Alcian Blue was a shoegaze and new wave

New Wave music

New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...

 influenced band operating out of the Washington DC suburb of Takoma Park from 1998 to 2006. The band initially consisted of Sam Chintha, Jake Reid, Clark Stacy and Matt Welch. Self recording and self releasing a full length and several eps and singles, they honed their characteristic sound by relentlessly experimenting with diy recording techniques and effect boxes. They toured extensively with fellow east coast shoegaze bands such as Skywave, A Place to Bury Strangers

A Place to Bury Strangers

A Place to Bury Strangers are a New York–based noise rock band composed of Oliver Ackermann , Dion Lunadon and Jay Space . The band plays a heavy, atmospheric wall of sound-influenced blend of psychedelic rock, shoegaze and space rock...

, and The Emerald Down. In April 2004 Clark Stacy left the band to join the Air Force. The band decided to continue by using drum machines and added Jake Reid's future wife Kim Reid (née Dodd) on synthesizers and extra guitars. This sudden change in the group dynamic resulted in their self titled full length which was released in July 2006 by Elephant Stone Records

Elephant Stone Records

Elephant Stone Records is a US record label formed in 2002 by music critic and former Dionysus Records publicist Ben Szporluk and his artist wife Arabella Proffer . Named after a song by The Stone Roses, the label focuses on new groups and reissue compilations influenced by the 60s psychedelic...

. The new sound featured synthesizers and drum machines more prominently. The band toured with the new line up extensively prior to the release of the record and developed a cult regional and world wide fan base. They were known for their extremely loud wall of sound

Wall of Sound

The Wall of Sound is a music production technique for pop and rock music recordings developed by record producer Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles, California, during the early 1960s...

 live aesthetics coupled with the use of disorienting video projections. The band decided to part ways in September 2006 to pursue new projects and new sounds. They posthumously released an EP consisting of songs culled from older recordings in 2007. Jake and Kim Reid currently operate the independent label Safranin Sound and Design. They also form the core of Screen Vinyl Image. Sam Chintha is working on music under the moniker Vacuole Eyes and currently plays with The Antiques. Matt Welch is currently part of the Torsion Fields collective which includes Sam Chintha and John Wood of A Cricket in Times Square

A Cricket in Times Square

A Cricket in Times Square is a four-piece rock band formed in College Park, Maryland in 2000 at the University of Maryland's radio station WMUC-FM....

among others.

Discography

Slow Colorless Stare 2001, Safranin Sound

Tracks:

1. "Touch"
2. "Response"
3. "Channel"
4. "Opaque"
5. "Variance"
6. "A Faded Song"
7. "Empty Roads"

Blisscent 1 Compilation 2002, Blisscent Records

Tracks:

Features Channel from Slow Colorless Stare

Features some-exclusive and some-previously-released tracks from Asobi Seksu, Skywave, Au Revoir Borealis, Twigs, Malory, Collette Carter, Sunstorm, Lorna, Alcian Blue, Lovespirals, Francis 7, Air Formation, Readymade, The Emerald Down.

Angelica Single 2003, Safranin Sound

1. "Angelica Take Me Down"
2. "Channel" (early demo)
3. "Euqapo"
4. "Never Go Away"

Translucent EP 2004, Safranin Sound

1. "Angelica Take Me Down"
2. "Silvers Sleep Walk"
3. "Everyday Is Fall"
4. "Translucent"

Silvers Sleep Walk 2004, Safranin Sound

1. "Silvers Sleep Walk"
2. "Fall Behind" (live)
3. "Everyday Is Fall" (live)
4. "Joy" (Slowdive cover)

Fall Behind EP 2005, Safranin Sound

1. "Fall Behind"
2. "A Strange Day" (Cure Cover)
3. "Fall Behind" (demo)
4. "Darkest Days"

Extra Video for Fall Behind

You Just Disappear Single 2005, Safranin Sound

1. "You Just Disappear"
2. "See You Shine"

Self Titled 2006, Safranin Sound

1. "Horizons"
2. "71705"
3. "You Just Disappear"
4. "Night Sky"
5. "Frozen Sleep"
6. "Caroline"
7. "This Day This Age"
8. "Turn Away"
9. "See You Shine"
10. "Terminal Escape"

Years Too Late EP 2007, Safranin Sound

1. "A Fading Smile"
2. "Years Too Late"
3. "Fall Behind" (re-edit)
4. "Spiral"
5. "Carousel"