The Alchemy Unit was formed by New York-based guitarist and songwriter, Ash Umhey. Although initially conceived as a solo studio project, it has often featured collaborators and guests. The debut album Moon Strings on the Fringe was independently released in late 2006. Its unique blend of lo-fi indie rock, psychedelia, punk, funk, jazz, and experimental music garnered enthusiastic reviews.

It was followed by the expansive Eprouvette Ascenseur album in 2010. During this time, The Alchemy Unit performed numerous live shows alongside fellow regional artists and established acts such as KRS-One, DJ Logic, Soulive, and New Riders of the Purple Sage. Personnel changes and the emergence of side projects resulted in a two-year hiatus during which Ash performed and recorded with Plush Crustaceans, Venture Lift, Les Bicyclettes Blanches and other artists in the Hudson Valley, New York, and Paris.

The Alchemy Unit returned with the Time and Space album in 2014, which showcased a renewed emphasis on musicianship, songwriting, and recording techniques. The band performed occasional live shows while developing material for the next album. Recording sessions continued through 2019, but the subsequent global pandemic forced a dissolution of this incarnation of the band. The resulting Sketches From a Dark Cloud album was eventually released in 2021.

Ash has since established Orange Sound Recording in Rhinebeck, NY and collaborated and engineered on multiple projects with Walking Bombs, Venture Lift, Sacred Crab, Globelamp and others. While there are tentative plans for a new Alchemy Unit release, no dates have yet been confirmed.

Ash Umhey - vocals, guitar, bass, organ & keyboards, synthesizer, percussion

Members and Guests:

Matias Gagliardone – alto saxophone

Garett Grassi – guitar, bass, keyboard and effects

Trevor Grassi – accordion

Stephen Hoelter – drums and percussion

Don Hover – guitar, bass, ukulele, percussion

Ben Larkin – drums and percussion

Ben Orick – drums and percussion

Alana Orr – bass

Skip Piper – drums and percussion

Alan Silverman – drums

Aaron Thomas – vocals, percussion

Stanton Warren – alto saxophone, keyboard

Scott White – bass, backing vocals, drums

Brandon Wolf – drums

James Zemlock – bass and drums