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| Sacred Bones Records | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sacred Bones Records |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Founder | Caleb Braaten |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Brooklyn, New York |
| Genres | Experimental, Post-punk, Ambient, Electronic, Folk, Industrial |
Sacred Bones Records is an independent record label based in Brooklyn, New York, founded in 2007. The label is known for releasing music by artists across experimental, post-punk, ambient, electronic, folk, and industrial genres, and has been associated with a DIY ethos, limited-edition physical formats, and collaborations with visual artists and filmmakers. Sacred Bones has built a reputation through critical attention in publications and coverage by outlets focused on contemporary music, art, and culture.
Sacred Bones was founded in 2007 in Brooklyn, New York by Caleb Braaten, launching amid a revitalized independent scene that included labels such as Sub Pop, Matador Records, 4AD, Jagjaguwar, Domino Recording Company, and Warp Records; the label's early years intersected with venues like Death By Audio, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and communities around Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Influences on the label's trajectory include the cassette revival championed by Load Records and Sacred Bones' contemporaries, the vinyl resurgence connected to Rough Trade, and archival reissue movements exemplified by Light in the Attic Records and Numero Group. Over time Sacred Bones expanded its catalog, partnered with distributors such as Secretly Group and worked within retail circuits that include Rough Trade Shops, Tower Records (retail) revivals, and boutique record stores in Los Angeles, London, and Tokyo.
The label's roster has featured artists spanning experimental and genre-defying practices, including multiple releases by Zola Jesus, David Lynch-affiliated collaborators, and acts connected to scenes around Providence, Rhode Island, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, and Berlin. Notable musicians and projects associated with the label include Zola Jesus (album releases and singles), John Carpenter-adjacent soundtrack releases, Angelo Badalamenti collaborators, and experimental acts linked to scenes around No Wave and Industrial music movements. Sacred Bones has also released work by contemporary composers and producers collaborating with filmmakers, visual artists, and galleries such as MoMA PS1 and Whitney Museum of American Art.
Sacred Bones' discography includes full-length albums, EPs, singles, reissues, and soundtrack albums pressed on vinyl, cassette, and compact disc; notable catalog entries have appeared on curated compilations and limited pressings sought by collectors and archivists at auctions and fairs like Record Store Day and independent fairs tied to South by Southwest and CMJ Music Marathon. The label has issued soundtrack projects tied to filmmakers and composers associated with horror film auteurs and electronic composers, positioning releases within conversations alongside labels such as Ninja Tune and Ghost Box Records. Archival-style reissues and thematic compilations from the label have been discussed alongside archival projects from Mondo, Death Waltz Recording Company, and reissue specialists.
Sacred Bones is recognized for a cohesive visual identity emphasizing monochrome artwork, evocative typography, and packaging that references occult, cinematic, and gothic motifs, a design language that resonates with galleries and art directors who work with institutions like Tate Modern, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and independent publishers such as Faber and Faber and Thames & Hudson. The label frequently commissions sleeve art from photographers, illustrators, and designers who have collaborated with film festivals like Sundance Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival, and whose work circulates in magazines including Pitchfork (website), The Wire (magazine), NME, and The Guardian (news) arts sections.
Sacred Bones operates within an independent-distributor ecosystem that includes partnerships and distribution deals often observed between labels and entities like Secretly Distribution, The Orchard (company), and regional distributors in Europe, Asia, and Australia. The label combines direct-to-consumer sales through webstores used by peers such as Merge Records and Domino Recording Company with wholesale arrangements supplying independent retailers like Amoeba Music, Rough Trade, and boutique shops in Berlin and Tokyo. Limited-run physical editions, subscription services, and licensing deals for film and television syncs with companies and creators linked to Netflix, HBO, and A24 supplement revenue models similar to other independent labels.
Critical reception of the label’s output has appeared in outlets such as Pitchfork (website), Rolling Stone, The New York Times, The Guardian (news), Mojo (magazine), and Uncut (magazine), with praise often emphasizing curatorial consistency and sonic cohesion across disparate artists; reviewers have compared the label’s cultural positioning to influential independents like 4AD and Kranky. Sacred Bones’ influence extends into festival programming, soundtrack commissioning, and the curation of exhibitions and residencies tied to contemporary music and underground film, placing it in dialogues alongside cultural institutions such as ICA (Institute of Contemporary Arts) and festivals like All Tomorrow's Parties.
The label has organized and participated in live events, showcases, and festival appearances at venues and festivals such as South by Southwest, SXSW Music Festival, Pitchfork Music Festival, Le Guess Who?, and club nights in Brooklyn and Los Angeles; these events often feature label artists, collaborative performances, and multimedia presentations that draw curators and promoters from organizations like Red Bull Music Academy and NTS Radio. Sacred Bones’ involvement in live programming connects it to touring networks, booking agents, and promoters that operate internationally, collaborating with presenters linked to Live Nation-adjacent independent promoters and artist-run spaces.
Category:American record labels