John Beckmann’s Mortal Prophets have been all over these pages of late and are already back with another EP release.

By Graeme Smith

Feature photo by Cat Chow

The story goes that John happened on Meine Liebe while in a record store in Munich. The record had no musician name or any other details, and his research to find out more about it was a dead end. Taking it to New York City-based producer David Sisko, the pair created this new EP.

I’m not sure how much of that story is true, and how much is showmanship, but it hardly matters. Meine Liebe truly does feel like a lost artifact, a musical treasure that deserves to be put in a museum.

John says of the record: “what is real is what can be imagined, this collection of songs captures the glitter and doom of what was the Weimar Period in Germany.” It’s the kind of enigmatic statement we’ve come to expect of the Avant Garde artist, but does give us a little of what to expect from Meine Leibe. The EP is a mix of the traditional, the retro and the cutting edge. Tango rubs shoulders with opera and electronica in a collection quite unlike anything else (even anything else we’ve heard from Mortal Prophets.)

Weimer Tango transports us back in time before Cologne 77 takes us back to the future through a pulsating dance number. Belgian Club 79 gives us a deep house twist. Trip Hop takes things in a dark and moody direction before Titanic Last Waltz rounds off the interpretations with its most boundary pushing take. Echoing notes create a vivid atmosphere before building to a cinematic head.

Mortal Prophets’ latest is another weird and wonderful insight into their unique world. It simply demands a listen.

Meine Leibe features John Beckmann on vocals and lyrics, and David Sisko on instrumentals, production and mix. It was recorded at MinMax in New York and was mastered by Tom Rogers in Los Angeles. The EP is out now and you can check it out below.

Supported by Musosoup #SustainableCurator