Lily Holbrook
Is it possible to feel nostalgic for a life that isn’t our own?
Upon a first listen of Hippo Campus’ anticipated third album, it would certainly appear so. Tackling personal themes of growing up, understanding the conflict that peppers your twenties and the pursuit of authenticity, this latest release is an achingly honest representation of the journey experienced by 5 ordinary guys from Minnesota – and is perhaps one all of us can relate to.
.@thehalocline (Hippo Campus) perform their brilliant song "Ride or Die"! pic.twitter.com/Cw4GG4V7VK
— The Late Late Show with James Corden (@latelateshow) January 20, 2022
Described by the band as “The most honest portrait of who Hippo Campus is”, this record has come a long way from the guitar-heavy days of Landmark (2017) and first forays into electropop on Bambi (2018). Returning with their third studio album (hence the name LP3) Hippo Campus themselves claim that this release is their most authentic yet.
“LP3 offers a contrastingly reflective account of life in our early twenties”
Following their sparkling, razor sharp commentary on growing up in teaser EP Good Dog, Bad Dream (2021), LP3 offers a contrastingly reflective account of life in our early twenties. Owing to Good Dog, Bad Dream’s creative fluidity matched with concise production, these earlier tracks hold a distinctive clarity that is sometimes missing in the floaty melodies and cryptic lyrics on LP3. But that is all part of the charm of this release: none of us really know who we are or what we’re doing.
“a calming antidote to society’s collective apprehension.”
While I’m not playing any tracks on LP3 with quite the same intensity as the fiery ‘Bad Dream Baby’ (Good Dog, Bad Dream), there’s something to be said for the understated intellect that has gone into this latest body of work. Full of reflections on what it means to be alive in this moment, the record is a calming antidote to society’s collective apprehension.
While the record’s cohesion may be soothing for those of us trying to recklessly navigate adulthood, the merging of tracks can sometimes make it difficult to distinguish one from the next. However, the ability to provide a smooth listening experience from start to finish is perhaps the perfect aspiration for bands who work so deliberately to perfect their final track list.
“more experimental, synthesised, 1975-esque sonic environments”
While the band’s clever lyricism can sometimes be lost in this record’s more experimental, synthesised, 1975-esque sonic environments, there’s a few in this record that stand out; not least the record’s opening track.
“Everybody thinks that they’re too young to die” is a statement that is profoundly true. While the sentiment may be forgotten as we go about our daily lives, Hippo Campus are no stranger to the feeling that life is fleeting, and invincibility is temporary. Summed up in the band’s own biography:
“It looks at how growing up can just feel like something that’s always moving past you when you’re trying to grab a hold of it; it’s a push-and-pull of letting go or holding tighter — and figuring out what matters the most”.
For times when you’re feeling a little lost or need some time to decompress, LP3 is well worth a listen.
Find it on Spotify here.
Featured image courtesy of Nicolas Picard on Unsplash. No changes or alterations were made to this image. Image license found here.
Lily Holbrook
Lily is passionate about combining her environmental values with her love of music, the natural world and culture.