indie – Page 2 – that lemon life

The Sounds of Heaven

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to my blog and also with that to another week. I hope the last week and weekend have been great and that you’re doing good. First of all, I need to apologise for not posting anything the past week. I was quite busy the last few days – good busy, not bad busy, thank god – and could unfortunately never find the right time to actually sit down and write something, although ever since Saturday the 19^th – the one two weeks ago – I’ve had one post fully planned out. This one you’re reading right now, to be exact. And it’s a special one, I can tell you that. Because today, and finally, I have the honour of telling you everything about the very beautiful, super mesmerizing and absolutely unbelievable Amber Run gig I had the chance to attend. It was incredible. I can’t wait for you to read this.

Okay, so, first of all, the whole adventure started off with me – and buckle up for this – actually getting to interview these lovely guys from this incredible band. Joe, Henry, and Tom. The fantastic trio. And the ultimate reason for one of the most phenomenal days/evenings/nights of my entire life. I’m not gonna go into much detail about the whole interview, as all the gossip and stuff isn’t really my thing, but I do want to say that they were the nicest guys ever and that I still feel so incredibly honoured to have got the chance to meet them. I’ll definitely never ever forget it. And with that, it is also my pleasure to share the finished feature I wrote about our whole chat with you guys. So, if you want to check that out, please just click here and enjoy. Also, please don’t hesitate to tell me your thoughts if you do check it out. I appreciate any kind of feedback. Thank youuuu.

So, yeah, that was kind of the first part of the absolute madness that was that day. And I had every intention to fully enjoy every second of it. After the super lovely interview, I then obviously had to stay at the venue – the Roundhouse in London – in order to get to the front for the gig. You might think now that it could be a bit weird to be there as a journalist at first and then end up in the front row for the gig, but, in all honesty, I had waited for that gig for a long time and besides that, I’m also short, so it’s either the front or seats for me. And in that case, it had to be the front. Which I actually managed to get – I mean, it was second row, but let’s not be that strict, right -, which I’m still kind of proud of. I know, I know, I was one of the first people to actually get to the venue, so where else would I be, but still. I’m proud.

After quite some time of waiting outside and then inside, which mainly consisted of me sitting on the cold floor and fangirling about the interview with my friend, it was finally time for the support band – Stereo Honey – to come on stage and then, after them, Amber Run. I can’t even put into words how excited I was. Even after having spent quite some time with them chatting while being sat in a tiny room, it was still so incredible to see them on stage. Maybe also because it was my first time of seeing them live. Either way, if anyone ever looked professional and at ease with what they’re doing, it was definitely them. And I truly, truly loved that. You know, whenever a band is on stage, playing live, and really shows and lets the crowd know that they are enjoying the moment just as much as the people attending the gig, the whole thing levels up by about a hundred for me. It just completely changes the overall dynamic in the room when the artists are as happy as the crowd. And that’s why it matters so much to me. I want the band or the artist to be happy. Just as happy as I am in that moment. And I think, on that particular Saturday, the whole room was definitely just one big heap of happiness (and maybe a bit of melancholic sadness in-between, depending on the song they were playing).

Out of the whole one and a half hours, there were quite a few highlights, which I do have to talk about because I simply can’t help myself. The first one definitely has to be finally getting to hear ‘Amen’ and ‘I Found’ live. I cried during both of them. Both kinda broke my heart – ‘Amen’ a tad more simply because of its story and existence in general (or how Joe put it – it was peak emo). And both were an experience that I could only describe as heavenly and otherworldly. I mean, the whole gig in itself felt like a trip to heaven for a few reasons. For once, there’s Joe’s voice. If you don’t know how it sounds, please go and check it out now, because I simply have no words to describe how beautiful it is. Then there’s the fantastic band. And last but not least, there were the moments I will forever cherish when all three of them – Joe, Henry (their keyboardist) and Tom (their bassist) – sang together. I can’t even describe what their voices combined sounded like. Heaven. They sounded like heaven. And they made me feel like I was in heaven.

Besides that, there was also this very cute moment when they started playing ‘What Could Be As Lonely’, which is one of my absolute favourites and also funnily enough one of theirs as well, and Henry, who was right in front of me, and I had this very fun moment of complete understanding and excitement. The story to that is that we had discussed the song during the interview and at the end they had said that they would make sure to play the song. So, when they played it, Henry looked at me with that look of “AHA! There you go.” on his face and I just laughed at him and gave him two thumbs up. It was such a sweet moment, honestly. Actually having a real interaction with the band during the gig is literally one of the best things ever.

And last but not least I have to mention the moment when all the crying on my behalf started, which was when they played ‘Affection’. I mean, this one has always had a special place in my heart as it was the first song I heard of their newest album, but what made it all even more incredible was that they actually had the singer of Stereo Honey come up on stage to perform the song with them. Have any of you guys ever had to cry because something was too beautiful to cope? Because that was exactly what happened to me while I was listening to them and watching them. It was just so damn beautiful. And wholesome. And cute. It was simply perfect.

Actually, that’s what I would call the whole day/night overall. It was nothing short of perfection. As soon as the gig had ended, I fell in this kind of trance. It had really been this good. I felt like I was on a cloud or something. And I know this might sound super crazy now, but out of the over 170 artists I’ve seen live over the course of my whole life, that band and that gig definitely earned a spot in my top 10. And that’s really saying something. I’m easily excited and interested, but not like that. Amber Run did more than just excite and interest me. So much more.

Also, absolute probs to their whole team and especially their stage and light designers, because, heck, what a show. I mean, just take a look at the pics down below. How beautiful does that look? With the colours and the sign and just everything. So pretty.

So, overall, that Saturday, that interview, that gig and Amber Run created something magical that I had never experienced before and I will forever be grateful for that and cherish every single moment. If any of you guys ever get the chance to see these incredible guys live, please please please do yourself a favour and go to the show. Even if you don’t know their music. Trust me, you’ll love them. And obviously, checking them out on Spotify is a must as well. And until then, I can only hope that you enjoyed reading about this magical, heavenly day/night that I got to experience. I’m utterly happy that I got to share it with you and I can’t wait to hear all your opinions. And as always, I wish you all an amazing week and, of course, thanks for reading. x

What’s up

Hola everyone.

How are we all doing on this beautiful Friday? I hope so far you’ve had a nice week and that you’re looking forward to the weekend. I am definitely. This week has been quite busy, so I’m really excited to just relax for a bit. Actually, this is what I wanted to talk to you guys about today. Quite some time has passed since my last update post and since I just sat down and chatted to you guys for bit, told you what’s happening in my life and how living in London has turned me into a whole new person (I’m only kidding, obviously). So, why not get straight into it?

This Sunday, on the 20th of October, it will, in all honesty, as much as I can’t believe it, be my first anniversary of living here in London. One month. I think this month has actually been the shortest of my whole life. Feels like a week. But at the same time, it feels like I’ve been here for ages, simply because of all the things that I’ve already done and that have happened. Concert season officially started two weeks, opened up by the fantastic band Inhaler, who were, as always and unsurprisingly, absolutely fantastic. They played at this tiny venue in Camden, which was sold out, of course. But you could really tell that they are one of those bands to keep an eye on right now. Also, the freakiest thing ever happened. Not only was one of the actors from the show Discovery of Witches (and I think he’s in Killing Eve as well) standing right in front of my friend and me in the crowd – his name is Edward Bluemel if you want to look him up. But when the gig had ended, after a few minutes of us waiting for the space to clear up and maybe another celebrity popping up out of nowhere, Noel freaking Gallagher walked past us. Yes, the Oasis dude. That one, yep. I couldn’t believe it. I mean, I was not even close to being as excited as my friend, who I think had a hard time trying not to squeal, but, I mean, it’s Oasis. Everyone knows Oasis. Everyone loves Wonderwall. And that guy literally just stood in front of us for so damn long. And nobody even cared. It was the coolest and most surreal experience.

The next gig I went to was actually just a few days ago – The Academic at Scala. I mean, what can I say. I just love those guys. It was such a fun gig. And on top of their whole amazingness, it was even Craig’s, their lead singer’s birthday, which made it all even more special. Again, another sold out gig, which didn’t surprise me at all. They deserve to play sold out shows, they really do. If any of you ever get the chance to see them, I’d totally recommend you checking them out. They’re worth it, trust me.

What I’m not counting as going to gigs though are all the shows I’ve been to the past few weeks due to my work. Yes, I did actually manage to get a job, within the first week I had moved here, to be exact, which I’m still incredibly proud of. I now work at a fantastic venue here in London, which I’m incredibly happy about. I wouldn’t say it’s the most chill job, but it’s definitely worth it. And I just love being in that space. There’s great music and everyone is happy and celebrating this phenomenal form of art. I love it.

And yeah, besides that, nothing much has been going on. Uni has been absolutely amazing so far, which I’m very happy about. Our cat here at home, Maisy, has officially become my new roommate, as she basically spends all her time in my room when she’s not eating or outside in the garden. I’m not going to lie, that’s actually one of the most prominent reasons why I love our place so much. I mean, I basically own a cat here. A cat. Me. The personification of love for cats. I’m the granny with 20 cats. That’s me right there. Although, I have to admit that it sometimes does make me miss Peaches, my baby, even more. I’ll be going home for the Christmas break again this year, so I’ll be seeing her and the rest of my lovely family again in less than two months, which I’m already so excited about. As much as I love being here in London, basically living (in) my dream, I’d still do everything to be able to shrink my house and my family and just bring them with me. But that’s the price I had to pay for this. And I can still “see” them whenever we facetime, so at the end of the day, it’s all good.

So, all in all, so far the month here in London has been absolutely stunning. I still haven’t fully reached the level of realization that I now really live here, but that’s alright. Maybe I’ll be walking around in Soho in one or two months and then it will hit me and I’ll burst into happy tears and everyone will think I’m crazy. Oh well. In the end, I again have to thank my family for making all of this happen. This is absolutely unbelievable and I feel like the luckiest person in the universe.

But, now, enough from me. What about you guys? Are you all doing good? How has life been? Please don’t hesitate to send me a message if you want to chat or leave your comments and thoughts down below. As always, I hope you enjoyed this little update and wish you an amazing weekend. And, of course, thanks for reading. x

New Music Friday

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to my blog. And another Friday. A “New Music Friday”, actually, which I haven’t been able to say for such a long time. God, I feel like it’s been forever since the last one. And I checked. It was in July. Can you believe that? In freaking July. That’s literally ages ago. But now we’re finally back and back for good, because I really can’t wait to share all of this amazing new music with you guys. I’ve literally been obsessed with music lately, I feel like I’ve been listening to the same 20 songs for the past two months, which could actually be pretty accurate, to be honest. Obviously, that means I’ll share exactly those songs with you. And just as I love them, I hope you will do. So, grab your headphones or speakers (every music lover its own) , sit back and enjoy the ride.

Just Like a Movie – Wallows

When I first heard this song, I literally couldn’t believe my ears. Not just because this song is freaking stunning and I’m deeply in love with this band, but because it did exactly to me what a good song should do – it made me love music. In general. This song proves why music is a gift from heaven and one of the most beautiful things on earth. It’s something so incredible, I don’t think anything else could make me feel so many things at once. What a masterpiece. Wallows, thanks so much for this one, guys. Just wow.

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What Could Be as Lonely as Love / Worship – Amber Run

Well well well. Where should I begin? Amber Run, this freaking fantastic band, has been on my radar for quite some time now and their recently released album “Philophobia” has been one of my most anticipated LPs of this whole year. And damn, they certainly did not let me down. This album, as a whole, is so damn good, there isn’t one song that I wouldn’t say is amazing. This is also the reason why it was so hard to chose the songs to share with you, as I’d have actually preferred to just throw the whole album at you. But as this is a new music list, I did my best and chose the two songs that I’ve been loving the most.

“What Could Be as Lonely as Love” is plainly the one song that gets me going the most, it’s such a bop. But once you listen to the lyrics, you kinda notice that it’s a sad one. But still a bop. And “Worship”, wow, that’s just a heartbreak on a plate. I don’t know who hurt Joe, the lead-singer, this much, but I’d really love to give him a song every time I listen to the song. He manages to put so much pain and sincerity into his voice, I actually teared up while listening to it the first time. It’s this good. Also, please go and listen to the whole album. Highly recommend it, with my whole heart.

Aftertaste – The Academic

It’s no secret that I’ve been a fan of these guys for a few years now and I’m just always so excited whenever they put out a new song. They never let me down. And this phenomenal song right here proves that once again. I really can’t wait to see them live again in a few days here in London, it’s going to be absolutely amazing, I can already tell.

Ice Cream Sundae – Inhaler

Here we finally have the song, the only one, that I got on tape when I saw this awesome band live for the first time back in May at the Great Escape Festival. I might have to add that I literally had no idea who they were back then, but I do now and I’m honestly so happy my mum and I stayed for their gig or I would never know them, which would be an absolute shame. They are just way too fantastic and this song is way too fun to miss out on. And for those of you who are wondering and don’t know them – yes, this is Elijah Hewson, the son of Bono from U2. Yes, really. So, watch out for these guys, because they’re here to stay, trust me.

British Bombs – Declan McKenna

Guys, do you know this feeling when you’re going through your music recommendations and suddenly this one artist, that you’ve been listening to for such a long time but have kinda forgotten about, suddenly pops up on your list with an incredible new song and when you listen to it you fall in love with the artist all over again because it’s just so good? Yes? Good, me too, because that’s exactly what happened with Declan and this “bomb” (sorry, I had to) of a song. It’s so damn good, I don’t even know how I could actually forget about him. I’ve got no excuses, shame on me. But thank god I found him again. The song is so so so damn good. Also, when you’re listening to it, go and take a look at the lyrics. Trust me, you want to know what this song is all about. Declan makes music for politically frustrated indie kids, according to a Youtube comment, so you can probably tell why it’s such an important song and why he’s such an important artist.

Eat, Sleep Wake (Nothing But You) – Bombay Bicycle Club

As I am this typing this, I can’t believe my own eyes, but, guys, Bombay Bicycle Club are back together and back in business and I’m so excited, I can’t even put it into words. I think we all have this one band that we found out about too late or that we were born at the wrong time for. Until a few weeks ago, Bombay was that one band for me. I found them when they had already broken up and I always told myself and everyone else that they were the one band I wish I could’ve seen live, but will never get the chance to. But now these guys actually decided to not only reunite, but also to release new music, a new album and go on tour. And I’ll be seeing them live next February. How is this real life? Oh my god. And could this song right here be any better? I don’t think so.

Insomniac – Dreamers

I recently stumbled over this song on YouTube and immediately was interested, mainly because of the title. Insomniac. That’s something people could call me. Because I’m simply always awake at night. Not that I can’t sleep, I’d just rather be awake at night. But yeah, that’s kinda how I found this song and I’m so happy I did. I can already see myself listening to it while walking back home from work at night. Such a perfect late night song.

BREAKFAST / creature – half•alive

Where should I start? In short – this band is freaking awesome and their album is a masterpiece and definitely one of the most exciting musical experiences when being listened to with headphones. It’s just so damn good. They play with so many different techniques, whether it’s with genres, synths or instruments. It’s a creative rollercoaster and definitely worth every listen. As with Amber Run’s album, it was incredibly difficult for me to chose favourites, so I just took the two songs I’ve been listening to the most the past months. Where “BREAKFAST” is quiet, emotional and gentle and could remind some of Bon Iver, “creature” is intense, harmonic and full. Both couldn’t be any more different and any more perfect.

Was It Something I Said – MyKey

Guys, you’ll probably never believe my story of how I found this song and this artist. Do you guys know the YT channel Jubilee? It’s a really really fantastic channel where they sometimes to this kind of speed dating thingy and this one video was with musicians, where they had to play songs. And this guy, Mikey, right here was part of that video and immediately grabbed my interest because of his angelic voice. And, well, here we are now. Obviously I had to search for him online and quickly found his channel, thanks to other indie fans just like me. And god, what a great song this is. Jubilee, thanks so much for that video. I owe you one.

Boogie Juice – HALFNOISE

And last but not least, here we have the newest banger from the amazingness that is HALFNOISE. If you’re ever on a walk in the city and wanna get in the perfect, chill but still upbeat, groovy mood, trust me, this is the one song to listen to. It’s practically perfect for that. It always gets me in the best mood, no joke. And besides that, it’s just such a fun song to listen to. And this band deserves far more recognition and attention than what they’re currently getting. What a breathtakingly cool band. Damn. Also, they just released their new album, so definitely make sure to check that out.

And with that, we’ve reached the end of this list of awesomeness and this “New Music Friday”. I sincerely hope you had or have fun listening to all of these phenomenal songs and love them just as much as me. As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions, so please don’t hesitate to leave them down below. Besides that, I hope you’re all doing good and wish you a great weekend. And, of course, thanks so much for reading. x

New Music Friday

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to another Friday. And, also, to another episode of our all-time favourite series – the New Music Friday. Amazing, new and exciting music that you can relax and/or get hyped to. Music that you can fall in love with. Could there be any better way to start off the weekend? I don’t think so.

As the last New Music post was done at the end of May, you can probably imagine the huge bulk of music I’ve collected over the past two months. I don’t think the list has ever been that long. But I’m honestly so so so happy I get to share all these fantastic songs with you guys. There’s so much waiting for you to discover. Ed just released his new collab-album, or as he calls it, his new project. Amber Run are back in the game. Two Door Cinema Club also moved on to their new phase with their new LP. Tyler still owns my heart with his reconstructed versions of some songs. And Hippo Campus blessed us all by releasing all their demos. I mean, what more could you wish for? The more music, the better. So, let’s jump right in and please enjoy.

Antisocial – Ed Sheeran ft. Travis Scott

To say that this new album and also this new song blew my mind would be a huge understatement. I mean, we all know Ed and his typical style of music. You get the idea. Good. Now throw all of that away. Because “No.6 Collaborations Project” is anything but what you would expect to hear from Ed. And that’s exactly what makes it this good. Especially the last song, “Blow”, with Bruno Mars and Chris Stapleton is absolutely mind-boggling. I was so shocked when I listened to it for the first time. Actually, I think I’m still a bit shocked. I won’t spoil the surprise, just listen to it yourself.

But that’s not the song I want to share on this list. It’s “Antisocial”, with Travis Scott, featuring the weirdest music video ever. I still have no idea what’s going on or what the idea behind it was. I just know that I absolutely love the song and its vibe. That’s a hype up song right there. Well freaking done, Ed. And Travis.

Affection – Amber Run

Ever since hearing “I Found” by this absolutely amazing band, I’ve been attached to them and their music. Joe, their lead singer, has such an incredible, distinct voice that I really don’t know how to describe it. They are just one of those bands that you listen to whenever and wherever and their music will always be great and make you feel good. Which is also why I’m so damn happy that they’re back with new music. I honestly can’t wait to see them live. Finally.

Wallflower – Larkins

This is one of my newest finds, but I’m so happy I stumbled upon it. You know, every single year, when the weather gets nicer and everyone starts to cheer up and the sun tries to burn you alive once in a while, I try to look for a few perfect summer hits. And this right here is one of them. While listening to it, I can already see myself lying in the sun in my garden or on my way to a festival. It’s pure summer.

So Many People – Two Door Cinema Club

Oh, how I long I’ve waited for this album to come out. And I have to say, although it has some ups and downs, I’m so damn glad the guys are back in the game and doing exactly what they want and love. Some people might say that compared to their last album “Gameshow”, their new “False Alarm” isn’t really much of a change, but I don’t think so. And this song right here proves it. TDCC never fail to grow. Nor to make me love them even more.

Runaway – Half Alive

Sometimes I’d really love to give YouTube a big thank-you-kiss on the cheek. Because if it wasn’t for this amazing platform, I would’ve never found this band and I would’ve never gotten the chance to listen to this beautiful song and watch this stunning music video. If you aren’t a fan of this band already, you definitely need to check out this song and all their other stuff. They’ve got big things ahead of them, I just know it. And I’ll be right with them to experience it all.

Superlike – The Academic

Well, well, well, as if we weren’t here just about a year ago. A year has passed since I found this band and fell in love with their music. Since I saw them live and then loved them even more. Now, a year later, nothing has changed. I still love them. I still want to see them live again. And they still manage to release absolute hits you can easily get addicted to. They just know exactly what they’re doing and this song shows that. I’m not going to make the really bad pun and say I superlike it… but I do superlike it.

What I like – Archie Faulks

Another one of my newest additions to the list and a slow one as well for a change. As far as I can tell, Archie is one of those artists who’s are just getting started and I’m already so excited to see where his path will go.

Chlorine & My Blood (Reconstruct Versions) – Twenty One Pilots

Honestly, guys, do I need to say anything? I don’t, right? I think I’ve talked enough about this phenomenal performance in one of my latest posts (click me), though I could easily talk about it for hours and hours and hours. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve already watched this video since they put it on YouTube. And I still can’t get enough of it. Though I think I never will. Tyler’s talent just never fails to fully blow me away, especially with these two performances right here. During My Blood, I highly recommend paying extra attention to minute 3:28. It’s definitely one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard. This band is such a blessing, honestly. Wow.

Everything Means Everything Meant Everything – Hunny

Guys, it doesn’t get any newer than this song. Hunny just released their new album “Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.” (yes, that’s really the title of the album) and I’m honestly so happy that it’s finally out and about. Thank god. I’ve waited so long for this. Though it definitely was worth the wait, because it’s simply fantastic. It’s a Yes. Now, can they please come tour in the UK so I can see them in London? Thanks.

Kentucky & Chapstick (Demos) – Hippo Campus

Have you ever had the urge or maybe just the pure interest to listen to demo versions of songs of a very cool, very great band? Well, ask no more, because your wish just got granted. Hippo Campus did it. They released all their demos from their latest album “Bambi” and now I basically want every single band and artist to do the exact same thing. Yes to more music. To more like these two songs. So damn good. Also, fun fact, when I first listened to “Kentucky” I immediately started to cry and I honestly can’t tell why. Again proves that music can trigger emotions simply by having a special rhythm. The power.

Best Part of Me – Ed Sheeran ft. YEBBA

Well, we started off this list with Ed so we might as well end it with him. I’m not gonna say much about this, just that Ed is an angel, especially towards the end, that YEBBA is breathtaking and that this is what heaven must sound like.

And that’s it, guys. These are the incredible songs I’ve been in love with the past few days and months. All of them are very special, very beautiful and very unique in their own ways. And I’m honestly so happy that I get to share them with you and hope that you love them just as much as I do. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below. And, of course, I wish you all a lovely weekend and thanks for reading. x

Trench reimagined

Hola everyone.

How are you all doing? Did you have a great weekend? I hope you did. I, for my part, had one of the best weekends ever, as I got to spend it with Ed. Admiring him. Singing to him. Smiling at him. And yes, it was just as lovely as it sounds.

But I actually don’t want to get into much detail, as I’ve got a big post planned for Friday, in which I want to tell you everything and anything about the two concerts. How my friend and I managed to get right to the front by waiting for about nine hours in the glaring sun and nearly being burned alive. How I starred at Ed for about half an hour, in complete disbelief that he was really that close to me. And how we actually sneaked in on the second night. In short, there are some crazy stories coming up.

But for now, I just wanted to quickly share something utterly beautiful with you. This video right here. It’s a clip of Ty singing and also reimagining a few songs, which might sound plain at first, but trust me, it’s anything but. Basically, it’s a 27 minutes and 38 seconds long trip to heaven. Music heaven. And it’s another testimony of how incredibly talented he truly is. I mean, it can’t get any more genius than that. The way he lets himself fall while playing his own songs and the way he still manages to create something new by working with something old is absolutely mind-blowing. Again, for me, watching him work like this gives me another reason to love and admire this talented man to pieces. And I can just repeat myself over and over again – right now, Tyler is, without a single doubt, the most creative and genius musician I know and listen to. He and Josh continue to blow my mind with their talent every single day and I’m honestly so damn proud to be part of their fandom, their clique. What a band.

Of course, I’m now going to urge you to watch and listen to this video, preferably with headphones on and in a nice setting. Or any setting, Tyler will turn it into a nice one anyway. And afterwards, please don’t forget to give the boys another listen and then to tell me your thoughts and opinions. And until then, I wish you all a great week and, as always, thanks for reading. x

‘The definition of ambition’

Hola everyone.

How are we doing today? I hope so far you’ve all had a great week and that your Friday is going great. Today, guys, I have the honour to share something very very very special with you. Some of you might remember that this February, I finally got see one of my favourite bands live – the one and only Hippo Campus (here’s my post about the show – click me). But that wasn’t the most exciting part, oh no. Easily the best part was that, before the show, I also got to interview them. And yes, I know. How crazy is that? I honestly still can’t believe that this really happened. When I think back to it, it feels like I had some kind of weird fever dream and that it was never real. But it was. I really met and talked to them. And they really were the nicest, coolest and most chill people I’ve ever met. I can’t even begin to describe how eternally grateful I am that I really got to do this. What a dream come true.

And, so, now that you know this, you also know what this post is all about. Exactly, the interview. But before you get all excited, no, I don’t mean I’m going to spill the beans of the whole experience. Oh no. Even better. Today, I finally get to share the finished piece I wrote about the interview with you. And trust me, I waited quite a while to be able to say this. But I’m so so so glad the day is finally here. So, without further ado, here’s my feature about one of the best bands ever – Hippo Campus.

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THE DEFINITION OF AMBITION

There comes a point in every band’s existence when the youthful enthusiasm of the early days has to give way to a more sophisticated version of themselves. Formed in 2013, the Minnesota band Hippo Campus was born from a group of high-school friends who were just looking to have a good time. But after releasing their first album, years of touring and gaining popularity, especially in the ranks of indie fans, they suddenly found themselves in a less inspirational atmosphere. They needed a change.

This special desire to shake things up has always been present in the five piece’s music, and their second album ‘Bambi’ is a liberal, maybe darker, more experimental realisation of exactly that. While their debut release ‘Landmark’ was full of bubbly excitement and youthful lightness, they felt driven to change direction and go that little bit deeper. They wanted an honest reflection of themselves. “I think it was mostly reflective of the times. We were all in this weird kind of state. The stress of creating a second album, there’s a lot of pressure on that. And we didn’t want to have that pressure. It’s darker just because of where we were at that time,”, says Whistler Allen, drummer of the indie group.

“Part of that was that we felt chewed up a little bit. You get out of high school and after the first couple of years of touring and after the first album, you experience something that isn’t what you thought it was,” adds Nathan Stocker, lead guitarist of the band and co-writer of most of the Hippo tracks. “People suck sometimes and there’s hurt. The process of maintaining the relationships that actually matter to you and to what you’re doing as a musician, artist or whatever you want to call it, gets really tiring.”

Thus, calling this new era of Hippo Campus “real” would be a strong understatement. As they turned the page to pave the way for ‘Bambi’, the band found freedom in being an open book lyrically, but also personally. “It’s a very vulnerable place to be a songwriter, because it’s like ‘okay, I’m going go outside and use a megaphone to let everybody know what I think and what is going on in my life and feel free to look over my shoulder and hate me or love me’. You’ve got open arms to the world and the audience you have and that’s so scary. Because they can chew you up and spit you out,” Stocker explains and pinpoints the one aspect, the sheer honesty, that gave their newest release a certain feel of relatability. “Really, there’s no reward in it other than making it for the sake of being in that place at all. There’s really no other tangible reward. Even if it resonates with people, it still sucked for me to write.”

It seems that the American band never shies away from acknowledging the fears and emotions of the current generation, actively addressing issues like the #MeToo movement, mental health or toxic masculinity, and using their album to process and accept them at the same time. Whether it be overwhelming worry (‘Anxious’), inescapable self-doubt (‘Mistakes’) or failing relationships (‘Why Even Try’), ‘Bambi’ covers nearly every area when it comes to the highly personal issues the band members had to face. The album fluctuates between blissful calm to vigorous chaos, while the lyrical discomfort fits in with the awkward, socially uncertain times that they were dealing with.

And although it’s a reckless existence, the Minnesota five-piece wouldn’t have it any other way – gig by thrilling gig – their path so far has surpassed even their greatest expectations. Now, it’s even the small issues and tiny stones that stop them in their ways they get excited about. “That’s part of why we love it so much, actually. If you don’t get irritated by little things, then you won’t know that you’re having a ton of fun with your friends every day,” exclaims DeCarlo Jackson, trumpet player and newest addition to the band. Stocker adds, “I’m excited to be irritated by stuff that actually matters. That’s the definition of ambition. It’s tackling problems that actually further us.”

This is where their newest LP comes into play, as where ‘Landmark’ only touched the surface, ‘Bambi’ dives in head first. It’s the new side of music and writing that the band hopes can shine a light on the gap between reality and society’s expectations of constant perfection. Especially at current times, social media and the pressure that comes with it push down on a lot of bands. A pressure Hippo Campus isn’t willing to accept. “Naturally, if you’re not being the most honest version of yourself, there’s nothing else you could be except somebody else. Because if you’re not being you, then you’re definitely trying to marble yourself after someone else. But you know, sometimes we dress up,” Allen insists.

It’s this way of wearing their hearts on their sleeves and being their truest forms that seems to capture their fans. Together, they share this powerful connection that has been there from the start and only gotten stronger through their newest release. “The fans are everything,” Stocker agrees. “They just continue to be unbelievable people, who, for whatever reason, love our music. It’s always really bizarre to interact with them. Because it’s like ‘what have I done to deserves this?’. It’s just really good to feel the love and support and to see they’re real people who are experiencing real things and sharing a space with us. I know it could be a lot more segregated in terms of feeling like we have some superior upper hand to them, but it is pretty communal, on and off stage.”

From the start, always returning to this certain kind of passion and unapologetic honesty, Hippo Campus have looked to create a release that is both enchantingly light and devastatingly dark when it needs to be. While it focuses strongly on issues that clearly mean a lot to the band, the general tone of their newest record is one of optimism, looking for the brief moments of joy in a world with little to spare. And at the end, it’s the sheer love for music that brings them all together and provides the album with its special glow. Stocker concludes: “Music is the most interesting and spiritual example of memory that humans can have, to me. There’s nothing else really that is as fascinatingly metaphysical than the feeling when you listen to a really good song for the first time. For me as a person, there’s no other thing that exists other than memory. In the end, that’s all we have. Our entire progress is based on it, it’s the foundation of life. The fact that we can remember, the fact that I can play my instrument, is entirely based on memory. And music is the prime exemplification and personification of memory. And fin.”

So, there you go, guys. I dearly hope that you enjoyed reading this piece. Also, please do go and check out this band, they really deserve all the attention they are receiving right now and so much more. Here are all their social media handles: Spotify, YouTube and their official website.

As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your comments and thoughts down below and do please get in contact if you’ve got any questions. And until then, I wish you all an amazing weekend and, of course, thanks for reading. x