THESSALONIANS began in 1986 as an electronic improvisational ensemble inspired by the work of the British project AMM. The ensemble included Kim Cascone, David James, Larry Thrasher, and others. They released three cassettes, and one vinyl album, "The Black Field." Two of the cassettes, and the vinyl album were released under the name PGR/Thessalonians.

In 1990, Kim and Larry, along with Paul Neyrinck, recorded "Absolute Equinox," again under the name PGR/Thessalonians. This piece was included on the 1991 Japanese compilation Altered States of Consciousness on the U.P.D. Organization label.

THESSALONIANS re-emerged with a new line-up, sound, and approach for the 1993 full-length CD Soulcraft, on Silent Records. For this release, the band was called THESSALONIANS, and no longer used PGR in the name. The full line-up: Larry Thrasher (tablas, hand percussion, shortwave, and sampler), Don Falcone (synthesizer, and lyrics), David James (bass, guitar, percussion, drum machine), Paul Neyrinck (PC, sampler, digital editing, and voice), Kim Cascone (sampler, studio effects, and production), and Doug Murdock (hand percussion, conga). Though their sound had become more rhythmic and structured, sampled sounds and electronic noise still played an important role in the music.

The band played one live gig, headlined by Zakir Hussein. For this performance, the band added Pejman Hakimi on MIDI drums.

Between the spring of '92 and '96, THESSALONIANS became a quartet with Don, Kim, and Paul (working in Paul's studio in San Francisco), and Larry (working in his Berkeley studio). The results included experimental ambient quartets, as well as two solo pieces by each member. After the album was completed and mastered, Silent records went through a number of changes, including Kim selling the label, and the album not being included in the label's new release plans. The band dissolved, and the album remained in limbo for over a decade.

In 2005, Don contacted Kim and the rest of the Solaristics line-up to see if he could give the release a home on his Noh Poetry Records label, which he occasionally used for ambient and experimental releases that didn't have a home elsewhere. Kim, Larry, and Paul were supportive of the idea, and on May 1, 2005, Solaristics was officially released... straight from the vaults, with no modifications to the original 1996 recordings.