Hummingbird on Lounge Room Pop and Dog Neighbours Who Call the Cops

Image: Supplied by artist

Trinidad and Tobago is known as ‘The Land of the Hummingbird’. The small bird is displayed on the Caribbean nation’s coat of arms, one-cent coin and is the emblem of its national airline.

Elena and Miles are from Adelaide and call their musical project Hummingbird. It sounds nothing like what you would associate with Trinidad and Tobago. So, there. Setting up in Miles’ lounge room, the two create intimate electronic pop that skews towards melancholy and downer vibes.

You'd think it would be all quiet and chilled, right? Well it didn’t stop cops knocking on their front door after a dog neighbour complained that one of their practises was too loud.

The pair are playing the awesome Half Strange festival in September alongside a totally non dog lineup that includes Orlando Furious, Wireheads, Fair Maiden, Shrapnel and Barcelona’s Belgrado.

Miles and Elena have sent us though “Corner” a new track that deals with the emotions that come with late night relationship tussles.

Noisey: You play a soft and gentle music but loud enough to have cops knock on your door?
Elena: It is soft and gentle but still found to be sufficiently abrasive by the lovely lady who lives next door. She also yells if you flush the toilet ‘too late at night”.

Miles: It is unfortunate but I have had to adapt my toilet schedule to fit in with my neighbours sleeping schedule but sometimes life is like that.

The fact that you make music in your lounge room automatically makes you cooler than a ‘bedroom producer'. What’s the best and worst thing about making music in your lounge room?
Miles: I think I skipped the whole bedroom producer phase and now mainly focus on making music in my actual bed or in the lounge room. Being comfortable is very important and it's nice having some extra space I guess - it’s good living in a house with a couple of other musicians - we can pool all our gear together and have it more as an open creative space.

Is the emotions and situation of "Corner" based on a real life situation/relationship?
Elena: Well, I guess so. The line about closing the door too loud is true, I really did do that. But, there isn’t a situation or relationship it’s based on really, or not specifically- it was just this one morning which left a certain feeling with me.

Half Strange Festival 2016

Sep 30 - Adelaide at Format
Hummingbird
Joy Sparkes
Deep Red
Orlando Furious (Brisbane)

Oct 1 October - The Adelaide Bowling Club
Wireheads
Fair Maiden
Theta
Bent
Spike Fuck
California Girls

Oct 2 - Adelaide at The Metro Hotel
Goon Wizzard
Biles
Second Sight
Rule of Thirds
Hydromedusa
The Skids
Spotting
Belgrado (Spain)