Hippo Campus, an indie rock band originating from St. Paul, Minn., has made a name for themselves through their consistently catchy singles and unique aesthetic. Their second full-length album, “Bambi,” was released on Friday, Sept. 28, giving us yet again a coherent, smooth sound. Having only been recently introduced to the band, I can’t say that I’ve watched them from the beginning. But I can tell you that from the first song I listened to—a mellow, youthful and cheeky song called “Way It Goes” about fun times and getting into trouble—I was hooked and have never looked back.

The band has been a part of the indie rock scene since 2014, setting the bar high for this newest batch of songs with a repertoire of captivating singles and a successful first album, “Landmark,” released in February 2017.

One aspect that stands out to me about Hippo Campus’ music is the juxtaposition of mostly upbeat riffs with heavy lyrics. The songs often narrate difficult topics, like growing up, masculinity, misogyny, divorce, death and relationships. According to the band’s biography on Grand Jury Records, “Bambi” is shaped by culture and current events, including the #MeToo movement.

“That really made us take a look at how toxic masculinity has influenced the way we see ourselves and the world overall,” said lead singer and guitarist Jake Luppen. “In the past, we might have been apprehensive about being super-vulnerable, but now we’re more aware of how important it is to come forward about dealing with depression or anxiety. Because if more men are able to do that, they might be less likely to express those feelings as anger or violence.”

An example of Hippo Campus’ clever coverage of hard topics appears within the single “Bambi,” the namesake of the album, which delves into mental health and its implications. There are lines masked by the Foster the People-esque lyrics such as, “I-I-I-I haven’t been much myself/ And I feel like my friends are being/ Put through this hell feeling/ I think that I’m living/ If you could call it living/ So brash and unforgiven.” Even the bold, vibrant music video for “Bambi” almost masks the actual content of the lyrics; it takes a moment to catch what the vocalist is skillfully singing. This moment of realization makes the meaning all the more impactful.

“Bambi” consists of 10 songs, three of which were released as singles—“Bambi,” “Golden” and “Passenger.” Together, the set list is beautifully organized but not boring, with interesting transitions between songs, like “Think It Over” and “Bubbles,” where a building, jumbled synthetic sound abruptly stops, greatly contrasting the soft, slow beat at the beginning of “Bubbles.”

In a recent Billboard article, guitarist Nathan Stocker reflected about the production of “Bambi.” “BJ [the band’s producer] asked us, ‘Do you want to make another Hippo Campus record? Or do you want to make a record under the name Hippo Campus?’ And that was an important distinction. Were we going to do what we were ‘expected’ to do, and maintain a certain sound? Or did we just want to be creative people, harvest what we can during this period of growth—and move forward?” said Stocker. Though there’s a clear correlation between the boys’ two albums, “Bambi” exudes a certain tenderness and growth from the previous “Landmark,” exploring more synths and layering in the collection of mostly calm, whimsical melodies.

The success of “Bambi” lies in its ability to merge simplicity with complexity in terms of lyrical messages, melodies, riffs and underlying beats. Hippo Campus is certainly on their way up in the music industry, and I for one am looking forward to their development. If you want to see them in concert, check them out at the Pageant on Oct. 9!