The Mortal Prophets - Hide Inside The Moon

​The Mortal Prophets

Hide Inside The Moon
self-released; 2025

By Jamie Funk

Hide Inside The Moon is an album defined by control, patience, and a clear sense of purpose. John Beckmann once again handles the writing, music, and production for The Mortal Prophets, and I hear an artist working within carefully set boundaries rather than trying to overwhelm the listener. The arrangements pull from shoegaze, psychedelic rock and progressive rock without committing fully to either, keeping the focus on structure and mood instead of scale.

New vocal contributions from Tanner McGraw and Lawson Mars widen the emotional frame of the album, adding contrast and movement while staying fully integrated into Beckmann’s vision. Nothing here feels decorative or indulgent. The record moves according to its own internal rules, and it sticks to them.

Themes of memory, longing, and unstable timelines surface gradually through pacing and tone. I hear that immediately on the opener “Mad Girl’s Love Song (Sylvia Plath),” where the hazy guitar textures and slow burn vocal delivery place the album’s priorities front and center, drawing a clear line to artists like Beach House and My Bloody Valentine without sounding derivative. “Eyes in the Sky” picks up the tempo, and I was drawn to the drumming here, especially the way the delays and rhythmic choices give the song forward motion while keeping the vocals sharp and memorable.

“Blue Velvet” returns to denser guitar tones, but the vocal mix stays present, refusing the buried approach that often defines shoegaze. I was especially taken with the acoustic experimentation on “My Future Past,” which shares a loose, playful songwriting sensibility with Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, as does “Desert of No End (Cy Twombly).” The title track “Hide Inside the Moon” leans into an unmistakable 80s synth palette, while songs like “Through Colors” and “Fight Beneath the Stars” stand out for their melodic clarity.

​At sixteen tracks, the album moves quickly. Most songs land in the two to three minute range, and there is very little deviation from that format. I found myself wanting one or two longer pieces that might push deeper into the shoegaze and psychedelic ideas the album hints at, but Beckmann commits instead to a concise pop structure across the board. That choice limits exploration but strengthens cohesion. The songwriting holds up throughout, and while not every idea is fully expanded, the record contains enough strong moments to justify sustained and repeated listening. Another great album by Mortal Prophets!

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