News

Hippo Campus announce new album ‘Bambi’ with title track and talk festival plans

The band’s second album comes out next month via Transgressive.

23rd August 2018

Hippo Campus are releasing their second album ‘Bambi’ via Transgressive next month, and have shared the title track.

The new song comes ahead of the five-piece’s sets at this weekend’s Reading and Leeds, and is a sunny, blissful slice of alt-pop.

The new album was partly recorded at Steve Albini’s Electrical Audio in Chicago, with the band working with longtime producer BJ Burton (Bon Iver, Low, Francis and the Lights).

They’re also set to take the record off on a UK and European tour early next year.

We spoke to the band about ‘Bambi’, plans for the rest of the year, and their upcoming Reading & Leeds performances.

Read the chat, view the dates and watch the ‘Bambi’ video below.

FEBRUARY
14 Manchester, O2 Ritz
15 Glasgow, The Garage
16 Newcastle, Riverside
18 Birmingham, Institute
19 Dublin, Academy Green Room
21 London, Shepherd’s Bush Empire
23 Bristol, SWX
24 Brighton, Concorde 2
26 Brussels, Botanique / Rotonde
27 Cologne, Luxor
28 Paris, La Maroquinerie

MARCH
01 Amsterdam, Paradiso Noord
03 Berlin, Lido
04 Hamburg, Molotow
05 Copenhagen, Hotel Cecil

Hello Hippo Campus! How are you today?

Smashing!

You’re about to head to Reading & Leeds - do you have any top tips for staying clean and happy at festivals?

The one time we played Reading and Leads in 2015, we were walking around the festival grounds, when we came across a man. This man was mostly nude. He has a three foot radius of empty space around him. Encircling that radius was a crowd of people watching this middle-aged man urinate. He didn’t look bothered. In fact he looked relieved.

If you want to stay clean, wear boots, avoid walking, try not to touch things or people. It’s tough but it has been done.

Your second album is on the way! How does it feel?

While none of us have kids, I imagine it feels similarly to the experience of expecting a second child. We’ve been around the block once before. We know what to expect. We know she will have a life of her own and we’re endlessly excited to watch everything unfold.

Did you learn a lot from recording the first one, and how did it influence how you worked on LP2?

The first album taught us a great deal about working in the studio and honing in on the production process. So when it came time for LP2 we spent more energy writing individually, and demoing our ideas out with a focus on production. BJ Burton, who produced our first record, helped us push the boundaries further and realise a creative vision.

What’s one thing you’d want people to take away from the new record?

I hope that people will feel challenged by the new record. I hope that they feel a sense of beauty. But if they take away anything I want it to be a collection of songs they might view as a companion.

‘Bambi’ is out 28th September via Transgressive.

Tags: Hippo Campus, News