Since I now live in Hong Kong, I might as well get to know the local music scene. My friend Cedric, who does not live in Hong Kong but knows its music very well, is a big fan of My Little Airport, an indie band that does slight and amusing twee-pop ditties. The simplicity of their music and lyrics belies a wry and irreverent take on Hong Kong life.
“Romance in Kowloon Tong” (浪漫九龍塘) is a song off their most recent album. Kowloon Tong is one of Hong Kong’s wealthiest areas, but tucked in between the expensive international schools and luxurious villas are secretive hotels, where people with money take their other significant others for a bit of love-by-the-hour. “I want to sing you a song / about me and you went to Kowloon Tong / we have to be very strong / if we want to do something very wrong,” goes the song. Its music video is especially adorable.
Cedric played this song last month on Radio Centre-Ville’s Cantonese show, where he has a short indie music segment every Tuesday at 10:30pm. You can listen to a clip from the show on his blog, Comme Les Chinois, where he also wrote a bit of background on My Little Airport.
Hey chris! i especially loved the hula hooping bit. did you know it’s world hoop day here in montreal? it’s also, as every other day, raining. adore the adorable song.
Awesome video! I hadn’t previously saw it… MLA must be one of HK’s top bands… It’s weirdly a small world too, as with Montreal’s indie scene – I was in Beijing, and my host was friends with someone who went to school with the Marshmallow Kisses’ girl!