On their latest release, "Estrella," Lycia explore celestial themes through ethereal layers of guitars, synthesizer and disconnected voices. Mike Van Portfleet's instrumentation, combined with Tara Van Flower's vocals, create dreamy swaths of sound on songs like``Dome'' and the title track. Other tunes, like "El Diablo," drown in repetitiveness. Flower's lyrics traverse typical goth subjects: moons, snakes, hopelessness. Lycia's talents lie in creating atmospheres, not writing songs.

-- Beth Winegarner

This article was originally published in the San Francisco Chronicle.