There’s a special kind of electricity that crackles through a release when a band refuses to treat history with polite gloves. On ‘Under the Influence’, Mortal Prophets grab those melodies by the collar, drag them into their own darkly lit world, and dare them to survive the transformation. What comes out the other side is wild, seductive, and fiercely alive, a reminder of why reinterpretation can be just as radical as writing something entirely new.
Right from the first moments, this release announces itself as something more than a tribute exercise. The familiar outline of ‘Tiny Dancer’ is barely recognisable here, reborn as a ghostly slow-burn that feels like overhearing a private thought rather than a public singalong. The band drains away the glossy optimism and replaces it with a trembling intimacy, turning a well-known tune into something hauntingly personal.
Then ‘Third Uncle’ arrives like a jolt of caffeine to the bloodstream. It’s all twitchy momentum and restless urgency, pushing the song’s already nervous energy into full-on overdrive. Mortal Prophets seem to delight in riding that edge, letting the track threaten to derail at any moment, which only makes it more exhilarating.
As the EP unfolds, the mood grows darker and more cinematic. ‘Sister Midnight’ prowls through shadowy emotional terrain, dripping with a sense of late-night unease and seductive danger. ‘Repetition’ tightens the screws even further, locking into a pulsing groove that feels claustrophobic and hypnotic at the same time. And when ‘Too Many Creeps’ closes things out with its gritty low-end and snarling attitude, it feels like stepping into a neon-soaked backstreet where every sound carries both threat and allure.
What truly makes ‘Under the Influence’ such a rush is the way John Beckmann and his collaborators refuse to play the role of caretakers. These versions are about collision, and what happens when old ideas crash into a new, uncompromising vision. There’s joy in that risk, a sense that anything could happen at any moment, and often does.
For those who crave art-pop with teeth, or pop with a streak of beautiful menace, this EP is a thrilling ride. Mortal Prophets set the past ablaze and watch the sparks fly.