Infectious and vibrant, Pablo’s Hippos is the new track from York four piece Violet Contours. The tune is lively and danceable, pure high energy indie with a dash of beats. There’s a bit of an Afro-pop twist going on, merging numerous influences with a modern approach to songwriting. There’s also a story behind their name:
In the 1980s, one of the world’s most infamous drug lords, Pablo Escobar, smuggled four hippos into Colombia for his personal zoo. This was a product of excess and a moment of indulgence with a distinct lack of foresight.
Eventually Escobar’s lifestyle caught up with him in 1993 when he was gunned down on a rooftop by the Columbian National Police. Like much of his empire his private zoo fell in to a state of disrepair. The Hippos, native to the African continent, made a successful bid for freedom, escaping in to a local river system.
The escapees have now multiplied and current estimates suggest around 40 of one of Africa’s most dangerous animals now live in Columbia’s waterways.
The band are gigging throughout 2019.
And So She Thinks 