Welcome to the Campus

Hola everyone.

And hello weekend. Or at least Friday. And also, hello to another music recommendation on my behalf. Because today, guys, isn’t just a simple Friday like any other, no no no. Today is a very special Friday, because today is the official album launch day of a very exceptional band called Hippo Campus, which I may or may not have talked about already (who am I kidding? I have because they are freaking fantastic).

So from today on there is an album out there called Bambi and unlike the movie, it isn’t meant to break everyone’s heart. But it is indeed meant to open everyone’s eyes (and ears) to the musical world out there and this new fantastic kind of music, that sounds sort of new and sort of old, both at the same time. In short, this album is a damn masterpiece and I’m going to tell you why.

I’ve been a fan of Hippo Campus ever since I first heard their song Suicide Saturday. And then I heard Monsoon and on top of that their live version. From that moment on I was head over heels in love with them. Actually, the live version, which I’ve shared on here probably a million times, is one of those videos I always go back to once in a while. It’s one of these special songs that I’ll probably make my grandchildren listen to, just to show them what was “in” back in the days.

But let’s now focus on this very new and very cool album. Personally, I would say that it’s quite a new sound for these American guys. I mean, they’ve always had their foot deep in the indie corner of the music universe, but I feel like this album gave them one last push. I mean, I was honestly completely blown away when I first heard their new single Bambi, the title track of the album. Even more so because the lyrics related so much to me. It just was the perfect song for this particular situation in my life. But the album does feel like the beginning on a new era. Of course the songs still carry their signature indie, synth sound and their evergreen trumpet lines, but especially with songs like Golden, Why Even Try and Honestly, they’ve introduced this more guitar-esque and indie-rock kind of sound to their range of musical talents. And on the other hand some of their new tracks have such an experimental and electronic vibe to them, which I totally love.

Overall the album isn’t just an utter masterpiece, but I feel like it’s also a huge step for the band too. It sounds bigger, more mature and it just fits. It’s an actual rollercoaster, where not one song sounds like the next, but somehow they are all perfectly in sync. There are ten songs in total and they all sound so unique and different, but together they become such an incredible cohesive unit. And if that wasn’t enough, the first and last song both fit so perfectly, it’s like you’re watching a mind-blowing sci-fi movie, but it’s an album with an epic opening and an even more epic ending. This is also why it’s extremely hard for me to chose a personal favorite. You know, when I listen to a new album that really means a lot to me, that I’ve waited for a long time, I always let myself completely fall into it. I lie down on the couch, turn down the lights, close my eyes and then let the music take over. But when there’s a part in a song that just completely surprises me or catches my heart, my eyes always fly open and I can tell you, that happened a lot in those 33 minutes it took me to listen through the album. So yeah. The album is that good, that I can’t decide which song I like the most. I can just tell you the ones I prefer mostly: Doubt (it’s love), Bambi (of course), Why Even Try (such a hit, omg), Honestly (yes, just yes), Golden (it’s pure gold).

But listen for yourself:

So yeah, welcome to the world Bambi. What an amazing album. I can’t wait to listen to it over and over again and fall for it more and more. As you can probably guess, I would highly recommend listening to it guys. Hippo Campus really are such a special band with a such a unique sound and honestly, they deserve far more attention than what they’re getting. I can’t wait to see them grow and gain popularity. So guys, stop whatever you’re doing right now and go listen to this awesome band. And then of course please don’t forget to tell me all your thoughts and opinions, because I’m more than curious. And yeah, until then I wish you all an awesome weekend, musically highlighted by Bambi, of course. And, as always, I hope you enjoyed this post/review and thanks for reading. x

Ps: Also, did I mention that I will actually be seeing this very awesome guys in Brighton next February? I can’t even begin to tell you guys how freaking excited I am for that. Seriously. When I saw that they would be doing a show here, I completely freaked out. Mostly because they are still very unknown I believe, especially in Austria. And of course they’re not coming to Vienna on their tour, but they’re coming to Brighton and I’m going to be there, front row, with the happiest smile on my face ever. The wait was real guys. But it was so worth it.