Alsace Lorraine

Alsace Lorraine is an American indie pop and dream pop project primarily led by Paul and Hewson, who also have ties to the band Vitesse. The group's sound is characterized by its delicate, 'twee-adjacent' melodicism combined with the atmospheric textures of 4AD-style dream pop.

Their early work, such as Through Small Windows (2001), established a template of fragile vocals and clean, jangling guitars. Following a hiatus necessitated by Paul's recovery from a coma, the project evolved significantly with the addition of Isol (of the Argentine group Entre Rios), whose vocal contributions brought a more sophisticated, electronic-leaning pop sensibility to the 2007 release Dark One. Critically, they are often grouped with the 'Darla Records' sound, bridging the gap between the 90s shoegaze hangover and the mid-2000s indie pop revival. Their influence web connects to the minimalist pop of Northern Picture Library and the atmospheric indie of Hydroplane. The project is highly regarded in collector circles for its ability to maintain emotional intimacy despite its often icy, electronic-tinged production.