The Birds Sing Sweetly



Nightingale song, Google Street View (XXGF+G4 Boston), EU referendum data, spoken word, bespoke algorithm.


            ‘The Birds Sing Sweetly’ weaves a tale of Boston in Lincolnshire and it’s part in the UK EU referendum of 2016. Boston saw the highest percentage of votes for ‘Leave’ in the entire UK. 

By collecting and examining the numbers surrounding these votes cast, nightingale song is algorithmically created. The nightingale in this story literally sings the song of Brexit. The nightingale is the UK’s favourite birdsong, yet the nightingale is only a visitor to these shores and an increasingly rare one too.

The imagery in the video captures the landscape in the area surrounding Boston.

The story tells of our imaginary travellers passing through this place on that eventful date is narrated as they make their way across the countryside.