Codeine Essentials

The New York band Codeine arguably invented the indie rock subgenre known as slowcore. Formed in 1989, Codeine took the quiet-to-loud dynamics of early indie rock, and then they slowed everything way, way, way down. The result was melancholy but thrilling, as songs built from near silence to feedback-drenched climaxes. After releasing one EP and two albums, Codeine split up in 1994. The band's members would go on to play in a number of well-regarded post-rock and indie rock groups, including Come, Rex, and June of 44. And Codeine would inspire bands from Mogwai to The Twilight Sad.