HUMMUCIDE - Tides (2023)

Tides is Hummucide's long awaited debut album. It’s a summation of the last five years of Hummucide’s iconic jazz-rock music, a tapestry of sounds from a whole community of deep thinking and deeply loving artists.

“The past years have seen a lot of change and uncertainty, so it feels good to have finally finished this huge project, truly to the best of our ability. We are so proud of these ten songs, and have been waiting a very long time to share them with you.”

The tracks are written by Toby Leman (saxophone) and Ben Stewart (keys) who have been making music together since they met in high school, aged 13. They take inspiration from many places including Ben’s grandfather (Heroes), their friends' newborn babies (Torus), the ocean (The Sound the Sea Makes) and the moon (The Moon). The album is called Tides to show the ebb and the flow, that there is certainty in the changes life brings.

The album also marks a change of era for the band. Since recording, the band has spread globally; the musicians featured on the album are currently in London, Amsterdam, Colombia and New Zealand. This album is a reflection of the strength of the community that has been built up around Hummucide; the many deep friendships and relationships forged across the last decade in Wellington that are now able to flourish worldwide. The album is also anchored securely to a place; Aotearoa. ‘Tides’ is the result of caring intensely about your friends and your community and of thinking hard about what it means to be a person. It is powerful, emphatic music that has euphoric peaks and dirty, muddy troughs. It’s not fucking around.

“...we don't want to prescribe too much meaning to our music. We just wish for you to put your headphones on, walk down by the beach, through the trees or something and have your own experience.”