7/10

Right from the very start, Mortal Prophets' 'Hide Inside The Moon' is a spellbinding, slow-burning triumph that feels like stepping through a velvet curtain into another dimension entirely.

With this release, the New York innovators are elevating their sound from beginning to end. John Beckmann’s creative vision is on full display here, and it’s nothing short of breathtaking. Every arrangement feels handcrafted, layered with care and intention, yet alive with mystery.

From the opening stretch, the album establishes its hypnotic pull. 'Mad Girls Love Song (Sylvia Plath)' immediately sets the tone: dreamlike yet grounded in feeling. While “Eyes in the Sky” unfolds like a slow revelation, its textures building and dissolving in mesmerising waves.

There’s also a cinematic streak running through the album that feels grand without ever becoming theatrical. Tracks like 'Blue Velvet' and 'Devil Doll' feel like lost scenes from a late-night art film, capturing something moody, evocative, dripping with tension and allure. These are songs about longing, memory, fractured identity, and the strange beauty of emotional contradiction.

Most thrilling of all is the sense of confidence. 'Hide Inside The Moon' feels like the work of artists fully committed to their own language; unconcerned with trends, while fully invested in crafting an experience. It’s daring in its patience, bold in its subtlety, and radiant in its emotional clarity.

This is an album you return to at midnight, headphones on, lights low, ready to drift. And every time, it reveals something new. Here, Mortal Prophets have created a record that glows in the half-light and invites you to stay awhile.