About
The Big Dark is a new indie label based in West Seattle, working in the shadows to shape a creative home for the artists and voices emerging from the Pacific Northwest—those defining the other West Coast sound.
A new PNW
Record Label
It’s easier than ever to release music on your own. We love that about this moment in music. So much new music all the time! But we have found, even in a DIY world, art still needs a team to be heard. It needs a whole community of people who listen closely, share what they know, and believe in the artist as much as the art.
That’s what we’re building The Big Dark to be. A space where artists don’t have to go it alone. Where feedback, support, and shared vision make the work stronger. A label built on collaboration and community. When one artist is heard, the whole PNW scene shines a little brighter.
We created The Big Dark Records because art, and the act of sharing it, matters. Making, sharing, and being inspired by others’ creations has always been at the center of our lives.
We’re a family of musicians, artists, and makers who’ve spent years performing, writing, producing, and helping others bring their art to life. The Big Dark grew out of that love for collaboration; it’s how we plan to keep creating together and help others do the same. We love music, we love musicians, and we love telling the stories behind the music.
That’s the heart of The Big Dark: artists inspiring artists, creation leading to more creation…our lights signaling to each other in this big dark.
the big
dark
The Big Dark is a creative season we all share. Every year in the Pacific Northwest, we live through months of gray skies and rain, coffee in hand, trudging through the long stretch of gloom. But out of that comes something remarkable: music and art that could only be born here.
We celebrate the PNW’s “Big Dark” not as something to endure, but as something that shapes us. It’s when songs take form as we are forced inside, into damp garages and basements, when new collaborations begin, and when artists find their sound in the quiet. The darkness isn’t just a backdrop—it’s part of the art itself.
We are the other West Coast sound. It’s not just grunge anymore—it’s also dark folk, heavy riff rock, cosmic pop, and every new voice rising from rain-soaked studios and neighborhood festivals.
The Big Dark exists to connect those artists—to bring together emerging and established voices, and to help the Northwest hear itself again. That starts with access: to recording, to playlists, to all-ages shows, and most of all, to each other.
What’s Happening
Now
This Fall (2025) our first releases, Alpha Cas, Gut Punch, and Museums by Sad Dad Autumn, mark the beginning of The Big Dark. They’re the first glimpse of the kind of art we’re proud to create and share. Music that is uniquely PNW, dark folk from our gothic twee girls.
This November, we’ll release Sad Dad Autumn’s debut album, The Great Dying, and we plan to announce our next project before year’s end.
We’re also planning The Big Dark Fest—an annual showcase timed with one of the darkest nights of the year, celebrating the creativity that thrives when the days are short.
In the meantime, we’re curating playlists and building partnerships with local musicians, labels, advocates, and venues, strengthening the growing network of the PNW sound. We’re also brainstorming new ways to make collaboration easier and to help music from the Northwest be heard far beyond it.
The Big Dark is just getting started. We hope you’ll join us! Whether you’re an artist, a creator, a listener, or someone who simply believes in Northwest music. There’s room for everyone in the dark.
We hope you’ll listen, follow, and grow with us.
To the friends, family, and artists who’ve already believed in this work, thank you. We love creating and sharing music with you.
Magen and Kellen
Thank you
Help the Northwest Be Heard
We’re building The Big Dark together, and we’d love your help.
If you’ve got ideas, want to collaborate, or know young artists, photographers, or writers who’d love to review shows or feature local bands, we want to hear from you. The Big Dark is always looking for new ways to amplify the sound of the Northwest.
We’re especially looking for young reviewers, curators, local collaborators, and creative partners who want to help tell the stories behind the music.
Got an idea? We’d love to hear it.
DM US! IG @thebigdarkrecords
Email: magen@thebigdarkrecords