The early-'90s New York trio Codeine were one of the earliest frontrunners of the American slowcore scene that included groups like , , and . Taking audible inspiration from the third album and scene pioneers , but adding a more aggressive tone and slowing the tempos down even further, Codeine sounded almost entirely unique at the time, though their style was immediately adopted by a number of other new bands. Codeine had a relatively brief initial run, breaking up in 1994 and releasing just a smattering of singles, an EP, debut album Frigid Stars LP (1990), and its follow-up The White Birch (1994). In 2012, however, their lasting influence and legacy were enough to merit both a reunion and the release of the extensive anthology collection When I See the Sun.