The Baltimore-based artist created a sonic journal of his experience at the Women’s March, D.C.
It has been extraordinary to witness the tremendous output of independent artists in support of causes they are passionate about amid the Trump administration. Particularly inspiring are the very small artists and projects that have been able to leverage their art to create a real impact, such as participating in Bandcamp’s ACLU Fundraiser Day. Glassine is the recording project of Baltimore-based artist Danny Greenwald, and he created the piece “Day 1” as a sonic journal of his experience at the Women’s March, D.C., weaving in field recordings with some light looping and embellishments. The result is a humble, direct, and evocative translation of his experience. All proceeds benefit Greenwald’s local Planned Parenthood and he has raised over $700 so far.
Reflecting on his inspiration and process to AdHoc, Greenwald said: “The march was the most inspiring happening that I have ever been a part of. I went alone and felt totally surrounded by love in a time of absolute disaster. I am generally always recording when I am out living my life—so that is what I did. Protest music, chants, hymns, children, adults, Spanish, Arabic—there was so much aural stimulation… and there was this rhythm, like a tremolo. I am trying to describe an almost ambient cadence—like how when you hear crickets chirping but you don’t hear the individual chirps unless you listen really hard. Or a really windy drum roll. Cricket chirps and snare hits are generally singular and sudden, but if you get enough of them together at the right speed it creates this angelic noise that you could sleep to because it is so peaceful. On the train home I decided that I wanted to create a piece of sonic journalism out of the whole thing that reflected that idea while also recognizing that the march was a response to our country spiraling into peril. And I decided that if I was going to share it with the world then I should try to do my local Planned Parenthood in Baltimore some good.”
Listen to the single, which features artwork by San Francisco graphic journalist Wendy MacNaughton that was drawn on-site, below, and donate via Glassine’s Bandcamp.
