When I first listened to this, and had gotten through the first five or six tracks, I thought "man, are there no weak songs on this whole thing? " As if having jinxed it, it turns out that about halfway through the first disc the material begins to devolve somewhat into more or less "filler" material, which is still good since it's Lycia and I find they can't go wrong no matter what they've done, but just not quite as inspired as the rest of it. This patch lasts for half a dozen tracks, at most, on the first disc. But overall, Lycia are just so consistent, it always bowls me over and is probably a major reason why I like them so much. They make music just the way they should.


Disc A is reason enough to get both of them   February 11, 2001
 5 out of 5 found this review helpful

I like Lycia's music for how strong a sense of weather and environment it creates. Heck, the next album was titled "Cold." "The Burning Circle and Then Dust" can induce an alpha state with its infinite reverb and wet guitar. The songs are slow, except for the Christian-radio viable "Pray," the most uptempo song Lycia ever did. Van Portfleet's vocals are ghostly like always, and most of Disc A is in kind of a waltzy 6/4 time. The blend of church bells, guitars and synth is beautiful. The lyrics are sung slowly enough that you can make them out after a couple of listens. A prior reviewer wrote that the songs sound the same - yeah, true. If you like Lycia, it sounds like the songs are serving a consistent theme. The leisurely pace implies the singer's melancholy; it's soothing but not boring. The drum tracks, especially on this release and on "Ionia," kept Lycia from being lumped in with the Narada new-age market. It's a bummer that Lycia did only three danceable songs among seven albums ("Ionia", "Distant Eastern Glare" and "Pray"). Disc B is alright, but not as good as the first. Most of these tracks are in Van Portfleet's earlier 4-track style. "Silence and Distance" is the standout and could've been the Disc A finale, making a REALLY powerful 1-cd album. It's interesting to hear Lycia's "second sound" develop from "A Day in The Stark Corner" through "The Burning Circle..." to the awesome "Cold". If you've got some time to relax at sunset (or sunrise), this is one of Lycia's best mood albums. Lycia stands out among goth-ambient music because instead of focusing on the darkness and evil in the basement, it invites you look up to the sky and shiver with the thought of how small we really are.


Finally, some REAL music!   January 31, 2004
 4 out of 4 found this review helpful

This is one of the best albums i've ever bought! Lycia was the band that got me introduced to the entire Projekt label (which i encourage you to check out if you like Lycia.) Some people say this album is a bit boring, but i just find it calm and soothing. It has a very ambient feeling to it, and by simply listening to this CD, you are sent into a trance-like state, and your mind opens within this new-found darkness. my personal favorite would be, The Burning Circle, PT II. That song is a spectacular song that is so beautifull that it makes me want it to last longer. The chord progression and the synths used in that song and throughout all of Lycia's music really help make it dramatic and emotional. This CD is pretty inexpensive, its beautifull, and its well worth every penny you spend on it.


goth at its best   August 2, 1999
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

Lycia is a needle in a haystack. Truly one of a kind. The sadness that the music brings into my world is undescribable. I started drinking the first time listened to it.


The dust never settles   December 30, 2001
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

This CD is one of my favorite CD from LYCIA. I've been a Lycia fan for over 6 years and this is there most expressive CD.The expressive, dramatic music of the enviormenet of the dessert, and The starkness of the atmosphere bring the dessert alive again. I can still feel the dust dancing around me when I listen to it all the time.