Arriving off the back of well-received introductory singles 'Sun Hands', 'Camera Talk' and the stellar 'Airplanes' It was somewhat of a foregone conclusion that Gorilla Manor, the debut album from Californian five-piece Local Natives, was going to be a hit when it was released in late 2009.
The gamble of a self-funded album paid unyielding dividends, launching the band onto the global stage with impressive sales, TV appearances, sell-out headline shows, and tours alongside musical juggernauts Arcade Fire and The National. When their time on the road with Gorilla Manor wound up, Local Natives returned to their homestead of Silverlake and converted an abandoned house into a live-in rehearsal studio to facilitate the crafting of the follow-up - minus a bassist, as Andy Hamm parted ways with his bandmates.
Once the creative hard graft was completed Local Natives decamped first to Montréal and then to Brooklyn to lay down their efforts - the influences of their touring buddies not just permeating their recording location choices, but also their production, with The National's Aaron Dessner at the helm. The end result is Hummingbird, released today via Infectious Records.
