Good Dog, Bad Dream Review

Hey everybody! Many of my favorite artists have been releasing absolute bangers recently with Hippo Campus being among them. Recently, I was delighted to see that their new single, “Sex Tape” came out which I then found out was part of their new EP, Good Dog, Bad Dream that came out on August 6th. I’ve been listening to Hippo Campus since 2017 before they came out with their first full length album, Landmark. Hippo Campus to me has very much been a coming-of-age band whose music has been there for me during some of the biggest changes in my life. Anyways, I’m here to review Good Dog, Bad Dream for you today, so let’s get into it!

We start off this EP with “Bad Dream Baby” which was the first single to be released. I have been jamming to this song non-stop since it came out in June but I’ve got to say, it initially surprised me. The vibe of this song is quite a bit different than the music Hippo Campus has previously released. The lyrics are a little more blatant – to the point that they make me laugh hearing them sometimes. “I’m kind of worried about Brittnay Spears, it’s pretty fucked up how her dad runs her life, I wish my dad were more involved in mine but not like that, really not like that” is a great example of the lyrical vibes in this song. In terms of the instrumentals, “Bad Dream Baby” kicks off this bass heavy EP and overall is very fun and high energy.

Next up is “Deepfake” which is a little mellower but brings in some more unsettling elements like the super autotuned vocals and background static. The song doesn’t feel sad per say, but the lyrics aren’t too optimistic - being about feeling like a fake and not very cool person. I guess the song feels a bit dreary, but I think some of those unsettling elements keep it feeling at least a little fun.

“Sex Tape” is next which is my favorite song on this EP. This song has the vibe that I really fell in love with Hippo Campus for, which is very mellow, and a little island-y. I love the dichotomy between the message of someone wanting to film a sex tape and the super chill and fun instrumentals in this song. Hippo Campus has done a great job of changing up their music while keeping their vibe and this song really is the perfect example of that.

“Where to Now” is probably the darkest feeling song on this EP with a minor bass line dominating the instrumentals. Halfway through the song we get hints of the island-y sounding guitar that lightens it up a touch, but for the most part this song feels heavier than the other songs on this EP. I personally prefer their more upbeat songs, but that being said I think this song balances out the other songs quite well!

We finish out the EP with “Mojo Jojo” which brings back the autotuned vocals that are quite fitting in this upbeat song. The electronic and autotuned feel isn’t my personal favorite, but the song is pretty fun and makes a great closer for this fun EP.

Overall I’m loving this new music from Hippo Campus and I’m excited to see what adventures in my life it accompanies me for. I highly recommend checking it out and listening to their older music as well!