Daniel Bachman Will Release The Witness Tree Album
The multimedia project features music created from tree biodata across Virginia.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Botany
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Musician Daniel Bachman is set to release a documentary film and a nearly two-hour album titled The Witness Tree on October 2, 2026. The project highlights historical narratives and the impacts of climate breakdown by interpreting data collected from 16 different trees.
Why it matters
The project documents historical narratives through environmental data to explore the effects of climate breakdown on the natural world. By pairing traditional instrumentation with modern technology, the work bridges scientific observation and artistic storytelling.
The project spans recordings taken between November 13, 2024, and June 24, 2026, across sites including the Chesapeake Bay and the Appalachian Mountains. Bachman utilized a biodata sonification device alongside his guitar and MIDI synthesis.
The players
Daniel Bachman
He is an American musician and composer who has released 14 full-length records since 2011.
The details
Bachman recorded data from trees throughout Virginia to create a soundscape that incorporates binary code and historical texts. The final output consists of a documentary film and a nearly two-hour long musical album.
Timeline
Bachman has released 14 full-length records since 2011.
The project was recorded in the field from November 13, 2024, to June 24, 2026.
The film and album are scheduled for release on October 2, 2026.
Deeper Dive
The use of a biodata sonification device in this work marks a shift toward data-driven environmental art, following a pattern set by modern artists using sensor technology to translate organic life into sound.
The integration of historical data with ecological sonification provides a new template for how communities can interact with local flora through technology. This artistic method may influence future public science communication regarding the impacts of climate change on state forests.
The takeaway
This project demonstrates how experimental music can be used to interpret complex ecological information. Readers may consider how data collection methods can provide new perspectives on the natural environments within their own states.
Further reading
Learn more about local environmental research and plant studies in the Botany section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Guitar International Magazine.
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