Above the Opening

In 2019, I began recording the ocean every week. I more or less kept this practice up throughout 2019 and into 2020. When the pandemic hit, however, access to many of my local coastal haunts became restricted. Beaches were gated, hiking trails closed, and parks shut down. I made a few recordings during this time, but it was difficult to access appropriate locations, and, I’ll be honest, my general sense of malaise hindered motivation for the project. It was a tough year for all of us.

When restrictions lifted in late spring 2020, I started up again with a more regular recording routine. I never appreciated the sound of the ocean more than during this period. Interfacing with the sea through deep listening has helped me gain a better understanding of both the magnitude of nature and the impermanence of our species.

“Above the Opening” is the third track from my Atlantic Ocean Recordings 2020 collection. To check out the full album along with my 2019 recordings, visit my Bandcamp page at chikwhite.bandcamp.com or search for Darcy Spidle on Spotify.

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Recorded in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People.