in a way that feels like it is trying too hard or forcing a mood for the sake of attention. Which is no easy feat on an album where most of the song titles reflect winter wastelands, and the closing triptych all contain the word “dead” in their names.”

Features what is considered Lycia’s classic lineup from the mid 90s of Mike, David and Tara.
• Continuation of the previous work of this collaboration (The Burning Circle And Then Dust & Cold), including final mix by David.
• Features lead vocals by all three – including first ever Lycia lead vocals for David.
• Lycia’s most collaborative release ever.
• Mike says: “Includes guest backing vocals by Michael Irwin, who is the first person I ever collaborated with (all the way back to either late 1981 or very early 1982). The song A Ghost Ascends is a re-envisioned version of a 1983 collaboration called Ghost In The Tower, which I wrote the music and Michael wrote the lyrics and sang. I reworked the vocals/lyrics for ALTC and asked Michael to do backing vocals.”
• “The Light Room” is another old song that was reworked for ALTC. It was written sometime in the mid 80s and never was recorded until ALTC.
• Also features guest vocals from Sera Timms (Black Mare, Ides of Gemini) on the song Hiraeth.
• Mastered by James Plotkin
• Features “Silver Leaf” (previously released as a split 7” split with Black Mare on Magic Bullet Records, but recorded during ALTC sessions)

This page is for the out-of-print first edition. Follow this link to Projekt's 2019 CD / 2LP / Tshirt