If ever there was a time for Hippo Campus frontman Jake Luppen to release a record without having to cram inside a van with his four germy bandmates to promote it, this year certainly fits the bill. And he's about to do just that in October.
Hippo Campus singer Jake Luppen announces first solo album
Hear two new tracks off the Minneapolis rocker's debut LP as Lupin.
September 16, 2020 at 10:58PM
The Minneapolis-based singer/guitarist — who was supposed to headline the Basilica Block Party in July with his childhood pals — has announced details of his first solo album under the semi-pseudonym Lupin. The self-titled collection was produced by fellow Twin Citian BJ Burton (Bon Iver, Low) and is due out Oct. 9 via Hippo Campus's New York-based label, Grand Jury Music.
One listen to the first tune previewed from the record, "May," immediately brought to mind another Minneapolitan's name, Prince, with its electro-fried falstetto vocals and a funky synth-pop vibe.
On Wednesday, he dropped two more tracks in one swoop: The songs "Vampire" and "Murder," both of which show a moodier, more introspective side and were accompanied by a pair of fun music videos — one of which might have hometown fans pining for the Zombie Pub Crawl (see below).
In a press release for the album, Luppen promised it will be different from Hippo Campus in other ways, too.
"With this record I wanted to get to the point, and say how things were, as opposed to dancing around them," he said, citing big life changes as inspiration such as a serious break-up and a recent health scare.
"I feel like for a number of years I lost touch with what I wanted. I was thinking about other people for so long, this was the first chance to be asked, 'What do I want?' It was just [bleeping] empowering to be faced with those questions."
His isn't the only recording project to come out of the band's hiatus this year: Guitarist/co-vocalist Nathan Stocker has been making music as Brotherkenzie and now has a full album to show for it, titled "Big What." He and Luppen have also been recording with Happy Children bandleader Caleb Hinz as Baby Boys.
Limited-edition vinyl copies of the Lupin record are now available for pre-order exclusively via Twin Cities shops the Electric Fetus and Down in the Valley.
Chris Riemenschneider • 612-673-4658
@ChrisRstrib
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