Mortal Prophets – “UNDER THE INFLUENCE”

The Mortal Prophets are back with UNDER THE INFLUENCE, a five-track EP where they completely reimagine songs that influenced their sound. John Beckmann isn’t being precious about these originals, he’s pulling them apart and reassembling them into his own vision.

The track selection runs from Elton John to Brian Eno to Iggy Pop, David Bowie, and Bush Tetras. Each one gets a different treatment. “Tiny Dancer” becomes quiet and ghostly, stripped of its original warmth, and “Third Uncle” gets pushed harder and more mechanical. The other three tracks get similar overhauls, each one reshaped to fit the band’s aesthetic, and trust me, you will love this EP.

The EP shifts between dreamy moments and aggressive ones, never settling into one mode for too long. During the same recording sessions, they also did “Unchained Melody” by The Righteous Brothers, but that one ended up released separately; you can listen to it here; it’s worth your time.

Check out their other work too if you haven’t already and follow The Mortal Prophets on Instagram to keep up with whatever they’re cooking up next.