Brand new album from Mortal Prophets

Hailing from New York City, John Beckmann is the visionary creative behind Mortal Prophets, a project that has been reimagining the sphere of American music since it started in 2022. Based on the traditions of the past yet unafraid to shatter pre-conceived expectations, Mortal Prophets pairs the familiar with the avant-garde, delivering a sound as groundbreaking as it is engaging.

Central to the project’s unique identity are Beckmann’s collaborations with talented artists such as guitarist Parker Bryant and organist Beckett Laurent. Together, they’ve created an original sound that’s earned both critical acclaim and a dedicated fanbase. Each release stakes their claim as a musical act unchained by genre, striving to explore new frontiers in sound.

The endeavour was first revealed via the debut single, “Stomp The Devil,” in May 2022 which kick started a discography steeped in innovation and reverence for American music’s roots. Subsequent singles like “New Breed” and “Sleeping In My Bed,” alongside genre-defying EPs such as HANUSSEN The Enigmatic Clairvoyant: An Opera and Brian Eno In Heaven, further confirmed Mortal Prophets’ reputation as pioneers in modern music.

Now, John Beckmann and his collective are back with their latest album titled Ghost Land, a twenty three-track ambient alternative opus that spans just under an hour to offer an otherworldly listening experience. Described by John as “Imaginary Cinema,” the album feels like a soundtrack to an unmade film set against a cosmic, Western Martian backdrop. The influence of literary icon Cormac McCarthy threads throughout Ghost Land, infusing the album with a mystical and macabre essence.

Started off with the delicate synth swells of “No Mercy,” sparse piano notes and airy textures coalesce to form a dreamy instrumental piece, developing with soft guitar strums and bright sliding tones that slips the listener into a hypnotic state and sets up the album. “Outlaw Idol” follows with intricate plucks, gradually developing with a mellow rhythmic march as the album drifts into a subtly brooding aesthetic. Songs like “Lay Down” offer a stunning alternative country vibe where emotive composition and delicate arrangement combine to create an experimental piece full of slick percussion and shimmering tones.

Title track “Ghost Land” leans into a trip hop scene where pulsing bass lines and bold swung grooves underpin spacey instrumentation and laid back vocal delivery, resulting in a mesmeric jam. Other highlights include tracks like “The Kid” with its trippy array of bubbling synth tones, jaunty detuned piano notes and hazy atmosphere, taking listeners through a transportive soundscape. “We Came In Peace” captures a cinematic style where playful instrumental elements and sinuous synths collide to offer a delicate yet engrossing sound. Closing track “Blood Red Sunset” presents a misty instrumental outing of warbling synth pulses and sustained piano chords to cast a spellbinding finale to Mortal Prophets’ truly incredible new album.

Listen to Ghost Land below