In “Warm Glow,” Hippo Campus present a deep-seated reassurance that people will, in fact, be alright.
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The release of a highly-anticipated debut LP preceding an international tour apparently wasn’t enough success for Hippo Campus last year. The Minnesotan quartet are well on their way to establishing themselves as staples in the indie rock music scene, with earlier tracks like “Suicide Saturday” and “South” still receiving well-deserved attention.
Hippo Campus’ debut album Landmark, which turned one year old in February, exhibited much more refined production and philosophical songwriting than the two EPs that came before it. And although it was more than enough to propel Hippo Campus into their highly prosperous year, the young band couldn’t close out 2017 without one more release in September. Warm Glow, their three-song surprise EP, serves as a delightful extension of the album, but is also intellectual and tenacious enough to stand on its own.
Listen: ‘Warm Glow’ EP – Hippo Campus
The EP’s title track instantly evokes the same emotions the name suggests. Perfectly fit for the peak scene in a coming-of-age film, the introduction feels like a peaceful stroll through a field on a mild spring day, or gathering in a larger group around a bonfire at sunset with beer and acoustic guitars in hand. Frontman Jake Luppen takes full advantage of his vocal range as his dazzling falsettos nab the spotlight of one of Hippo Campus’ most profound works of art.
Smoke-swell haze on the hill over Tennessee
Leaky churches
Honey-burned tobacco leaves
Girl, teal-eyed, do occupy this tree with me
Summer peelings
– “Warm Glow,” Hippo Campus
Even with bitter weather approaching at the time of the song’s release — especially so in Hippo Campus’ Midwestern homeland—the track is cozy, comforting and massively uplifting. “Warm Glow’s” poetic lines paint pictures of optimistic blue skies and “rose-set roads” of perhaps a southern countryside before chanting arguably some of the band’s most quintessential lyrics to date:
Arm’s length, shoulders wide
Looking for a fight
Peace sign, getting by
People, we’ll be alright
Steady hi-hat hits usher in the transition to lead guitarist Nathan Stocker’s solo singing moment—a pleasant surprise for longtime listeners. As the song’s primary mantra is repeated during the second half, the gradual swelling of the instrumentals give it an almost anthemic ambience that perfectly closes out the EP; it became a crowd favorite for fans attending Hippo Campus’ recent winter tour. “Warm Glow” encapsulates a nostalgic essence, calling on each listener’s positive memories and erasing negativities.
In this track, Hippo Campus present a deep-seated reassurance that people will, in fact, be alright.
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