The Mystic Underground - Peter

I had the pleasure of being introduced to electronic duo The Mystic Underground just a week or two ago when this very song appeared on the fourth episode of our podcast. In it, I stated that I didn’t know who Peter was (and still don’t), but I’m sure glad that he exists otherwise this song may not have been constructed. Anyway, The Mystic Underground consists of vocalist / lyricist Vladimir Valette and keyboardist / producer Benedetto Socci. They write the Smiths, Bowie, and New Order as influences and have reached some acclaim from fellow blogs such as post-punk.com and Side-Line, as well as on internet and college radio stations. I believe that The Mystic Underground will have to revise their bio to include as on the list of “Critics Who Like Us” as their latest single ‘Peter’ is a massive hit.  

‘Peter’ is an analog construction wrapped around a retro mindset. The heavily synthpop-influenced single contains both dance leads and punchy percussion – giving it a melancholic, moody feel while optimizing the track for dancefloor shenanigans. While this is not a reinvention of synthpop, it takes many standards and practically perfects them. ‘Peter’ is finished out by Vladimir Valette’s handsome vocals. Whereas I feel many singers attempting to accomplish a similar feat normally go too high in tone, Valette is able to switch between hypnotic verses and emotive chorus sections in equal measure. 

Attached to the single is a remix from The Kolour Kult. Unfortunately, I don’t think the remix does the original song justice. My main complaint is that there are multiple times throughout the song where the vocals are butchered to maintain the quicker pace the remix calls for. This means that Valette’s original rhythm and tone is somewhat slaughtered. I feel as if The Kolour Kult was going for a club mix of the song – but that wasn’t necessary considering that the original track was club worthy. Overall, I find the remix skippable.

Nonetheless, I don’t often hold much weight of a remix over the original artist’s head. I find that most remixes are a bit of an optional touch, and that’s how I feel about this one. The original mix of ‘Peter’ still stands out as one of the finest synthpop pieces I’ve heard in quite some time – and I look forward to keeping it in my playlists going forward. Seven-and-a-half out of ten.