It was within this creative ferment that Structures From Silence was birthed. Although it was not the only radio show of its type, its influence and importance cannot be overstated – both its role in the development of American-based electronic artists and the part it played in bringing ambient styles to a wider audience.īy the 1980s this California-based scene was rich with adventurous musicians giving birth to an extraordinary new direction in music. In 1983 it went national and is still on the air today. This groundbreaking public radio program was founded in 1973 in San Francisco by sound designer, producer and former architect Stephen Hill and the late Anna Turner. Initially the pathway to the audience was neither through an artist nor a record label, but a radio show: Music From The Hearts Of Space. Roach’s music is part of a wider progressive, electronic-ambient movement that rose concurrently with the new age scene on America’s West Coast during the 1970s and 80s.

The slow-motion melodic strains of the 30-minute title track, in particular, breathe with exquisite gentleness. There are just three pieces – all extraordinarily delicate. Active since the late 1970s, Roach has an enormous discography of solo albums, collaborations and compilations his range of styles and influence is vast.ġ984’s Structures From Silence marked a move away from the sequencer-driven, kinetic Berlin-school trance of his earliest releases toward an album-length foray into beatless ambience. With his distinctive mélange of analog and digital synthesizers, acoustic instrumentation and imaginative soundscapes, American composer Steve Roach is a giant in modern ambient music and one of the most respected electronic musicians in the world. Steve Roach talks with Ambient Music Guide’s Mike G about the sublimely meditative album’s creation and reflects on this bona fide ambient classic. Thirty-three years after its release, Structures From Silence returns to its vinyl origins. For me the essence of this music is what is felt when it ends, a returning to the silence. Feeling the music move through that space was vital in its development. I also spent much time in silence, a beautiful place. At the time I did not listen to any other music.

This gave me the opportunity to fine tune the piece to a very sublime level. Often I would sleep and wake with the music playing (since it is stored in the computer memory, it can play indefinitely). For several months before actually committing the title track “Structures from Silence” to tape, I would live with the music throughout my daily activities.

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