Glitterer

Glitterer is a band from Pennsylvania, United States, and is associated with Washington, D.C. The project begins in 2017 as a solo outlet for singer and bassist Ned Russin, after his previous band Title Fight stops touring. At first, Glitterer functions as a one-person project built around Russin’s voice, bass, loops, synths and laptop-based recording, with occasional help from other musicians in the studio and on stage.

Early releases and solo period

During the solo years, Glitterer releases four records, including two full-length albums on Anti-. Russin records 18 songs in his bedroom in Bushwick while studying at Columbia and dealing with what he describes as uncertainty about his life and future. These songs appear on two EPs, Glitterer and Not Glitterer, both released in successive years.

The debut full-length, Looking Through The Shades, arrives in 2019 and uses live instruments as well as production help from Alex G. A second full-length, Life Is Not A Lesson, follows in early 2021 and is made during the first pandemic year with studio collaborators.

Becoming a full band

After Life Is Not A Lesson, Russin decides to stop performing Glitterer as a laptop-based solo act and rebuild it as a collaborative band. In 2021, he recruits musicians from the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore punk, hardcore and indie scenes. Nicole Dao joins on keyboard, Jonas Farah on drums, and Connor Morin on guitar. Dao is also Russin’s boss at Donut Run when he asks her to play. This lineup becomes the band’s core for live work and writing.

The group begins touring in this form with local shows, regional weekends and longer domestic and international runs. It supports Tigers Jaw on a spring 2023 tour and later plays a headlining summer tour.

Recording and style

Glitterer plays loud melodic post-hardcore rock that can seem straightforward while remaining unusually complex. The project’s songs are described in the source material as hooky, subtle and slightly odd in structure. Arthur Rizk works on every Glitterer record to date, handling some combination of recording, production, mixing or mastering. He also records Rationale, the group’s third full-length album, which is tracked over a week in a Philadelphia Airbnb and a nearby studio.

Ned Russin says the songs on Rationale focus on work, purpose and vocational uncertainty. The album follows the band’s transition from solo project to full group and continues the move toward a more collaborative sound and setup.

Members

Current lineup

Ned Russin — vocals, bass
Nicole Dao — keyboard
Jonas Farah — drums
Connor Morin — guitar

Additional collaborator

Alex G contributes production help on Looking Through The Shades.