7/10

After returning with their incredibly well-received sophomore album 'Bambi' last year, Hippo Campus have always been ones to share the writing and recording process behind their studio releases. While their first collection of demos, named 'Demos I', make up the bulk of what would later become 'Bambi', the group have now chosen to unveil another batch of roughly recorded tracks that were produced during the recording of their latest full-length. And while 'Demos II' is far from being a finished product, it does give us a huge insight into where they are planning to go next time around.

From the start, 'Bambi' was always intended to be a purging of anxiety that the band had been feeling at the time. Dealing in depth with a strong and emotional base that had been forged by the loss of many relationships, the record was aimed to become a guiding light for those listening who may have also been feeling the same of late. So hearing the offcuts that are 'Demos II', it seems quite clear as to why they felt these aren't as appropriate for their last LP. With a distinctly upbeat and optimistic tone, this new range of ideas sees the band moving away from that previous intention, and deliver a variety of diverse and exciting indie-pop tunes that feels fresh and explorative by comparison.

Although it hasn't been intended to become a fully formed release, 'Demos II' has plenty of engaging and enjoyable material running through it. The euphoric and blissful angle they have begun to explore is incredibly exciting for fans of their last two albums, and this new collection looks to be a solid and promising base in which to start from.