Silent (aka Silent Records) is an America's premier ambient label from San Francisco, California, USA. Originally started in 1985 (officially in 1986), rebooted in 2016. Started officially with the second release (The Haters - In The Shade Of Fire) in 1986. The direction of the label changed in 1988 when label head and founder Kim Cascone helped work on the score of the movie Twin Peaks in the UK with the sound editor Jay Boekelheide.
In 1991, Cascone started the distribution company Pulse Soniq after releasing the first CD on Silent. Then, in 1993, three imprints were created for different genres. Flask (beat-oriented ambient), Furnace (hard industrial, industrial dance), and Sulphur (alternative rock, noise, fusion, experimental electronics, found sound).
In 1996, Silent and its distribution company were left to an employee so that Cascone could work as a sound designer for Headspace, a company founded by Thomas Dolby. Silent lived on for another two years as a completely different label, focusing on house music and other beat-oriented dance music, including co-releasing some vinyl with other companies, but the label was shuttered in 1998.
For any missing catalog numbers in the SR#### series, check the sub-labels.
In 2016, Cascone resurrected the label as a Bandcamp site (see sites list). Though most of the current label's albums are re-releases from the previous catalog, there are two new entries for the From Here To Tranquility series, Vol. 6 and 7. In 2016 & 2017, Cascone also DJ'd on a soma.fm site focused on Silent Records releases.
An important ambient music label from San Francisco, CA founded by Kim Cascone. The label folded in 1998. Silent Records was influential in helping electronic and experiemtnal music find a place in the record stores. More than that, Silent managed to perfectly capture the essence of the golden age of ambient music. Chill rooms and raves were the ideal backdrop for what Silent symbolized. The music and artwork of Silent captured a very special time in musical history. Imprint lables include Flask, Furnace, Pulse Soniq, and Sulphur. For more information, check out the Silent Records site at http://www.silentrecords.net
djmonolith
December 23, 2002