Youngblood Hawke

Youngblood Hawke came together in 2011, drawing stylistic parallels with upbeat indie pop peers such as Fun., Jukebox the Ghost, Walk the Moon, and Imagine Dragons. The group took its name from Herman Wouk’s 1961 novel inspired by the life of Thomas Wolfe. Former members of new wave revivalists Iglu and Hartly formed the project, uniting longtime friends Sam Martin and Simon Katz with Tasso Smith, Alice Katz, and Nik Hughes. Based in Los Angeles, the quintet’s bright outlook and commitment to life-affirming, danceable electro-pop attracted Universal Republic, which signed the band and issued its self-titled debut EP in 2012. Youngblood Hawke followed with its first full-length album, Wake Up, in 2013; the record contained the single “We Come Running.” The ensuing period brought extensive touring alongside continued work on fresh material, producing the Vicetone-assisted single “Landslide” and the track “Knock Me Down.” The non-album single “Trust” surfaced in 2018.