St. Paul-based Hippo Campus surprised fans with a third official EP titled warm glow.

The 3-song release includes live favourite baseball as well as two more evolved tunes traveler and warm glow.

baseball opens the EP with the familiarity of a typical Hippo Campus song. The dance-y melody is a good introduction to the EP and although it relies on the crisp guitar and clicking rhythms fans are used to, the fine-tuned complexity of the production hints at the maturity the band has reached in their process of recording music.

The second song, traveler moves away from this Hippo Campus template with a more compound guitar line that gives off a country twain in some sections. This song is also a testament to the band’s ability to expertly build their songs to conclusion; the crescendo through the final verse is especially impactful. As the tune picks up, Jake Luppen’s powerful vocals are pieced into the background, hinting at his prowess in a live setting.

The transition in warm glow is reminiscent of the flow the band created throughout their debut album landmark. After Jake’s falsetto opens the song, Nathan Stocker takes charge vocally, introducing an element fans have only really heard in South. His stable delivery is an effortless addition and contrasts the sharper tones of the guitar.

The outro of the EP slowly turns into this immense layered sound without falling into the pattern quick tempo endings the band is known for. The extended fade out is a welcome moment for reflection, concluding a wonderfully-engineered mini release.

The band is also set to return to Europe this Autumn before heading out on their US Winter tour.

October