John Beckmann, the songwriter, producer, and restless architect behind The Mortal Prophets, announces Utopia PKWY, a new project that marks a decisive turn toward brighter weather. The debut album, Debut, due for release November 6th. The new album reframes Beckmann’s long-standing fascination with haunted atmospheres, poetic instability, and cinematic sound design through a more melodic, optimistic, and sunstruck lens. For the debut, Beckmann relinquishes the vocal spotlight to Tanner McGraw, with Lawson Mars on backing vocals.

Named in reference to Utopia Parkway, the Queens street associated with Surrealist artist Joseph Cornell, Utopia PKWY suggests a private universe assembled from memory, suburban light, damaged pop, and strange talismans. The music moves with the immediacy of a pop record while retaining the art-damaged intelligence of Beckmann’s broader catalog.

Utopia PKWY is inspired by the sounds of Syd Barrett, Robert Wyatt, Cocteau Twins, Slowdive, synth-wave, and psychedelic art-pop, but it never settles into imitation. Beckmann’s production remains tactile and cinematic: keyboards shimmer, guitars blur into atmosphere, theremins hover at the edge of the song, and trippy sitars flash through the arrangements like half-remembered signals.

Utopia PKWY
Utopia PKWY
Tracklisting

1. I Knew You Were Trouble
2. Sleep In Moving Colors
3. Nothing Is Missing
4. If I Could Steal One More Kiss
5. You Talk Like Every Feeling
6. What Disappears
7. Come In Waves
8. Glitter And Doom
9. Fall Into You
10. Dreaming I’m A Rock Star

Pre-order Utopia PKWY HERE