Exclusive video premiere of A Shoreline Dream ‘Written In Dust’ featuring Mark Gardener.

A Shoreline Dream is a band that wears its history like a badge, each stage of growth another chapter in a rock ‘n’ roll epic that straddles the line between goth melancholy and shoegaze ecstasy. ‘Whitelined’ isn’t just an album; it’s the culmination of years spent dodging major label temptations, a sonic manifesto that rips the shackles off creative compromise and smashes them against the vinyl grooves. Collaborating with legends like Ulrich Schnauss and Mark Gardener is like bringing your heroes into your own personal cathedral of sound, where every reverb-soaked note is a prayer for the lost and the wandering. This isn’t some pre-packaged product for mass consumption; it’s the visceral cry of an artist who’s trekked through the peaks of Colorado and the canals of Amsterdam, translating landscapes into soundscapes with every track. Forget the shiny industry machines—A Shoreline Dream found their home in the shadows, where the true beauty of their sound was allowed to evolve without the sterilizing light of mainstream interference. The new album is vinyl-pressed salvation, a cathartic release that pushes past the walls of genre to claim its own territory, a place where the echoes of goth and the thrum of trip-hop finally find peace.

“‘Whitelined’ is truly the dream album I have been looking forward to making”

How did you and Mark Gardener start collaborating on ‘Everything Turns’ and the other two tracks that you collaborated on for this forthcoming album? What was it like working together, and did you discover any surprises during the creative process?

Ryan Policky: Back in 2023, on my birthday, RIDE happened to be performing in Denver. Since our publicist had worked with Mark previously on a campaign, and I had made contact with him many years earlier, I inquired about hanging out with him after the show (which was an amazing set, by the way). After some chatting, we decided to give a collaboration a whirl. Initially, the plan was to do a mix or something, but I figured I might as well ask if we could actually co-write and perform on the track(s). Mark was all in, and we started writing about a month later. Since we live in two completely different locations in the world, the process worked pretty much like it did when I co-produced with Ulrich Schnauss back in the day. I gave Mark a bunch of tracks in progress to see if any sparked some creative mojo, and we settled on 3 of the 9 tracks I sent his way. The process was beautiful, to be honest. There were no “rounds” or going back and forth on style, lyrics, or vibe. He added his magic, sent the stems back, and I mixed the finals together. It was about as collaborative and organic as it could get. Mark is a true gem and one of the nicest guys I’ve ever worked with. Not only did we come up with some truly unique sounds, but we did it about as seamlessly as it could happen. The songs truly speak for themselves and have become some of my favorite moments in music to date.

A Shoreline Dream and Mark Gardener | Photo by Ryan Policky & Steve Gullick

As you’ve progressed through your musical career, how do you feel your sound has evolved? Are there any consistent themes or influences that have shaped your music over the years?

Music, to me, is always about the current vibe and emotion. I’ve never really looked at it as a style or genre, so to speak, but more as an energy and a tempo. What’s always been great about A Shoreline Dream is that even though it has evolved through so many iterations of sound, it’s had that consistent energy each and every time. Whether it be the years of organic instrumentation or the nearly all-electronic production, it’s always felt like A Shoreline Dream. I’m super proud of the work and the way it’s evolved through the many years of creation.

The lyrics of ‘Everything Turns’ touch on the influence of technology in our lives. Could you share more about the themes explored in this song and throughout the album?

Those lyrics are all Mark on that track, but the consistent theme throughout the album as a whole revolves around the idea of illusions—what technology has tried to meld us into and how we have handled it. People have gone in many directions, and many have been led down this white lie and gaslight frenzy. The album is an escape from that, trying to break free and become human again.

The music video for ‘Everything Turns’ is visually stunning. What was the inspiration behind its creation, and how does it enhance the message of the song?

Many thanks! The inspiration is this idea of someone trying hard to let go of something they’ve been stuck dealing with for far too long. Many of us get in a rut, living out our routines without realizing that time is a machine gun, always firing. Once we can break free from that, change our routine, and search for a proper path to feel like we can live with a fresh slate again, we can find a way to let go of the built-up drama that only lives within ourselves and within our habits. The video aims to portray that idea—someone living in the memory of something that is doing more damage than it needs to, finding that path, and finally letting go.

Tell us about the new album. Could you take us behind the scenes of the production process for ‘Whitelined’? Were there any challenges or memorable moments that stood out to you while making the album?

‘Whitelined’ was definitely a journey. It took about a year and a half of coming up with ideas, collaborating with Erik and Mark, while also allowing the process to breathe and not feel rushed. Since I live in my studio and Mark lived in his, it was easy to just let the music happen in a way that felt like a true piece of art rather than a job needing to be finished. The process was similar to most of the albums, where percussion and bass started the composition process, and melodies and emotion found their way into the mix. Like I mentioned earlier, it was dynamic and created without boundaries or rules, which is why I feel it has become its own true sound. Not fixed on what you’d expect out of two “Shoegaze” bands (A Shoreline Dream/RIDE), but more of its own vibe and piece of work.

Your music often creates a dreamy atmosphere. What outside influences inspire your creativity and contribute to the unique sound of A Shoreline Dream?

I’m engulfed in a world of visuals, art, and vibes. I have found myself in so many interesting life experiences, from making games to creating multimedia art pieces to immersive walk-through creations. Everything around me helps bring it all together musically, but I think more than the things I create, it’s the places I visit that bring the sound aura to A Shoreline Dream. Amsterdam and my experiences there truly brought life to our early works, as did the mountains in Colorado, trekking up to the peaks, and even the Great Sand Dunes. I think it’s these places that have inspired me the most. It’s the musical interpretation of the world around us that brings the sounds to life once I sit down and re-imagine it all.

Are there any plans for live performances or tours in support of ‘Whitelined’? How do you translate your studio sound to the stage?

This would be amazing to do again at some point, but currently, there are no live plans since I wound up multitasking many of the duties (vocals, bass, guitar, drums, keys) on the recorded album. I would need to assemble a full band to make it possible. I love playing live, so if anyone in the Denver area reads this, plays drums, guitar, or bass, hit me up on some social site of your choosing. We’ve had some amazing shows in the past with Chapterhouse, Innaway, Ulrich Schnauss, Minus The Bear, Soundpool, etc., and I would definitely love to do it again!

You have quite the history with your band. Could you share the story of how A Shoreline Dream came together and where your road has taken you since then?

Well, without writing a novel in response to this question—because it could certainly be one—I can safely say the band has gone through many stages of growth at this point. When we began, all we wanted to do was take a new step from our goth and trip-hop days with previous bands Pure Drama and Drop The Fear, and bring this wall of sound vibe to life in a recorded medium. We had some beyond amazing people helping push us along the way, such as Kim Owens of Kaffeine Buzz, Paste Magazine, Filter Magazine, etc. Some larger media sources took notice and put us in all the places you need to go to get exposure, which at the time was sampler CDs and lifestyle in-store rotations. Filter Music Media Marketing alone took us to a whole new level of visibility by placing us in theater chains, putting us on tours, setting us up at Urban Outfitters, among many other prime music spots. Throughout it all, we stayed true to ourselves—never signing any of the ridiculous major label deals thrown at us, and starting my own label so we could continue producing the way we wanted to produce and marketing it the way we wanted. Some of the biggest moments really came from the artist endorsements from Ulrich Schnauss and Mark Kramer. Those days are so far away from now, but they have truly kept me focused on keeping the dream moving forward however possible.

How do you see ‘Whitelined’ building upon the foundation laid by your earlier releases?

‘Whitelined’ is truly the dream album I have been looking forward to making. Not only does it include one of my all-time favorite artists as a collaborator, but it also explores some vibes I have always wanted to hit. What makes this one truly special is that it’s the first album we’ve ever released on vinyl, and that alone has been a huge goal reached. Now I am doing all I can to get it into people’s ears, as I think they will walk away loving it and wanting to hear more.

<a href="https://ashorelinedream.bandcamp.com/album/whitelined">Whitelined by A Shoreline Dream</a>

Let’s end this interview with some of your favorite albums. Have you found something new lately you would like to recommend to our readers?

People may find it interesting that some of my favorites are in the realm of death metal and goth overall. Lately, I’ve reconnected with the sounds of Amorphis with their amazing album ‘The Queen of Time,’ and have been spinning one of my favorite albums by Paradise Lost, ‘Icon.’ Fear Factory, who I almost consider a death metal version of shoegaze, continues to blow me away with their debut albums ‘Soul of a New Machine’ and ‘Demanufacture.’ In realms similar to A Shoreline Dream, my favorites as of late have been Xeno & Oaklander’s ‘Vi/deo,’ She Past Away’s ‘Narin Yalnizlik,’ Drab Majesty’s ‘The Demonstration,’ and of course, all things Type O Negative, who have always been one of my biggest influences.